K-53 radio van
- 4122aaf
- Draftee
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:06 pm
K-53 radio van
My father was in charge of a team of 12 men in the 15th Fighter Control Squadron and controlled three CCKW K-53 radio vans over in Italy during the war. He had nothing but praise for the "duece and a half" and everything it could do. My question is this- The vans had a radio tower, an RC-153, that protruded from the top when in use, as seen in the photo of one of the trucks with my father and a few of his men. (My father is the one talking to the Italian farmer.) Does anyone out there have any photos or drawings of how exactly the tower came out of the van's roof? Did the top open up or did it maybe slide to one side, or did the GIs just have to assemble the tower piecemeal directly on the hardtop roof of the van? Patton once said the CCKW was truck that won the war, ya just gotta belive it so when you consider that it was just so versitile in what it could be used for. You needed a durable dependable truck for something? No problem, just slap whatever you needed on the trailer and go. God's gift to the GI.
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- First Lieutenant
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:10 am
- Location: Chowchilla, California
Re: K-53 radio van
It was a very simple design.
This K53 (USA 6053161) is in two photos. The one above at Bradley Field, Conn and the one below at Camp Pinedale, Calif
That's coast to coast.
BTW I bought the photo, I just use the watermarked one for the web
Chris T.
Chowchilla CA
'42 CCKW K-60
'42 CCKW K-53
'43 CCKW ST-6 Shop Truck 2x
'43 CCKW 353 Cargo
'44 CCKW USN ACRU
'44 CCKW Airfield Refueling Truck
'45 CCKW M27B1 Bomb Truck
'45 CCKW Engineer Motorized Shop (Maybe Soon)
War and Peace 2007
Normandy 2009
War and Peace 2011
War and Peace Revival 2013
Chowchilla CA
'42 CCKW K-60
'42 CCKW K-53
'43 CCKW ST-6 Shop Truck 2x
'43 CCKW 353 Cargo
'44 CCKW USN ACRU
'44 CCKW Airfield Refueling Truck
'45 CCKW M27B1 Bomb Truck
'45 CCKW Engineer Motorized Shop (Maybe Soon)
War and Peace 2007
Normandy 2009
War and Peace 2011
War and Peace Revival 2013
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- Private First Class
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 12:33 pm
- Location: Belgique
- 4122aaf
- Draftee
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:06 pm
Re: K-53 radio van
Thanks for the pics. Now I understand the hookup. These are the best photos I have seen of an overhead view of the top of the truck. I can see the three antenna latches and the center pole hole that goes into the van itself. You have been a tremendous help. Thanks again. What a great truck it was.