M422 Mighty Mite
type of 1⁄4 ton (227kg) 4x4 utility truck
The AMC M422 'Mighty Mite', or G-843 by its supply catalog designation, is an extra lightweight ¼-ton 4x4 tactical truck, designed for the United States Marine Corps, to be suitable for helicopter airlift and manhandling. It is noted for its exceptionally short length, and resulting very tight turning circle, while still highway approved for a top speed of 55 mph (89 km/h) (U.S. military), and capable of 65 mph (105 km/h) according to its manufacturer, American Motors Corporation (AMC). From 1959 through 1962, just under 4,000 M422 Mighty Mites were built by American Motors for the U.S. Marines.
History
During World War II, many prototypes were already developed for a 1⁄4‑ton jeep, which was still significantly lighter and more compact than the U.S. Army's lightest, all-terrain, all-purpose vehicle at the time, the Willys 1⁄4‑ton Jeep. They were intended for transport in small (glider) aircraft and such, but none went into production. However, after the war, a self-taught engineer, pilot, and auto racer, Ben F. Gregory, conceived a mini-jeep design and built a successful prototype, later named the "MM-100".
The Mighty Mite was first conceived between 1946 and 1947, by a self-taught engineer, pilot, and auto racer from Missouri, Ben F. Gregory. Gregory designed several front-wheel drive cars after World War I, but was unsuccessful in marketing them. He turned to commercial aviation, but a crash in 1942 ended his flying career. Recovering from serious injuries, he became an aircraft inspector.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “M422 Mighty Mite” is type of 1⁄4 ton (227kg) 4x4 utility truck. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through M422, Mighty and Mite, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “type of 1⁄4 ton (227kg) 4x4 utility truck” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1503637. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1959, 1962, 1946 and 1947.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “M422 Mighty Mite”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow M422 Mighty Mite primary sources, M422 Mighty Mite archive and M422 research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “M422 Mighty Mite”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “M422 Mighty Mite” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.