| FIRE TRUCKS AT WAR |
| This site is dedicated to Army Firefighters and the Fire apparatus they used. |
| Damage to the Hickam Field fire station. Damaged apparatus include a 30's era Holabird and Seagrave. |
| U.S. Navy Seagrave pumper from NAS Kaneohe destroyed during the attack |
| Comments and Suggestions Are Always Welcomed milfireguy@comcast.net |
During the 1930s most fire equipment used at Army installations was constructed at the Quartermaster Corps Motor
Transport Shop at Camp Holabird, in Baltimore, Maryland. Scores of pumpers and crash trucks were produced there
and shipped to camps stateside and overseas. The Quartermasters Corps had been responsible for all Army fire
protection since the 1800s.
With war on the horizon, in 1939, the QMC started to plan for the Army's wartime firefighting needs. New camps and
post would be constructed and exsisting installations would be rebuilt and enlarged. New arsenals, airfields, and
related compunds would all require hugh numbers of new fire apparatus. This demand for fire trucks far surpassed
what the QM Depot at Camp Holabird could produce. The Army turned to the nations fire apparatus manufacturers to
supply this much needed equipment.
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
COE maintained the classification system of fire equipment and expanded on it as new types of fire trucks were
developed and placed in the field. Hundreds of contracts for fire apparatus and fire fighting equipment were
awarded to fire truck manufacturers.
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 Kit
Class 500 Structure
Class 510 Structure
Class 525 Structure
Class 530 Overseas Pumper
Class 750 Structure
Class BF 750 Structure
Class 1000 Fire Fighting Trailers
Not all Army fire apparatus fell under the class system. Ladders trucks, and home built rigs were not included.
Prior to WWII Army fire apparatus was painted red, but during the attack on Pearl Harbor those Red fire trucks
became good targets for the attaching Japanese planes. Fire trucks ordered after Dec 41 were painted OD.
| Badge worn by Pvt. Robert B. Harmon, Army Firefighter at Hickan Field during the attack by the Japanese, 7 Dec 1941. Photo sent in by his son Robert. |
World War II Camp Devens, MA
| WWII view of the Fire Fighters and Equipment from Camp Adair, OR |
| Fort Monmouth, NJ |
| Camp Marr, CA |
What started as a website devoted to the fire apparatus used by the US Army during World War II has grown to
include the brave Army Fire Fighters that served with the Army Engineer Fire Fighting Platoons. You will also find
information and pictures of military fire fighters and equipment from WW I, Korea and Vietnam. By request we have
also included pictures of 1950s era US Air Force Fire Trucks
.
We here at the FTAW website are not experts on any of the subjects posted, just some folks interested in this
previously undocumented aspect of military history. We invite anyone with pictures or information they would like
to share to contact us.
include the brave Army Fire Fighters that served with the Army Engineer Fire Fighting Platoons. You will also find
information and pictures of military fire fighters and equipment from WW I, Korea and Vietnam. By request we have
also included pictures of 1950s era US Air Force Fire Trucks
.
We here at the FTAW website are not experts on any of the subjects posted, just some folks interested in this
previously undocumented aspect of military history. We invite anyone with pictures or information they would like
to share to contact us.
| The FTAW Staff |
| Bruno from Maryland |
| Jimmie Van from Texas |
| Ted Heinbuch from Maryland |
| FTAW Staff member, serving as Army Fire Fighter, Fort Riley, KS |
| Civilian Fire Fighters and Equipment from Foster Field, TX Dec, 1943 |
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