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American LaFrance U.S. Army Fire Trucks Built During World War Two
Database
American LaFrance U.S. Navy Fire Trucks Built During World War Two
Database
American
LaFrance U.S. Coast Guard Fire Trucks Built During World War Two
Database
American
LaFrance in World War Two
Elmira, NY (WWII)
1873-2014
Rest in Peace
This page updated
8-21-2023.
American LaFrance is well known for the fire
apparatus it produced for 141 years, until it ceased operations in 2014.
American LaFrance fire equipment can be found at many fire museums in
the United States. There are usually some on display, and pumping
water at musters. Finding American LaFrance fire apparatus that
served the US military during World War Two is another story, as they are almost
non-existent. Only one has been found by the author to date, as
can be seen below.
American LaFrance World War Two Products: The company built 1,165
fire apparatus of various types and had $23,881,000 in major contracts.
Besides fire and crash trucks, the company built fire extinguishers,
pumps, oxygen cylinders, and foamite engines for the war effort.
A 1944 Marmon-Herrington document shows that
in 1941 it built an unspecified number of 4x4 COE chassis with
American-LaFrance fire apparatus installed. These may well be the
56 B67CO pumpers shown below.
Table 1 -Fire Apparatus built by American LaFrance during World War Two
The information below came out of "100 Years or American
LaFrance" by Walter McCall via Bill Kreiner. |
|
Chassis Manufacturer |
Model Number |
Number built |
Customer |
Year |
|
Marmon-Herrington ? |
B675CO Pumper |
56 |
U.S.
Army |
1941 |
| Ford |
Crash
Car |
48 |
South
Africa |
1941-1942 |
| |
B675CO Pumper |
86 |
U.S.
Department of Treasury |
1942 |
|
International Harvester |
|
219 |
U.S.
Navy, USMC |
1942-1943 |
| |
B601CC Pumper |
58 |
U.S.
Department of Treasury |
1942-1943 |
| Ford |
|
481 |
U.S.
Army, U.S. Navy |
1942-1944 |
| GMC |
|
50 |
U.S.
Navy Bureau of Ordnance |
1943 |
| GMC |
|
160 |
U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers |
1943-1944 |
| |
JOX
Aerials |
7 |
U.S.
Department of Treasury - Lend Lease to Australia |
Unknown |
|
Total |
|
1,165 |
|
|
Table 2 -Fire Apparatus built by American LaFrance during World War Two
The information in this table was compiled by truck
historian Jeffrey Smoker.
His complete databases are linked at the top of this page. |
|
Service |
Quantity |
|
U.S. Army |
840 |
|
U.S. Navy |
412 |
|
U.S. Coast Guard |
2 |
|
Total |
1,254 |
Author's Note: Tables 1 and
2 give differing total quantities. This is to be expected from
researching information that is 75-80 years old. While Table 2
looks at pure military purchases, Table 1 also includes fire trucks
purchased by other government agencies during World War Two. The
work by both authors provides invaluable information on the number and
type of fire apparatus that American LaFrance built to help win World
War Two. I thank them for providing this information.
DDJ 8-28-2021.
This 1942 American LaFrance fire truck was
built on a Ford chassis. It served at Freeman Army Airfield in
Seymour, IN from 1943 until the base closed in 1946. It then served
the Seymour fire department and can now be seen at the Freeman Army
Airfield Museum. Author's Photo.
The fire truck is in running condition and
is used by the museum for parades and other events. Author's
Photo.
Author's Photo.
Author's Photo.
This 1942 fire truck on a Ford 1-1/2 ton chassis is on display at the
Heartland Military Museum in Lexington, NE. Author's photo added
8-21-2023.
Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
Shown here is a 1943 American LaFrance
Class 135 crash truck that served at Las Vegas Army Air Field. It
is now owned by the Arizona Ground Crew and is kept at the former Wendover Army Air Field in Wendover, UT. Photo courtesy of Brent
Palmer added 10-4-2017.
Photo courtesy of Brent Palmer added
10-4-2017.
This 1942 American-LaFrance model B-67500 is
on outside display in the Veterans Pavilion at the National Museum of
Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY. Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
The American-LaFrance data plate shows it
was built in October 1942. Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
This Corps of Engineers data plate shows
that it carried USA registration number 50235. Author's photo
added 8-21-2023.
Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
Author's photo added 8-21-2023.
At the bottom of this page are photos of a model B-67500 that was
abandoned in Salado, TX some years ago.
"Engine Room Machinery Arrangement, Paragraph 8" of the Operator's Manual
for the 85-foot Rescue Boat calls out an American-LaFrance Model 11C foamite generator unit in the engine room. Information added
1-25-2020.
There were 140 85-foot Rescue Boats built
during World War Two. Drawing added 1-25-2020.
This American LaFrance Foamite fire truck
was photographed at Vic's Antiques & Uniques in Edinburgh, IN in August
2018. Vic's has an interesting collection of vehicles on display.
Author's photo added 8-28-2018.
Author's photo added 8-28-2018.
American LaFrance Foamite fire equipment was
built in Canada. Author's photo added 8-28-2018.
This 1924 LaFrance Brockway Torpedo fire
truck was also located at Vic's in August 2018. American LaFrance
and Brockway Motor Company teamed up from 1920-1924 to produce these
units which, due to low cost, were sold to many volunteer fire
departments. Author's photo added 8-28-2018.
Author's photo added 8-28-2018.
This 1930 American LaFrance fire truck is on
display at the National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn, IN.
Author's photo added 1-22-2022.
This was the second motorized vehicle the
Auburn, IN Fire Department purchased and was in service from 1930 until
1964. It was restored from 1980-1985 and is still owned by the
Auburn, IN Fire Department. Author's photo added 1-22-2022.
Author's photo added 1-22-2022.
Author's photo added 1-22-2022.
This is a Brockway B-666 or F-666 Chassis with
an American LaFrance body in 1944. American LaFrance installed a
model 155, 2-stage high speed centrifugal pump rated at 250 gallons per
minute at 600 psi that was powered by an American LaFrance 12-cylinder
engine. In late 1943 the Army Corps of Engineers had redesigned the Class
155 Fire Truck. Contracts were secured with Kenworth and Brockway.
Both Mack and American LaFrance produced the bodies for these vehicles.
Each fire truck had a 1,000-gallon water tank and two high pressure
turrets on the top of the body. Photo added 8-28-2018.
LaFrance Fire Engine and Foamite, Ltd in
Toronto, ON, Canada: American LaFrance set up LaFrance Fire
Engine and Foamite, Ltd as an affiliate in 1928 to capture Canadian
market share.
This 1940 Ford V-8 truck is in storage
awaiting restoration at the Nokomis & District Museum in Nokomis, SK,
Canada. During World War Two it served as a crash truck at the
R.C.A.F. base in Defoe, SK. This was home of the No. 5 Bombing and
Gunnery School between 1941-1945. After Ford built the truck, it
was shipped to Marmon-Herrington in Indianapolis, IN where it was
converted to an all-wheel configuration. Once this was complete,
it was then shipped to LaFrance Fire Engine and Foamite, Ltd in Toronto,
ON where the rear body and emergency equipment was installed. Then
it was shipped to Defoe, SK where it served during the war. Photo
and information courtesy of Michael Marb.
Photo courtesy of Michael Marb.
Photo courtesy of Michael Marb.
Post World War Two Military Fire
Apparatus:
This American LaFrance O-11A fire and crash
truck is on display the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB, GA. The
O-11 was used by the United State Air Force starting in 1952 and
continuing up into the 1970s. It was the main fire and rescue
truck at Air Force bases world- wide including Vietnam. Author's
photo added 6-14-2022.
There was an O-11, O-11A, and O-11B in the
series, each of which had various upgrades to the equipment.
Depending on the source, there were either 1,100 or 1,800 units built.
Some of these were also built by Marmon-Herrington in Indianapolis, IN.
Author's photo added 6-14-2022.
Author's photo added 6-14-2022.
Author's photo added 6-14-2022.
2016 Frankenmuth, MI Muster:
There were four American LaFrance fire trucks along
the Cass River in Frankenmuth on Saturday, July 30th.
Both big and little kids were
having a great time pumping water back in to the river courtesy of the
pump in this 1929 American LaFrance. Author's Photo.
Author's Photo.
This 1919 American LaFrance may have
been the oldest of the type at Frankenmuth. Author's Photo.
This appears to be the same vintage as the
1919. Author's Photo.
Author's Photo.
1942 American LaFrance 675:
This rare piece of fire apparatus is located in the Fisherbilt Trailer
salvage yard along I-35 north of Salado, TX. For being 81 years
old having been outside for many years, the vehicle is in relatively good shape. Thank you to David Stoddard for supplying the
photos, and keeping track of this vehicle over the years.
This information was added several years
ago. It is unknown whether this is still there.
Photo courtesy of David Stoddard.
Built in September 1942, records indicate
that Serial Number L1810 served with at Camp Salina, KS. Photo
courtesy of David Stoddard.
Photo courtesy of David Stoddard.
Photo courtesy of David Stoddard.
Photo courtesy of David Stoddard.
Photo courtesy of David Stoddard.
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