| FIRE TRUCKS AT WAR |
| This site is dedicated to Army Firefighters and the Fire apparatus they used. |
Site Up Dated June 08
| "Protecting Those Who Serve" |
| Jim Davis Collection |
| Fire equipment belonging to the 1201st Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon, Naples, Italy, 1945. Equipment: Platoon Commander's Jeep Class 325 4x2 Class 325 4x4 Class 325 4x4 GMC CCKW 2 1/2 ton 6x6 water truck |
| World War II |
| It appears that as early as WWI, the Army started to assign serial numbers to it's fire apparatus. Fire apparatus were assigned the "50" series of numbers. In 1932, the Army started to reuse those numbers which were proceeded by the letter "W" for War Department. The first rigs to receive them were the fire trucks built by the Army Quartermaster Depot, Camp Holabird, in Baltimore, MD. The first documented number, W-503 was assigned to a early Class 100 Crash Truck. The prefix "W" was discontinued about 1943. This numbering system would continue until the early 1950's with the Class 530A fire trucks being the last to receive them. |
| U.S Army Photo |
| Damage to the Hickam Field fire station. Damaged apparatus include a 30's era Holabird and Seagrave. |
| U.S. Navy Seagrave pumper destroyed during the Pearl Harbor attack |
| Original Class 335 built by the 1208th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon. Photo taken in Sicily, Nov 1943. |
| From the 1208th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon, Sickenheim, Germany, 14 May 1945. Fire station located in old brewery. Class 335 fire truck shown. |
| A 1942 Ford-American Class 125 Crash Truck awaits plane landing. Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 14 April 1944 |
| Station and equipment from the 1224th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon. Guadalcanal, 15 Oct 1944 |
| 1943 Chev-Cayasler Class 500 |
| Comments and Suggestions Are Always Welcomed milfireguy@comcast.net |
| U.S Army Photo |
| Prior to WWII Army fire apparatus was painted red but during the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor these red fire trucks became good targets for the attacking planes. Beginning in 1942 all orders for Army fire apparatus called for the rigs to be painted olive drab. The Army Quartermaster Corps was responsible for all Army fire protection prior to the war. Planning, designing, procuring and building fire apparatus and equipment was handled by the QMC. With war on the horizon the QMC stated to plan for the Army's firefighting needs New camps and post would be needed and existing installations would be rebuild or enlarged. New arsenals, airfields and related compounds would all require large numbers of fire apparatus. This demand for equipment far surpassed what the Quartermaster Depot at Camp Holabird in Baltimore could produce. The Army turned to the nations fire apparatus manufactures to supply this much needed equipment. hundred's of contracts were let for building fire apparatus and supply related fire equipment. By wars end, over 9000 fire trucks of all types were produced for the Army's war effort. Prior to the war the QMC developed a system for classifying it's fire apparatus with 4 general classes of fire trucks. Class 100 Crash Trucks Class 300 Brush Trucks Class 500 Structure Pumpers Class 750 Structure pumpers In November 1941 the responsibility for Army fire protection was transferred to the Army Corps of Engineers. The C of E maintained the classification system of fire equipment and expanded on it as new types of fire trucks were developed and placed in the field. By wars end the following classes of fire apparatus were being used. Class 100 Crash Trucks Class 110 Crash Trucks Class 125 Crash Trucks Class 135 Crash Trucks Class 150 Crash Trucks Class 155 Crash Trucks Class 300 Brush Trucks Class 325 Brush-Structure Class 335 Overseas Pumper Class 500 Structure Class 510 Structure Class 525 Structure Class 530 Overseas Pumper Class 750 Structure Class BF 750 Structure Not all Army fire apparatus fell under the class system. Ladders trucks, firefighting trailers and home built rigs were not included. Each class of fire apparatus will be explained in the pages of this site. |
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