Vehicle I-D: Model T & White Motor Warriors

At the beginning of November 2019, the Illinois State Military Museum held its Great War Encampment event and two 1917 Ford Model Ts showed up.

The Ford Model T gun truck is owned by John Krug, he also brought his 1917 Model T Ambulance.

In May 2018, Oregon’s Military Museum held its 22nd Annual Living History Day and retired Reservist Jack Gieson drove down from neighboring Washington in his 1917 Model T ambulance.

https://youtu.be/2rBzyseQ-54

A standardized class B truck, or ‘Liberty Truck’, also made the Living History Day show.

According to the folks at the AMedD (Army Medical Department) Museum at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, during World War One the U.S. Army also bought two 1917 White Motor Company ambulances. While they look similar to the Model Ts, they were smaller than the Ford ambulance. In 1917 they cost about $1,650 each.

I so far haven’t found any information as to why the White ambulance has a GMC radiator. U.S. Army orders for White logistical vehicles, during World War One, made White the top producer of trucks in the United States, which was a burden since the company was new to truck building. Immediately prior to WW-1 the White Motor Company began shifting from car production to truck production, but was only able to make the truck chassis, they had to contract with Riddle Coach and Hearse Company to make the bodies of the trucks. It’s possible White was also outsourcing for powertrain parts.

The driver’s seat sits on the fuel tank.