FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

                                    Financial, Charles L. Szews
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer
                                               (920) 235-9151, Ext. 2332

                                    Media,     Kirsten Skyba
                                               Vice President, Communications
                                               (920) 233-9621


OSHKOSH TRUCK COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF KEWAUNEE ENGINEERING


OSHKOSH, WIS. (November 2, 1999) - Oshkosh Truck Corporation  [NASDAQ-OTRKB],  a
leading  manufacturer  of  specialty  trucks  and truck  bodies,  completed  the
purchase  of the  manufacturing  assets  of  Kewaunee  Engineering  Corporation.
Kewaunee  is a  heavy-metal  fabricator  with  sales to the fire,  construction,
marine and industrial lift, and forestry industries. The acquisition is expected
to increase  vertical  integration  across all of  Oshkosh's  product  lines and
markets.

     Oshkosh  purchased  the  facilities,  equipment,  jigs  and  fixtures,  and
materials  of Kewaunee  Engineering  for $6.25  million plus the  assumption  of
certain  liabilities.  Kewaunee's  sales and EBITDA  (earnings  before interest,
taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization)  for the year ended  December  31, 1998
approximated  $21  million  and $2  million,  respectively.  About 50 percent of
Kewaunee's   sales  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  1998  were  to  Pierce
Manufacturing Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck.

         "This  is a  small,  strategic  acquisition  designed  to  support  our
internal growth  strategies.  We've brought important  fabrication  capabilities
in-house and taken control of delivery and quality.  Similar to Oshkosh's  other
acquisitions,  we intend for Kewaunee to be accretive from day one," said Robert
G. Bohn, president and chief executive officer of Oshkosh Truck.

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     Archie Stam has been appointed  vice  president and general  manager of the
Oshkosh  Truck   subsidiary   organized  to  operate  this  business,   Kewaunee
Fabrications  LLC.  Stam  brings  more  than 20 years of  experience  in  sales,
marketing,  and product  group  management  to this  position.  He will lead the
effort  to  expand  sales and  achieve  cost  savings  through  streamlining  of
production processes.

     Oshkosh Truck Corporation is a leading manufacturer of specialty trucks and
truck  bodies  for the  defense,  fire and  emergency,  construction  and refuse
hauling  markets.  Products are marketed under the Oshkosh,  Pierce and McNeilus
brand names.

Forward-Looking Statements

     This press  release  contains  statements  that the  company  believes  are
"forward-looking  statements"  within  the  meaning  of the  Private  Securities
Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.  All  statements  other  than  statements  of
historical fact,  including  statements regarding the company's future financial
position,  business strategy,  budgets, projected costs and plans and objectives
of management for future operations, are forward-looking  statements.  When used
in  this  press  release,  words  such  as  the  company  "expects,"  "intends,"
"estimates,"  "anticipates" or "believes" and similar  expressions are generally
intended  to  identify   forward-looking   statements.   These   forward-looking
statements  are not guarantees of future  performance  and are subject to risks,
uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the company's control,
that could cause actual  results to differ  materially  from those  expressed or
implied  by  such   forward-looking   statements.   These  factors  include  the
consequences  of  financial  leverage,  the  cyclical  nature  of the  company's
commercial markets, risks related to reductions in government expenditures,  the
uncertainty of

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government  contracts and the challenges of identifying  acquisition  candidates
and integrating acquired businesses. Additional information concerning these and
other  factors is contained in the  company's  filings with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.
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