Prior to and during World War II the United States Army called several tractors M1 light tractor.
Under the Ordnance Corps these commercial off-the-shelf tractors were meant to tow artillery pieces so were not equipped with blades like their Engineer counterparts.
Eventually these were replaced by purpose-built high-speed tractors (HSTs).
Some tractors were equipped with crane attachments for ammunition, and material handling.
Manufacturer: Caterpillar Tractor Co. Stock No.
— The D4 is designed for towing and all types of general construction work.
Accurately located frame-holes are provided for attaching varied tractor equipment to adapt it for use in earth moving, road clearance, and airport construction work.
Equipped with Independent, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke-cycle gasoline starting engine.
Final drive cases: 1%-gal gear oil each.
Forward speeds with maximum drawbar pull are: 1st: 1.7 mph, 7852 lb.
— Power is transmitted through dry type flywheel clutch to selective type change speed gear set.
Each track is controlled by slow speed, heavy duty, dry multiple disc clutch.
— The following attachments are issued as standard equipment with the D4 Caterpillar: ANGLEDOZER, LaPlante-Choate 4R.
COMBINATION POWER CONTROL UNIT AND WINCH, LeTourneau, HN.
— Boxed for export (tractor only), completely assembled.
Often seen with the term "Natasha", the name of the bulldozer in the John Wayne movie "The Fighting Seabees"The Fighting Seabees.
It was equipped with a plow and shipped off to islands in the Pacific to help build a variety of items, including airstrips, supply depots, and roads.