Groveville Fire Company's 1957 Ward LaFrance came home to the Fire House, August, 2009. It is not the shining beauty of a truck that left, so many years ago but it will be. It may never fight another fire or save another life, but once again we can all be proud of the beauty of a classic.
The following is a little history of the 1957 Ward LaFrance, the color Gray and the color Yellow, and how they came about.
Memorial Day ~ 1967 ~ Gary Lippincott, Driver
Memorial Day ~ 19671957 Ward LaFrance, followed by 1947 Ward LaFrance, followed by
Ladies Auxiliary Chevrolet Canteen Truck
1957 Ward LaFrance ~ 1947 Ward LaFrance ~ 1958 Ford Utility Truck.
In 1956 the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company had two pieces of apparatus, a 1941 Ward LaFrance and a 1947 Ward LaFrance, both 500 GPM pumps. The company decided it was time to replace the 1941 Ward LaFrance. New equipment and new technology along with the age of the equipment prompted this decision. There was also discussion of the purchase of a utility truck, something to carry a portable pump and portable generator, lights, and something that this new technology in firefighting was coming into use, Masks, to breathe fresh air while fighting a fire, older Engines or Pumpers did not have compartments for such frivolous equipment, so the discussion of a third piece of apparatus meant the need for another apparatus bay.
The fire company had purchased the home next-door where the Mickshultz family lived, this by the way was one of the homes that had the capability of receiving fire calls, the fire calls when you called for help came into the fire house (sometimes someone was there) or the Mickshultz home, or the Post Office on Church Street to Jim and Betty Stackhouse, all three had the capability to activate the siren.
The fire company had purchased the home next-door where the Mickshultz family lived, this by the way was one of the homes that had the capability of receiving fire calls, the fire calls when you called for help came into the fire house (sometimes someone was there) or the Mickshultz home, or the Post Office on Church Street to Jim and Betty Stackhouse, all three had the capability to activate the siren.
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Jim and Betty Stackhouse, also received emergency calls and dispatched the Yardville First Aid Squad. They were also a second radio base for both organizations, should there be no one at either building, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, there was no charge for their service, this was the way they served the community, they also ran the Post Office & store, were active members of both organizations, and their auxiliary. What spare time?
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The Mickshultz family moved to a new home on Main Street, a brick house just past Richbell Road, and the fire company demolished their home to make room for the new apparatus bay.
The new Engine arrived, a 1957 Ward LaFrance, 750 GPM, 3 Stage, High Pressure Pump, state of the art for 1957, the color, a special gray blend, know as “DuPont Groveville Gray”. This truck was housed in the “New Bay” and a new 1958 Ford, 1 ½ ton, Reading Body, Utility Truck, DuPont Groveville Gray, was housed in the vacant bay in the old part of the building.
The new Engine arrived, a 1957 Ward LaFrance, 750 GPM, 3 Stage, High Pressure Pump, state of the art for 1957, the color, a special gray blend, know as “DuPont Groveville Gray”. This truck was housed in the “New Bay” and a new 1958 Ford, 1 ½ ton, Reading Body, Utility Truck, DuPont Groveville Gray, was housed in the vacant bay in the old part of the building.
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The 1957 Ward LaFrance, served as our first run piece of equipment until 1968 when it became necessary to replace the 1947 Ward LaFrance, only because of its age, at the time the Fire Underwriters deem a piece of fire Apparatus (Pumpers or Engines) at the end of their serviceability after 20 years. The 1947 Ward LaFrance was sold to the Crosswicks Volunteer Fire Company to be used as their second run or back up piece of apparatus. It was at this time The Groveville Fire Company purchased a 1968 Hahn Engine, Gasoline Powered (Diesel was an expensive option in 1968) and the 1957 moved to be our second run piece of apparatus.
The 1957 Ward LaFrance, served as our first run piece of equipment until 1968 when it became necessary to replace the 1947 Ward LaFrance, only because of its age, at the time the Fire Underwriters deem a piece of fire Apparatus (Pumpers or Engines) at the end of their serviceability after 20 years. The 1947 Ward LaFrance was sold to the Crosswicks Volunteer Fire Company to be used as their second run or back up piece of apparatus. It was at this time The Groveville Fire Company purchased a 1968 Hahn Engine, Gasoline Powered (Diesel was an expensive option in 1968) and the 1957 moved to be our second run piece of apparatus.
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It was at this time that the Fire Commissioners decided to change the Fire Company’s color from DuPont Groveville Gray to DuPont Chrome Yellow, After a study back then in the mid '60's by the National Safety Council, studies had shown that Chrome Yellow was the safest and most visible color especially at night. But the 'icing on the cake' for Chrome Yellow came while the Fire Commissioners & Fire Company officers (I was fortunate to be there) were at the Hahn factory checking on Groveville's new 1968 Hahn just prior to painting, there was new Chrome Yellow Hahn fire truck destined for Honolulu, Hawaii and another going to Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania. There it was at this time at the Hahn factory, the Fire Commissioners decided to change the Fire Company’s color from DuPont “Groveville Gray” to DuPont “Chrome Yellow”. It was the birth of the “Nick Name” “Groveville’s Yellow Birds”.
In 1974, while returning from a fire call the 1957 Ward LaFrance was involved in a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Route 156 & South Broad Street. The apparatus returning with all lights on entered the intersection, a car coming from the Crosswicks direction failed to heed the stop sign, hit the truck in the drivers side just ahead of the pump panel, the operator of the car was thrown from the vehicle, under the apparatus and subsequently lost his life. The truck ended up on the grass, by the large house across from the old Yardville School (apartments).
The driver, Bob Simpson and the officer on the truck were not injured, but Roy “Smut” Champion was thrown from the Tail Board of the truck to the street and received minor injuries.
Gary Lippincott drove the Apparatus back to the fire house where it remained, out of service, until it could be evaluated by the mechanic. The mechanic found that the pump had been moved out of alignment and there was some slight frame damage, this all could have been repaired, but the Fire Commissioners were not comfortable with returning the Engine to service, they felt this was something that lives depended on and determined that replacement of the engine was the best route to take.
The 1957 Ward LaFrance was sold to the mechanic, to be used as a temporary replacement Engine, should he have to place someone’s Engine out of service for repair. It was then that the Fire Commissioners purchased the 1975 Hahn, Detroit 6-71 Diesel, 1000 GPM Pump.
After some time the 1957 Ward LaFrance was acquired by former Groveville Fire Chief Lyle Mushinski, and recently donated back to the company for restoration, a restoration back to the original color of DuPont Groveville Gray. When I saw this truck again it brought back so many memories, mostly good, it was like seeing an old friend again, the kind that gives you that old lump in the throat.
The story of the DuPont Groveville Gray color, as told to me was when the 1941 Ward LaFrance was in service during World War II, it was necessary during blackouts to have all reflective items painted a dull color, so even the Bumpers, fittings and light housings were painted Gray so as not to reflect.
Lyle heard a somewhat different story about the color, Groveville Gray. There was a 'G' in the paint code which had meant something else and not gray but the master painter in Wards paint dept. thought the 'G' was for 'gray' paint. And thus Groveville Gray was born. After the war someone had a slight accident with the '41 Ward's front bumper and scratched some of the gray paint off the bumper reveling the chrome underneath. That’s when someone decided to scratch the rest of the paint off and well, there you go, a shinny chrome bumper!
Just like every good story at the fire house, they all have different versions and get better each time they are told, somewhere in all the different versions lies the truth, I just hope the truth is as interesting as the others or it won’t be told.
The bulk of the restoration will take place at the Groveville Fire Company, by the Volunteers and the Career Staff; we are lucky to have George Meyers as part of our Career Staff, George has the knowledge and the love of old fire equipment that is needed to undertake a job like this, George and his group of restorers of old fire equipment will direct this giant undertaking. Believe me George will have this truck looking like 1957 again. I know trucks, I have been a truck mechanic, but if I looked at this, my first words would be “Where Do I Start”, that’s what is good about George, he knows where to start, he’s even happy about this.
We all wish we had that car we had in our twenty’s, this is the fire company’s chance to get back the apparatus it had when it was a mere thirty years old.
To me this looks like an “Old Friend” holding on, waiting for the miracle that will bring them back to health. That “Miracle” is here.
This is what they have to work with; George said it will look new again.
In 1974, while returning from a fire call the 1957 Ward LaFrance was involved in a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Route 156 & South Broad Street. The apparatus returning with all lights on entered the intersection, a car coming from the Crosswicks direction failed to heed the stop sign, hit the truck in the drivers side just ahead of the pump panel, the operator of the car was thrown from the vehicle, under the apparatus and subsequently lost his life. The truck ended up on the grass, by the large house across from the old Yardville School (apartments).
The driver, Bob Simpson and the officer on the truck were not injured, but Roy “Smut” Champion was thrown from the Tail Board of the truck to the street and received minor injuries.
Gary Lippincott drove the Apparatus back to the fire house where it remained, out of service, until it could be evaluated by the mechanic. The mechanic found that the pump had been moved out of alignment and there was some slight frame damage, this all could have been repaired, but the Fire Commissioners were not comfortable with returning the Engine to service, they felt this was something that lives depended on and determined that replacement of the engine was the best route to take.
The 1957 Ward LaFrance was sold to the mechanic, to be used as a temporary replacement Engine, should he have to place someone’s Engine out of service for repair. It was then that the Fire Commissioners purchased the 1975 Hahn, Detroit 6-71 Diesel, 1000 GPM Pump.
After some time the 1957 Ward LaFrance was acquired by former Groveville Fire Chief Lyle Mushinski, and recently donated back to the company for restoration, a restoration back to the original color of DuPont Groveville Gray. When I saw this truck again it brought back so many memories, mostly good, it was like seeing an old friend again, the kind that gives you that old lump in the throat.
The story of the DuPont Groveville Gray color, as told to me was when the 1941 Ward LaFrance was in service during World War II, it was necessary during blackouts to have all reflective items painted a dull color, so even the Bumpers, fittings and light housings were painted Gray so as not to reflect.
Lyle heard a somewhat different story about the color, Groveville Gray. There was a 'G' in the paint code which had meant something else and not gray but the master painter in Wards paint dept. thought the 'G' was for 'gray' paint. And thus Groveville Gray was born. After the war someone had a slight accident with the '41 Ward's front bumper and scratched some of the gray paint off the bumper reveling the chrome underneath. That’s when someone decided to scratch the rest of the paint off and well, there you go, a shinny chrome bumper!
Just like every good story at the fire house, they all have different versions and get better each time they are told, somewhere in all the different versions lies the truth, I just hope the truth is as interesting as the others or it won’t be told.
The bulk of the restoration will take place at the Groveville Fire Company, by the Volunteers and the Career Staff; we are lucky to have George Meyers as part of our Career Staff, George has the knowledge and the love of old fire equipment that is needed to undertake a job like this, George and his group of restorers of old fire equipment will direct this giant undertaking. Believe me George will have this truck looking like 1957 again. I know trucks, I have been a truck mechanic, but if I looked at this, my first words would be “Where Do I Start”, that’s what is good about George, he knows where to start, he’s even happy about this.
We all wish we had that car we had in our twenty’s, this is the fire company’s chance to get back the apparatus it had when it was a mere thirty years old.
To me this looks like an “Old Friend” holding on, waiting for the miracle that will bring them back to health. That “Miracle” is here.
This is what they have to work with; George said it will look new again.
1 comment:
Hello, my name is Frank Mazur and I read your article with great interest.In most small towns in America the volunteer fire department is the basic glue that binds the town together and I feel that that history needs to be preserved. I am presently in search of a 1946 Ward T-56/58 pumper that was stationed in our department until 1965 when it was sold to a member and then resold out of the area to a group called "the singing ministers" from what I was told. I have been a member of the Dickson City Fire Department[vol] for the past 37 years and have taken on the task to bring this piece of fire department history back to Dickson City,PA. My only wish was that the elders of the organization [including my dad] kept better records when they purchased and sold apparatus, because at this point it is like finding a needle in the haystack. I have had some "leads" but they all fizzled out after awhile.At this point I am hoping to find a similar vehicle that can be restored to at least give the organization and the younger members a glimpse of the history of the Dickson City Fire Department, Eagle Hose Co#1. The vehicle I am looking for is the one I would chase around from one end of town to the other every time the fire siren would sound, and your right it would be like an old friend coming back. It appears from the pictures that you will have your work cut out for you but I know this vehicle will be restored to it finest showroom representation.Good luck and maybe some day on my travels I will stop by Groveville to see how the project turned out. If you ever hear of a 46 Ward LaFrance being sold or one that I may be interested in seeing please contact me at mrblackhawk69@verizon.net .Thanks for the article and the inspiration to continue my search.
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