| Fire Trucks At War |
| Korean War US Army Firefighters and their Fire Apparatus |
| Fire Fighting Units |
| The story of the Army Fire Fighter during the Korean War is another untold chapter in the history of the military fire service. Prior to the war, which began in June 1950, the 7th Inf Division was deployed in Korea and Army firefighters from that unit were already on the job. Several photos on this page shown them and their apparatus from the late forties. With the onset of war, the Army, which had downsized since WWII, was forced to activate Army reserve units to fill it's manpower and logistical needs. Many of the Army's fire fighting units were within these reserve units, several of which had their roots in WWII Engineer Firefighting Platoons. We have been able to identify the following fire fighting units as having served in Korea during the war. As our research continues, we may find others. |
| 81st Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 83rd Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 84th Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 85th Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 86th Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 87th Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 91st Engineer Fire Fighting Detachment 467th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon 525th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon 546 Engineer Fire Fighting Company 3001st Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon |
| During WWII the 85th was the 3105th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon and the 467th, the 2046th Aviation Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon. |
| We would like to hear from those that served as Army firefighters during this conflict. Photos of Army firefighters, stations and apparatus from this era are needed to keep their history alive on our site |
| Click Photo to enlarge image |
| 546th EFFC respond with their rigs, Pusan Dec 1950 |
| US Army rigs at Camp Sobingo, Seoul April 1948 |
| 7th Inf Div Fire Station 2, Seoul April 1948 |
| Closeup of Jeep-Howe fire truck Seoul City Fire Hdqts Sept 1953 |
| Class 530 pumper, main fire truck used by the Army during the war Seoul City Fire Hdqts Sept 1953 |
| Fire Headquarters for the Seoul City Command Sept 1953 |
| American military and Korean firefighters at Camp Seoul April 1948 |
| Seoul Area Command fire apparatus March 1955 |
| Many of the US Army fire trucks were turned over to the Korean Army, Pusan Aug 56 |
| From Dragon Base, Korea, Army jeep outfitted to carry litters and fire extinguishers. March 1953 |
| 8th Army Fire fighting school Seoul Aug 1952 |
| Fire Prevention Parade 546th EFFC Pusan Oct 1953 |
| Members of the 546th EFFC and Korean firefighters operate handline Pusan Jan 1954 |
| 40's era GM CCKW 2 1/2 Water Tanker Kimpo |
| US Army firefighters train Korean firefighters on the Class 530 |
| The following pictures were submitted by our friend Harry Zlotowski. Harry served as a military firefighter in Korea in the 1960s and is a retired Division Chief from the Anne Arundel County Fire Dept. |
| Inchon Fire Station 1 |
| Jeep used by the Inchon Fire Chief |
| Inchon Crash Station |
| Here is a rig we had trouble identifying. The Class 530 was built on the GM CCKW chassis and the 530A on the M-44 Chassis. This rig is built on the M-135 chassis and carries USA number 41194547. We think that this may be a Class 530 body that has been mated to the newer chassis. Many times during WWII when the Class 335 was constructed on the CCKW chassis the truck retained the original USA number for the truck. Perhaps that is the case here. |
| 1940s era GM CCKW 2 1/2 ton 6x6 chassis with Central body. 500 gpm pump-640 gals of water Seoul Military Post Fire Station #4 Class 530 |
| Charles Staebler served as an firefighting instructor at the Engineer Specialist School in Seoul, Korea and sent in the above photos. We thank Charles for the photos and his service to our country. |
| Charles with a 1951 Reo-Dakota, Class 530A USA 509785 |
| Charles pictured with a WWII era GM CCKW with a fire body produced by the Howe Fire Apparatus Company US Army Class 530 USA 509453 |
Click To Enlarge Photos
| Click Photo to enlarge image |
| PFC Roger Reed served with the 8th Army, 2nd Division in Korea. He was then sent to Japan where he received fire fighting training and returned to Pusan, Korea where he was assigned to the 8075th Engineer Fire Fighting Company. PFC Reed photographed the above images during his time with the 8075th. Roger's son, Shawn sent along the photos and we are proud to add them to our website. PFC Reed will be scanning additional photos for us in the future. We thank PFC Reed for his service to our country and domumenting, in pictures his fire fighting service with the US Army |
| Main Fire Station Pusan, Korea |
PFC Roger Reed
8075th FFC Water Tankers
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| USMC Firefighters and crash trucks battle a blaze on a downed Panther jet at Pohang Airfield, Korea, 1952 |
| Jeep operated by Korean Firefighters at Pohang, Korea, 1952 |
| Bombed out fire station at Pohang, Korea, 1952 |
| I would like to THANK our friend and fellow researcher Jason Cleary for sending in the above photos. The photos were taken by Jason's father-in-law, Richard Forster, during his service in Korea, 1951-1953 BUH-3 Forster served with CBMU-1 Seebees, USNR. Our Thanks to Mr Forster for his service to our country. |
| U.S. Army Class 530, GM CCKW-Central Fire Truck, 500/400, USA 509428, Pusan, Korea, 1952 Photo by Kenneth Lhre via Doug Price. |
