Heads Up: 1952 cdn m43

[Markwin Serlui]

Dodge M43..my first love, my first MV!

[paul53]

Hello everyone,
This vehicle has been SOLD actually purchased by myself. After a good clean up and some research in the usual places for unit markings and such this is what I have found.

This CDN made M43 was stationed with the 917th ACWRON US Air Force Radar staion located at Puntzi Mtn, BC. from 1952 to 1961 then CDN RCAF operation 55th ACWRON from 1962-1966 then it closed down. The Us Air Force was operating there as part of an aggrement to operate these stations as the Pine tree line.

The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across the northern United States and southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Run by NORAD (after its creation), over half were manned by United States Air Force personnel with the balance operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The line was the first coordinated system for early detection of a Soviet bomber attack on North America, but the early 1950s radar technology quickly became outdated and the line was in full operation only for a short time.

While carefully removing the hippy paint job in the interior I hound this on the heater defrost duct painted with 1 inch stencil:
WINTERIZED SEPT 1961
TO 36 1-7 TYPE A
917TH ACWRON

The 917th AC&W was part of the 25th Air Division ADC/TAC/NORAD

On the the rear left bumper was painted ADC-PAS
The ADC = division
The PAS = type of vehile use
The Winch I believe was put on by the US or CDN's and using what was easily available at the time dur to the rough roads.

After researching the internet I found the month to month history when the US operated the station from 1952-61 and RCAF 62-66 and have talked to persons staioned there.

This ambulance was the only ambulance there and many storys of it use including bus rides into Williams lake BC 117 miles on rough gravel road at the time.

On a personal note MY father was stationed at CFS PUNTZI MTN in 1963-64 as his first posting as a radar Tech and actually rode in this ambulance to Williams Lake ( used as a bus sometimes ) when the L20 otter couldn't fly due to the weather.

I found out the US Air Force had procured CDN made vehicles from the RCAF 11 Supply depot in Calgary for Puntzi Mtn and conveyed approx 6 vehicles to that location. They then painted there unit markings on those vehilces.
On this ambulance I found the US markings and also the RCAF markings. I have so much more info but don't want to bore you all.

Due to this vehicle not being used by the last owners since 1977 and only used once for there trip to Penny BC as a moving van then parked, it hasen't been roughed up much and I'm amazed to find most of the markings.

So thats My story in short form.

Paul

[Robin Craig]

Now it is well known that I am not a great lover of the M series vehicles for the most part which is why most will find it strange me posting on such a subject.

But what I really think is cool is the tracking down of the identity and the provenance behind it, that is very fun and worth lots.

Great to see a vehicle saved.

R

[paul53]

Thanks Robin and your correct the hunt for history can be most satisfying when it works out. With Scott Bently's help we can be lucky somethimes if the vehicle #'s are accessible and due to the age of this vehilce I wasn't so lucky but was very happy with what I found on the vehicle.

Mainly due to this vehicle not being passed around from person to person I was just lucky at what I found. I had no intentions at first of owning this ambulance but when I found out my buddy was going to cut it up for metal scrap if he didn't sell it, I had to do something and glad I did.

In doing my research I have to say it's to bad alot of our local museums don't have records or items to display of that PINE TREE line era. By this I mean even my local home town of Prince George dosen't have anything on display about CFS Baldy Hughes which was open from 1955 to 1988. It was operated by the 918th AC&W US Air Force then RCAF 54th AC&W, but nothing on display or even mentioned thru out the museum, may be in the archives in the basement who know's. Kamloops, BC had one of the Radar dish's on display from CFS Kamloops radar station but not near the museum but at least it was in a fenced display near the park.

When I called the museum in Williams lake, BC. and asked about Puntzi Mtn radar station and what they might have for display he mentioned just the steel door from the Guard house but that was in a shed some where and a few photo's.

It might sound like im bashing museums for what they chose to display but in reality I'm not - just merly mentioning the loss of some of our military history even in our own home town's that had the establishment stationed there.

I have to say it can be most rewarding in the hunt for history.

Cheers