New Member

[pacman]

Hello All. My name is Leroy (Allen) Ward. I am a retired (2004) Army combat firefighter. I am currently conducting research for a book that I am writing about the Army Firefighter MOS beginning with World War I. Since beginning this reasearch almost two years ago, I have throughly enjoyed reading about the soldiers who have served before me. I served at Fort Bragg, Ft. Wainwright, Ft Leonard Wood and Ft Lewis. If anyone has information on firefighters during WWII I would be interested in seeing it or discussing.

[Walt's Daughter]

Hey Allen:

 

It was nice speaking to you via email. Glad you joined our little FAMILY!

 

Let's see what we can come up with. I'd love to hear more about your experiences as a fire fighter with the army. I must admit I know little about this area. I hope others may be able to shed some light for you regarding WWII.

 

Warmly,

[CaptO]

Welcome aboard, Allen!

I've spent some time at Ft Bragg, but only a little. I am a Marine at Camp Lejeune and when I served with 10th Marines (as an artillery officer and latter as the regimental communications officer) we spent about 3 weeks up there every spring and fall. I don't know when they first started doing that but I know they were doing it in the 80's. No doubt you remember being annoyed by all of the Marine artillery going off at all times of the night!

 

The Marines have an airfield firefighting MOS (7051) but not a "combat firefighting" MOS. I would be interested to see what it was that you were trained to do. Large battle normally cause many fires, and even smallscale firefights can given the right conditions. How far forward were you expected to go forward?

 

Once again, welcome aboard.

[Walt's Daughter]

I've been doing a bit of hunting and pecking on the web, and have found some interesting sites:

 

Here's a Korean War web:

 

http://www.firetrucks-atwar.com/k.html

 

WWII webs:

 

http://www.maui.net/~r11/index.html

 

http://users.maui.net/~r11/firetruck-id/

 

http://www.vehiclesofvictory.com/Fire%20&a...sh%20Trucks.htm

 

This link is regarding a veteran who served in a Naval yard here in the states as a firefighter

 

http://www.vehiclesofvictory.com/Fire%20&a...sh%20Trucks.htm

 

Canadian firefighters in England

 

http://www.firehouse651.com/posten/index.html

[Dogdaddy]

Hello Allen and welcome to VI Corps! I look forward to hearing your stories. This ( Firefighting) is an interesting aspect of the service that we don't often get a chance to learn about.

 

 

Dogdaddy

[Walt's Daughter]

Allen:

 

As of today I am in contact with Jim Davis, whose two sites I listed above. I received this email from him earlier today, and then replied back again and sent him your email address. I'm sure the two of you will have lots to talk about. I told him you were interested in acquiring history on the firefighting units. He is also the author of a book on his platoon. Here's his letter to me:

 

Hello Marion,

 

How nice to hear from you. I am Jim, OK? Which of my two websites do you speak of, the one discussing the Engineer Fire Fighting Platoons of the one discussing their fire trucks? The actual history of my EFFP, the 1204th, is in book form and still available.

 

I think the descendants of WW II veterans would be amazed and angered at the hundreds of WW II Army units that have been left out of the history of the war. That is why I went to the effort to do what I did. My book is in a number of Army and Army Engineer history Offices. The website on the EFFPs was done to make the general info on the EFFPs widely available. I am pleased that you found it and thank you for your kind words.

 

I have attached the page from an Army listing of a number, not all, of its WW II units showing all the 540th Engineer units. If you will identify your father's unit I will identify the unit's awards if you have not done so already.

 

Fear VI Corps has no meaning to me. Please, please let me know when your documentary will air on PBS. Would like to see it.

 

Questions on the EFFPs are welcome.

 

Aloha,

Jim

James G. Davis, Member and Historian

1204th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon

World War II

Author: "Fire Fighters in Fatigues - The 1204th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon - A History"

1204th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon

[usaeff]

I have talked to Jim on several occasions and he has given me loads of information. In fact it is Jim who has inspired me to try and write a book on the entire MOS. I hope to get a chance to go to HI this fall and meet Jim in person.

[SonofaMP]

Hello Allen, welcome to the Forum, and thank you for for your service to our country.

Here is the WWII Firefighter Platoon section from FM 5-5, Engineer Field Manual, Engineer Troops, Dated: October 11, 1943 found at 9th Infantry Division:Manuals

 

186

ENGINEER TROOPS

SECTION XII

ENGINEER FIRE-FIGHTING PLATOON

* 424. MISSION.-The primary mission of the engineer firefighting

platoon is to provide fire protection at camps, depots,

ports, bases, and airdromes; its secondary mission is to provide

trained instructors in fire-fighting methods and in fireprevention

measures.

* 425. OHOANIZATION.--. The platoon is organized into a headquarters

section and three fire-fighting sections. It is attached

to some other unit for rations and administration.

b. Enlisted personnel consist primarily of fire fighters and

equipment operators.

* 426. EQUI'MENT.-The fire-fighting equipment issued to units

assigned to duty with Army Ground Forces or Army Service

Forces installations consists of one class 325, oversea type.

fire-pumper truck and three class 1,000, 500 gallons-per-minute,

two-wheel trailer, fire-pumper units. (See par. 430b.) The

equipment issued to units assigned to duty with Army Air

Forces installations consists of one class 125 or 135 crash-fire

truck, one class 1,000, 500 gallons-per-minute, two-wheel trailer,

fire-pumper unit, and two class 1,010, high-pressure, two-wheel,

crash-fire trailers. Each unit is equipped with hose, nozzles,

hand extinguishers, and other supplementary fire-fighting

equipment. Details of other equipment are found in T/O & E

5-500.

* 427. TRANSPORTATION.-Transportation consists of light vehicles.

They serve as prime movers for hauling fire-fighting

trailers to fires and for liaison, interstation communication,

and control. Transportation is sufficient to move all personnel,

equipment, and supplies simultaneously.

* 428. ARMAMENT.-Armament consists of carbines.

* 429. OpIrATION.-a. Normally the platoon is dispersed, each

section operating as a unit and responsible for a particular

part of the total territory covered but assisting other sections

upon call for help.

187

EN]GIN3ER FIELD MANUAL

b. Headquarters section is responsible for organizing system

of fire alarm and fire location, dispatching fire-fighting sections

promptly and correctly, operating the fire-fighting truck,

establishing local security and camouflage installations for the

platoon, and for submission of plans to higher commanders for

the promotion of fire-prevention and fire-fighting training in

its assigned area.

c. The fire-fighting 'section is the basic fire-fighting unit.

Each section is equipped with a fire-fighting trailer unit.

[ 430. CAPAULATY.-.a. Each section can operate two hose lines

simultaneously. This is sufficient to control small or moderate

fires. However, additional personnel and equipment are required

to control a general conflagration. Assignment of

platoons or sections to an area is based on a survey of the

area, with particular attention to the concentration of personnel,

supplies, and inflammable buildings in the area, probability

of enemy air raids, and availability of water. Normal

assignment is one platoon per air force group, one platoon per

50,000 persons at camp, and one platoon per 2,000,000 square

feet of storage space of a depot, port, or base.

b. Capacities of fire-fighting equipment are listed in the

following table:

Water tank

Clas of canacity Dishbarge rate Pump prcssure

truck or trailer (-al.) .. (lb per sq. in.)

125 truck 39 0 60 609-80

135 truck 300 60 350

325 truck 300 300 120

1,000 trailer None 500 120

1, )10 Tailr 150 35 50-S0

c. Each type of fire-fighting unit is equipped to pump foam.

fog, or liquid. Foam is used for oil and gasoline fires. It

requires addition of special chemicals in the water. Fog is a

spray of exceedingly fine particles of water and is obtained

through special nozzles. High-pressure fog is considerably

more effective than a solid stream of water in extinguishing

fires, and can be used effectively to extinguish fires of infiammable

liquids and greases.

188

[Walt's Daughter]

Allen:

 

Glad to see you are already in touch with Jim, but sad I couldn't provide any new info for you. Will keep trying...

 

BTW, you should check out the National Archives in Maryland for info on specific units. They will do research and let you know what they have on hand. It's really worth it if you have the money. I acquired over 2000 pages on the 540th (my dad's regiment), this way.

[chefjuke]

Hey All,

 

Found my copy of my Dad's Honorable Discharge. Not sure any of this helps more than what was already noted.

ENLISTED RECORD AND REPORT OF SEPARATION HONORABLE DISCHARGE 1. NAME MACKEY, WILLIAM H. JR. 2. ARMY SERIAL NO. 34 562 499 3. GRADE PFC 4. ARM OR SERVICE CE 5. COMPONENT AUS 6. ORGANIZATION 1222ND ENGR FIRE FIGHTING PL 7. DATE OF SEPARATION 30-Dec-45 8. PLACE OF SEPARATION SEP CEN CP BLANDING FLA 9. PERMANENT ADDRESS 1581 W 10TH ST JACKSONVILLE(DUVAL) FL 10. DATE OF BIRTH 9-Jun-20 11. PLACE OF BIRTH JACKSONVILLE FLA 12. ADDRESS FROM WHICH EMPLOYMENT WILL BE SOUGHT SEE 9 13. COLOR EYES BROWN 14. COLOR HAIR BLACK 15. HEIGHT 5'10 1/2 16. WEIGHT 174 17. NO. DEPEND. 2 18. RACE NEGRO 19. MARITAL STATUS MARRIED 20. U.S. CITIZEN YES 21. CIVILIAN OCCUPATION AND NO. GRADER 1 1 29.510 22. DATE OF INDUCTION 19-Dec-42 23. DATE OF ENLISTMENT 24. DATE OF ENTRY INTO ACTIVE SERVICE 26-Dec-42 25. PLACE OF ENTRY INTO SERVICE FT BENNING GA 26. SELECTIVE SERVICE DATA (REGISTERED?) YES 27. LOCAL S.S. BOARD NO. #1 28. COUNTY AND STATE CAMDEN GA 29. HOME ADDRESS AT TIME OF ENTRY INTO SERVICE 1703 W 11TH STREET JACKSONVILLE FLA 30. MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY AND NO. FIRE FIGHTER 383 31. MILITAY QUALIFICATIONS AND DATE NONE 32. BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS NORTHERN FRANCE 33. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS EAMETO MEDAL WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL 34. WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION NONE 35. LATEST IMMUNIZATION DATES SMALLPOX Nov-43 TYPHOID Nov-45 TETANUS Feb-44 OTHER (SPECIFY) TYPH NOV 45 36. SERVICE OUTSIDE CONTINENTAL U.S. AND RETURN DATE OF DEPARTURE 12-Feb-44 DESTINATION EAMETO DATE OF ARRIVAL 19-Feb-44 DATE OF DEPARTURE 8-Dec-45 DESTINATION US DATE OF ARRIVAL 21-Dec-45 37. TOTAL LENGTH OF SERVICE CONTINENTAL SERVICE YEARS 1 MONTHS 1 DAYS 29 FOREIGN SERVICE YEARS 1 MONTHS 10 DAYS 10 38. HIGHEST RANK HELD SGT 39. PRIOR SERVICE NONE 40. REASON AND AUTHORITY FOR SEPARATION COF G RR 1-1 ( DEMOBILIZATION) AR 615-365 15 DEC 44 41. SERVICE SCHOOLS ATTENDED ENGR FIRE FIGHTING SCH CP PONTCHARTRAIN 6 WKS 28 DEC 43 42. EDUCATION (YEARS) GRAMMAR 8 HIGH SCHOOL 2 COLLEGE 0 43. LONGEVITY FOR PAY PURPOSES YEARS 3 MONTHS 0 DAYS 9 44. MUSTERING OUT PAY TOTAL 300 THIS PAYMENT 100 45. SOLDIER DEPOSIT 8 46. TRAVEL PAY 102.06 47. TOTAL AMOUNT, NAME OF DISBURSING OFFICER 210.06 A F MOTTA CAPT FD 48.KIND OF INSURANCE NAT SERV. 49. HOW PAID ALLOTMENT 50. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ALLOTMENT DISCONTINUANCE 30-Nov-45 51. DATE OF NEXT PREMIUM DUE 31-Dec-45 52. PREMIUM DUE EACH MONTH 6.6 53. INTENT OF VETERAN TO CONTINUE 54. RIGHT THUMB PRINT (fingerprint shown) 55. REMARKS ASR SCORE ( 2 SEP 45 ) 69 LAPEL BUTTON ISSUED THREE (3) DAYS LOST UNDER AW 107 56. SIGNATURE OF PERSON BEING SEPARATED WILLIAM H MACKEY JR 57. PERSONNEL OFFICER CATHERINE M MURRAY 1ST LT AC WAC