Dodge WC-54 3/4 Ton Ambulance

Designation: Dodge WC-54 3/4 Ton Ambulance
Classification Type: Battlefield Ambulance
Contractor: Chrysler Corporation / Dodge - USA
Country of Origin: United States
Initial Year of Service: 1942
Number Built: Not Available

The WC-54 was the principle ambulance carrier for American forces in the 1940's and 1950's.

The Model WC-54 3/4 Ton Ambulance was manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation (Dodge Brothers Division) from the years 1942 through 1945. The body work for the chassis was completed by the Wayne company. The system itself was a replacement for the WC-9 1/2 Ton Ambulance.

The Model WC-54 could accommodate a crew of 2 and had a capacity to fit 4 casualties on litters or 6 casualties seated and could carry an overall payload of 1,800 pounds. Overall, the WC-54 had a net weight of 5,920lbs and a gross weight of 7,720lbs.

Featuring four-wheel drive capability, the Model WC-54 rode on 8-ply tires which were mounted on 16 inch wheels. The engine was the Dodge-produced Model T214 which was a 76 horsepower in-line six-cylinder powerplant. The trucks maximum highway speed was 54 miles per hour. A high clearance helped it traverse off road to some degree.

The WC-54 3/4 Ton Ambulance would go on to be replaced by the WC-64 KD which featured flat rear panels and was engineered to be broken down easily, hence the designation of "KD" for "Knock Down". The WC-54 series of ambulance was featured regularly in the American television series "MASH".