Hemmings Find of the Day – 1953 REO Civil Defense Van

Published by Mike on February 17, 2016

During the early days of the Cold War, in an effort to prepare cities for a potential nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union, the federal government ordered up 1,300 Civil Defense Rescue Service trucks; built by companies like REO and GMC, they were affectionately known as “Calamity Janes.” Distributed to communities across the United States, the rigs were provisioned with first aid equipment, stretchers, gas masks, drinking water, hand tools and power equipment, and many saw use providing aid during natural disasters.

It’s not clear where this 1953 REO Civil Defense Van (an F221B, we believe), for sale on Hemmings.com, spent its in-service years, but it appears to have been sitting idle for quite some time. It will need a complete restoration, but appears to be largely intact, down to the front bumper tripod for the heavy-duty winch (currently in the van, not on it). Once restored, it would make an interesting camper or museum piece, a reminder of the days when “Duck and Cover” drills were a routine exercise in elementary schools. From the seller’s description:

Very Rare, low-production Civil Defense Van. Heavy-duty for sure! Factory Winch-Low miles (11,427) Actual! Has “20” Inch rubber. Tri-pod in photos, goes with. Not many of these were produced-let alone a REO model.