A Look Back At Tolland's Old Army Truck

TOLLAND, CT — Tolland Fire Department officials were recently reminiscing about military surplus vehicle that went from fighting battles to fighting fires remote places in town.

Tolland Fire Department archives tel us that the 1952 GMC 6-by-6 truck was acquired from the United State Army after the Korean War era.

"It was a big thing back then to get military surplus vehicles for municipal use," Fire Chief John Littell said. "Tolland needed a forestry truck and that was the best way to acquire one."

The truck arrived in 1972 and was sent to Tolland High School, where TFD junior members converted it truck into a brush/forestry truck for work in hard-to-access area in town in industrial arts classes.

The truck served the town from 1972 until 1980 while having a designation of Service 440.

The truck was used to fight brush fires and was equipped with a water tank, a portable fire pump, and forestry equipment.