Ward LaFrance in World War Two

Ward LaFrance Truck Corporation in World War Two
Elmira Heights, NY
1916-1979
Rest in Peace!

This page updated 11-24-2024.

Ward LaFrance is named after Addison Ward LaFrance, who initially worked for his father as an engineer at American LaFrance. He designed a spring raising aerial ladder for fire trucks. As a reward for successfully completing this project, his father awarded Addison with a car dealership. In 1916 Addison then expanded the dealership into the manufacture of trucks which he named the LaFrance Truck Manufacturing Company. Due to the similarity of the name to his father's company, American LaFrance, he renamed it the Ward LaFrance Truck Company.

Today Ward LaFrance is best known by fire apparatus enthusiasts for its P-80 Ambassador Pumper which was produced during the 1970s. The most famous of the P-80s started in the 1970's TV show "Emergency" as Engine 51. Ward LaFrance also built over-the-road trucks, vans for UPS, dump trucks, cement trucks, and chassis for busses and trolleys. During World War Two it produced 5,526 trucks. From 1953 to 1965 Ward LaFrance produced another 1,072 M1A1 wreckers. Other post-World War Two vehicles produced for the US military included a 6-ton 6x6 Bridge Erection Vehicle, (662) CW750 fire trucks, and (139) MB-5 Crash Trucks for the US Navy.

Ward LaFrance World War Two Production Statistics: 5,526 trucks of various types for the U.S. Army and Great Britain as shown below in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1 - Ward LaFrance World War Two Trucks Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945" Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946.
Type	Ward LaFrance Model	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	Total
4-ton 6x6 Cargo SWB w/w	106	4						4
4-ton 6x6 Cargo SWB wo/w	106	4						4
6-ton 6x6 Chassis w/w for bridge erecting	?					157	432	589
10-ton 6x6 Heavy Wrecker M1, M1A1	1000		82	1,033	1,454	1,488	868	4,925
10-ton 6x4 Tractor	204	3	1					4
Total		11	83	1,033	1,454	1,645	1,300	5,526

Author's Note and Disclaimer: The Detroit Office of Ordnance of the U.S. Army was the primary purchasing entity for vehicles for the U.S. Army during WWII. It also purchased vehicles for the USMC, US Navy, and for Lend-Lease. However, there were other organizations that also purchased vehicles including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Army Signal Corps, Navy Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, and foreign countries making direct purchases.

Table 2 - Ward LaFrance World War Two M1 and M1A1 Serial and Registration Numbers All Ward LaFrance M1 and M1A1s are Model 1000 The information in this table comes from the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the "Truck, Heavy Wrecking, M1 and M1A1" for both the Ward LaFrance and Kenworth versions of the vehicle. Table added 8-1-2021.
Military Designation	Series	Number built	Ward LaFrance Serial Number	U.S. Registration Numbers	Year Built	Comments
M1	1	69	411000-411068	W-001087-W001152	1941
	1			W-001154-W001155
	1			W-001603
	2	1	411073	W-000153
	2	139 or 136	412000-422138	W-004864-W-004999	1941-1942	The Ward LaFrance serial numbers give 10,139 units. The U.S. registration numbers give 136 units.
	2	3 or 6	422142-422144	008423-008428	1942	The Ward LaFrance serial numbers gives 3 units. The U.S. registration numbers give 6 units.
	2	53	422162-422214	0010945-0011005
	2	2	422219-422220
	2	4	422222-422225
	2	2	422230-422231
	2	15	422147-422161	008429-008443
	2	300	422215-422218	0011006-0011305
	2		422221
	2		422226-422229
	2		422232-422275
	2		422277-422523
	2	149 or 150	422575-422723	0015111-0015260		The Ward LaFrance serial numbers give 149 units. The U.S. registration numbers give 150 units.
	2	51	422524-422574	005086
	2			005089-005091
	2			005093-005139
	3	365	423000-423364	N/A		These were Lend-Lease for the British and were painted in Coronado Tan.
	4	400	434000-434399	0027968-0028367	1943
M1A1	5	3,363 or 3,362 (Calculated)	534400-546911	0023868-0029232	1943-1945	There were 12,512 serial numbers assigned by Ward LaFrance for the M1A1 Numbers = 12,512 units. There were 5,365 U.S. registration numbers on this line. Production stopped before they were all used.
				0076878-0077174		297 U.S. registration numbers.
				0081171-008246 ?		008346 is missing a digit. Not able to make a computation.
Equals Total Accepted from Table 1		4,925

This Ward LaFrance M1 wrecker is part of the excellent collection of World War Two trucks on display at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY. Author's photo added 11-24-2024.

Author's photo added 11-24-2024.

2019 MVPA National Convention, York, PA: The three Ward LaFrance M1 and M1A1 heavy wreckers shown next were at the convention. This was the first time I have seen an M1 version with the hardtop cab. Two other M1A1s were also there in another location, but I had previously photographed them at World War II Weekend in Reading, PA.

This is a Series 4 Ward LaFrance M1. Ward LaFrance manufactured the only M1's with a curved boom. There were 400 built with serial numbers 434000-434399 and registration numbers 0027968-0028367, both inclusive. Author's photo added 8-13-2019.

Author's photo added 8-13-2019.

This is a Ward LaFrance Series 2 M1 heavy wrecker. Author's photo added 8-13-2019.

Author's photo added 8-13-2019.

This is an M1A1 Ward LaFrance heavy wrecker. Author's photo added 8-13-2019.

Author's photo added 8-13-2019.

This Ward LaFrance M1A1 6x6 heavy wrecker was photographed at the 2018 WWII Weekend at Reading, PA. Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

The data plate indicates this is an M1, but it is actually an M1A1. Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

This is a Ward LaFrance M1A1 wrecker owned by the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles at Nokesville, VA. This was photographed by the author at the Museum's annual open house in September 2016.

This Ward LaFrance Series 5 M1A1 was delivered to Army Ordnance on February 8, 1945. The ID tag looks original, as opposed to many reproduction ID tags seen on World War Two vehicles. This was Ward LaFrance serial number 55771.

Another interesting aspect of this vehicle is the Ward LaFrance nametag on the hood. The Army Ordnance Department did not allow company names on vehicles purchased after 1942. This would therefore appear to be a post war addition.

This Ward LaFrance 6x6 six-ton M1A1 wrecker was photographed at the 2016 WWII Weekend in Reading, PA.

The Ward LaFrance wrecker returned for the 2017 World War Two Weekend and towed a GMC 2-1/2-ton truck during the show. Author's photo added 6-12-2017.

It was also on display with its boom extended. Author's photo added 6-12-2017.

Ward LaFrance Fire Apparatus: Both pieces of Ward LaFrance fire apparatus shown below are at the Nassau County Fire Museum on Long Island, NY. I have visited quite a few fire museums over the past several years, and these are the only two Ward LaFrance pieces of equipment I have found. Ward LaFrance is a rare commodity among fire museums. The Nassau County Fire Museum has several excellent pieces of historic fire apparatus on display.

This rare 1952 Ward LaFrance light truck is on display at the Nassau County Fire Museum on Long Island, NY. This unit served with the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department through the 1970's. It was restored by the Museum in 2007. Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

Also on display at the Nassau Country Fire Museum is this 1952 Ward LaFrance pumper. Author's photo added 6-5-2018.

Author's photo added 6-5-2018.