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Soviet bomber attack on North America, but the early 1950s radar technology quickly became outdated and the line was in full operation only for a short time.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