I'm new, my name is Don.
I noticed what looks like a truck I used to own in an old thread "cool old trucks"
from 2010.
You may ask how I know I owned the truck. It's a very good guess based on the type of vehicle shown and the configuration and paint markings on it.
I'm not trying to reclaim the vehicle. I'm trying to make sure the California Military History associated with the truck isn't lost.
The truck I owned and the truck shown appear to be the same 1939 Ford Army Ambulance 11/2 ton vehicle I bought from Romo's Auto Wrecking in North Fresno, CA about 10 or more years ago.
Since I did so much research on it, the vin number is etched in my mind: 99T-50772. This number can be found easily on top of driver's side frame or on top of bellhousing.
The truck was originally part of an auction located in Tranquility, CA, perhaps 10
or 15 years ago. I want to say Goodman was the name of the man selling his 100 plus vehicles but I can't be sure. I went to the auction with a friend.
When I encountered the Ford in Romo's yard I couldn't place it at first and The Romos wouldn't divulge where it came from. It wasn't until I saw that a green C series IHC had come with it that I remembered where it came from. I believe Ronald Romo finally agreed with me. What the big secret was I don't know.
I bought the Ford and Romo's delivered it to me, very nice of them.
I knew as soon as I saw the '39 Ford in Romo's yard I knew something was up, something special, and I was right.
I probably looked online and at places like the California Military Museum for four years without much luck until I wrote Fred Crismon the author with what I had. Mr. Crismon has passed away, I believe.
Fred Crismon wrote me the nicest letter confirming what I thought was going on, included copies of Colonel Christmas (yes, that's the man's name) Ordnance Acceptances for the US War Dept circa 1939, and other related materials.
This Ford along with just a handful of other 1939 Ford 11/2 ton ambulances were part of a bidding process the War Dept had to legally follow to get the lowest bid. Obviously, Ford didn't win the bid, GM did. However, as part of the bidding process, the US Govt agreed to buy the few trucks Ford had built to satisfy the law.
The most famous of the sisters to this ambulance were used to transport the Nazi spies that came ashore on the East Coast during WWII after they were caught and electrocuted. These two sister ambulances were part of that small batch. You can google "Pastorious" I believe and view these trucks.I have pictures from Associated Press I think that Fred Crismon sent me.
Anyway, this California Ambulance obviously never saw duty overseas for a number of reasons.
First is that it was never meant to be used in a war zone.
Second is that the unit that owned it never shipped out, but were divided up into other units during that left for mainly the Pacific. One California unit that shipped out at this time as a unit was the 251st Coast Artillery out of the San Diego area.
They took their equipment included ambulances to Hawaii to train a full year ahead of Pearl Harbor. I went to their reunion a few years back.
So the 115th Medical Rgt of the 40th Infantry Rgt (California National Guard) had the '39 ambulance until they disbanded and shipped out. They no doubt used it at Camp SLO National Guard Summer Camp and at the Pasadena Rose Parade and Bowl as medical backup. I know this because I own CALIFORNIA GUARDSMAN magazines from that era.
If you've ever seen Steven Spielberg's 1941 then you know California was sure it was going to be attacked although as it turned out only on a small scale.
California State Guard then used the truck from approximately late 1941 until the war was over. I have reason to believe that an African-American unit, the 7th Rgt of the State Guard had it until about 1946.
After the war was over, California sold it to a utility company that had it expertly modified to install gas meters. It did indeed still smell like natural gas odor when I had it.
Any other information you might have I'd be glad to see it.
I wrote Ken Wagner about the truck but I pissed him off, I think. Didn't try to.
There are any number of California based Military Museums, etc that would give their left arm to have an original California military truck as part of their collection. It's the real deal!
Thanks, Don Kenyon
I noticed what looks like a truck I used to own in an old thread "cool old trucks"
from 2010.
You may ask how I know I owned the truck. It's a very good guess based on the type of vehicle shown and the configuration and paint markings on it.
I'm not trying to reclaim the vehicle. I'm trying to make sure the California Military History associated with the truck isn't lost.
The truck I owned and the truck shown appear to be the same 1939 Ford Army Ambulance 11/2 ton vehicle I bought from Romo's Auto Wrecking in North Fresno, CA about 10 or more years ago.
Since I did so much research on it, the vin number is etched in my mind: 99T-50772. This number can be found easily on top of driver's side frame or on top of bellhousing.
The truck was originally part of an auction located in Tranquility, CA, perhaps 10
or 15 years ago. I want to say Goodman was the name of the man selling his 100 plus vehicles but I can't be sure. I went to the auction with a friend.
When I encountered the Ford in Romo's yard I couldn't place it at first and The Romos wouldn't divulge where it came from. It wasn't until I saw that a green C series IHC had come with it that I remembered where it came from. I believe Ronald Romo finally agreed with me. What the big secret was I don't know.
I bought the Ford and Romo's delivered it to me, very nice of them.
I knew as soon as I saw the '39 Ford in Romo's yard I knew something was up, something special, and I was right.
I probably looked online and at places like the California Military Museum for four years without much luck until I wrote Fred Crismon the author with what I had. Mr. Crismon has passed away, I believe.
Fred Crismon wrote me the nicest letter confirming what I thought was going on, included copies of Colonel Christmas (yes, that's the man's name) Ordnance Acceptances for the US War Dept circa 1939, and other related materials.
This Ford along with just a handful of other 1939 Ford 11/2 ton ambulances were part of a bidding process the War Dept had to legally follow to get the lowest bid. Obviously, Ford didn't win the bid, GM did. However, as part of the bidding process, the US Govt agreed to buy the few trucks Ford had built to satisfy the law.
The most famous of the sisters to this ambulance were used to transport the Nazi spies that came ashore on the East Coast during WWII after they were caught and electrocuted. These two sister ambulances were part of that small batch. You can google "Pastorious" I believe and view these trucks.I have pictures from Associated Press I think that Fred Crismon sent me.
Anyway, this California Ambulance obviously never saw duty overseas for a number of reasons.
First is that it was never meant to be used in a war zone.
Second is that the unit that owned it never shipped out, but were divided up into other units during that left for mainly the Pacific. One California unit that shipped out at this time as a unit was the 251st Coast Artillery out of the San Diego area.
They took their equipment included ambulances to Hawaii to train a full year ahead of Pearl Harbor. I went to their reunion a few years back.
So the 115th Medical Rgt of the 40th Infantry Rgt (California National Guard) had the '39 ambulance until they disbanded and shipped out. They no doubt used it at Camp SLO National Guard Summer Camp and at the Pasadena Rose Parade and Bowl as medical backup. I know this because I own CALIFORNIA GUARDSMAN magazines from that era.
If you've ever seen Steven Spielberg's 1941 then you know California was sure it was going to be attacked although as it turned out only on a small scale.
California State Guard then used the truck from approximately late 1941 until the war was over. I have reason to believe that an African-American unit, the 7th Rgt of the State Guard had it until about 1946.
After the war was over, California sold it to a utility company that had it expertly modified to install gas meters. It did indeed still smell like natural gas odor when I had it.
Any other information you might have I'd be glad to see it.
I wrote Ken Wagner about the truck but I pissed him off, I think. Didn't try to.
There are any number of California based Military Museums, etc that would give their left arm to have an original California military truck as part of their collection. It's the real deal!
Thanks, Don Kenyon