The 3/4 ton,
4x4 ambulance, generally noted as a Dodge manufacture, was the mainstay
of evacuation of the wounded to the rear for hospitalization. It
was equipped with hangers to suspend two litters from the the walls
and ceiling, and two padded benches for seated or reclining passengers.
Italeri makes
the hard
cab version; there was another "knock-down" version
that had a wooden body on a steel frame that could be reduced in
size for shipment from the U.S.
This WC54 is
in the collection of the Victory Museum in Auburn, Indiana. It shows
the back compartment painted completely white. However, a photo
on page 35 of "The Fall of Fortress Europe" by Christopher
J. Anderson shows a GI being loaded into the back of a Dodge and
the interior of the opened door is likely OD. The interior is dark,
with some reflection of light off the interior ceiling, but nothing
is convincingly white. The floor is not clearly visible.
Miek Bedard
reports he has seen an ambulance undergoing restoration that had
pale green in the patient area, with OD on the door interiors.
It may be that
this museum version was repainted, or some ambulances that were
farther away from the front had white patient interiors, while those
close to the front had OD or some shade of green so as to not draw
undue attention from the enemy. In any event, the white paint in
this ambulance makes it easier to see the vehicle's features.
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