[1][2] In November 1917, the Ordnance Department placed an order with the Militor Corporation to design, develop, and build a four-wheel drive vehicle for potential adoption as a standard truck for the Army.

[3][4] Its design and development drew upon experiences with earlier four-wheel drive vehicles: the American Nash and FWD and the French Renault and Latil.

The convoy drove over 3,000 mi (4,800 km) on the historic Lincoln Highway from Washington, D.C., to Oakland, California and then moved by ferry to end in San Francisco.

Convoy vehicles often broke down and became stuck on the then-primitive roads in the western United States and the Militor was frequently used to free them.

Ordnance Department Observer, Lieutenant Elwell Jackson, submitted a report on the performance of all of the convoy's vehicles.

Their performance was good enough in field service that it was recommended in 1924 that they be adopted as the Army's standard four-wheel drive cargo truck.