{"id":8077,"date":"2024-06-19T07:42:32","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T11:42:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/?p=8077"},"modified":"2026-04-04T13:10:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T17:10:57","slug":"wilmington-civil-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wilmington-civil-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Wilmington’s Auxiliary Apparatus during World War II"},"content":{"rendered":"

Research notes about Wilmington and New Hanover County auxiliary firefighters during World War II. This was a national civilian defense initiative, and auxiliary firefighters were trained and equipped in cities and towns across North Carolina.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wilmington Auxiliary Apparatus<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among the equipment acquired and developed for the program by members of the Wilmington Fire Department were five home-built fire trucks:<\/p>\n

19__ International, half-ton pick-up – #1 of 2
\n19__ International, half-ton pick-up – #2 of 2
\nBought new, it appears. Carried 165 gallons, 200 feet of \u00be-inch booster hose with a \u201cPanama booster bump,\u201d five-gallon Indian fire pumps, 24-foot extension ladder, 12-foot ladder, and axes. The trucks could be used for grass fires, washing gasoline off the street, providing water for units answering calls outside the city, etc.<\/p>\n

19__ Dodge truck – #1 of 3
\n19__ Dodge truck – #2 of 3
\n19__ Dodge truck – #2 of 3
\nArmy surplus trucks. With 500 GPM centrifugal pump with motor, carried 250 gallons, equipped with two 3\/4-inch discharge lines, and 150 feet of hose. Plus portable for drafting from creeks, wells, rivers, etc. Plus 100 feet of 2 1\/2-inch hose and 200 feet of 1 1\/2-inch hose. Plus 24-foot extension ladder, 12-foot roof ladder, axes, nozzles, pike pole, portable extinguishers, buckets, shovels, door-opener, etc. They could answer calls outside of the city, since they carried “a good water supply,” serve as reserve if a frontline rig was out of service, or “in case of a series of simultaneous fires or a major conflagration.”<\/p>\n

Pictures<\/strong><\/p>\n

Top photo is probably\/certainly a subsequent and permanent replacement for one of the wartime trucks. Like its counterparts in Raleigh, Durham, et al, it was probably staffed with a two-person crew and used for smaller fires, calls outside the city, etc.<\/p>\n

Bottom photo shows four of the five wartime trucks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n

See also Wilmington Fire History<\/a> by Legeros.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nTop photo from 1985 history book, read digital version<\/a>\u00a0(pdf).
\nBottom photo from the Wilmington Morning Star, June 10, 1945<\/p>\n

News Clippings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read assorted news clippings via (paid) newspapers.com in this Google Drive<\/a>. They’re just a sampling, subscribe and search the service for many more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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