Military Jeep Ambulances

Even before the jeep went into standardized production in 1941, the prototypes were tested as litter carriers. Throughout its history the jeep has been effectively used to evacuate casualties from the front or to move within base or field hospital areas when ambulance trucks were not available. While there was no special production jeeps for this use in the Willys MB or Ford GPW line, the jeep was frequently used this way in World War II and in Korea. Thereafter, newer models of the jeep (M38A1 and M151) did have special ambulance configurations. In Korea, and more so in Vietnam, helicopters took over much of the front-line evacuation vehicle role.

Casualties from New Guinea are carried by jeep to a base in Australia, World War II.

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Military Jeep Ambulances

In addition to the photos on this page, Olive-Drab.com has lots of information and photos of military jeeps in other sections. Click for more information about Military Jeeps and about the Willys MB and Ford GPW in particular. The main page for photos of the MB or GPW is at the link.

Find additional photos and hi-res versions of military jeep Ambulances at the Olive-Drab Military Mashup:

M170 Jeep Ambulance, variant of the M38A1. The open-air jeep is parked in a field. On one side of the bed of the jeep, three servicemen sit facing the two litters positioned one on top of the other on the other side of the jeep's bed. In each litter, a serviceman lies on his back and is covered with a blanket. Photo, during demonstration of the vehicle in the field at Medical Field Service School, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, 19 Jan 1953.

Willys jeeps at the Holden factory in Australia, after conversion to field ambulances by the addition of stretcher racks and other changes, 1943. These jeeps were produced for the USMC, Pacific Theater.

Framed by the wing of a Boeing B-17, ambulances and a 'Follow Me' jeep Are Parked along the runway at an English base awaiting the return of Flying Fortresses from a mission over enemy territory, 27 March 1944.

Peeling off one by one from formation, the 8th AAF bombers return to their base in England after a raid to northwest Germany, circa 1944. Standing by for casualties is the ever-present Medical Corps sweating out the planes arrival. Jeep to the right. Vehicle to the left appears to be a British Austin K2 ambulance (KATY).

Two civilians of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, help Marines carry wounded to safety of compound used as a command post for H Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 3rdMarDiv, during the beginning of the bloody street fighting in Hue, South Vietnam, 1968. The ambulance jeep at the right is the rare M606 (CJ3B) procured by the US Navy in the mid-to-late 1960s. At left, appears to be an M48 tank.

Improvised jeep ambulance at a training camp in Camp Carson, CO, 24 April 1943.

Chart of Military Jeep Ambulances

In this chart of military jeep ambulances, click on the photo link to go to the page of photos and information for the specific ambulance vehicle. See also Military Ambulances.

Vehicle	Description	Photo Link
Willys MB Ford GPW Ambulance	MB or GPW jeeps used as litter-carrier ambulance.
M-170	Truck, Ambulance, Front Line, 1/4 ton, 4x4 Radio Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4 M-170C XT-2 Variant of the M-38A1 military jeep
M-718	Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4. M-718 Ambulance Variant of the M-151 military jeep