Sunday, July 28, was sunny, warm and humid in Patchogue—a day that was very similar to the summer Saturdays gone by when the Van Guard Hose Company 40 Thieves Drill Team, and later the Patchogue Fire Department 40 Thieves Drill Team, would bring out their 1949 Ford F-5 Class “B” truck to compete against other volunteer fire departments in firematic drills across Long Island and New York State. 

Patchogue’s ’49 Ford, an immediately recognizable truck amongst the New York State firematic drill team community, was an integral part of over 100 drill wins for the 40 Thieves, spanning 42 summers which included seven New York State championships, 27-straight drill victories spanning from 1981 to 1984, and numerous New York State records.

When the 40 Thieves stopped competing in 2007, the truck, which was owned by the Van Guard Hose Company, was retired and a new purpose was conceived for the ’49 Ford.

After carrying longtime coach “Jake” Parris and record-breaking ladder climber Joe Cushing to their final places of rest several years ago, it was decided this would be the new road for this revered truck.

As respectful way to provide an honorable final ride for not only team members who should pass, but for any member of the department’s family who requests it, it was then in 2021 that the Van Guards would decide to send the truck out for a total refurbishment to complete the transformation from drill competition truck to a multi-purpose company vehicle.

The ’49 Ford is now not only capable of being the funeral truck that was envisioned, but it is also now a shining parade vehicle for the Van Guards to show off as well. In celebration of the rich history of the ’49 Ford as well as the beautiful refurbishment, the truck finally got its formal christening on July 28 at the Van Guard Firehouse on Park Street. 

The ceremony was attended by local dignitaries, current and former members of the 40 Thieves Drill Team, the chief, officers, and members of the Patchogue Fire Department and their families, including Jon Robertaccio, former member of the 40 Thieves who assisted with assorted work on the truck, and Billy Georgiou of ProLiner of Medford, whose company was tasked with doing the full refurbishment.

Speeches that day were delivered by longtime driver for the 40 Thieves Drill Team Robin Parris (who drove from 1970s until 2007 and whose name incidentally adorns the windshield) and 40 Thieves ex-captain and team de-facto historian, Tim Bigotti. Parris’s speech recalled the history of the truck, explaining how it was originally a “floodlight truck” for the Hicksville F.D. and was purchased by the Van Guards in 1964 for the sole purpose of converting it into a racing truck. He explained how several members of the Van Guards diligently worked on it in his father’s (Jake Parris) garage for months to get it ready for the 1965 drill team season.

Robin, who assisted in overseeing the refurbishment of the truck with Van Guard ex-chief Tom Newham Jr, went on to thank everyone who helped in the two-year project, which saw the truck emerge with car show beauty that is now truly the crown jewel of the Van Guards.

Bigotti’s speech touched on the long history of winning that the truck gave to the 40 Thieves Drill Team, backed up by a host of facts and numbers that covered each decade the truck was utilized by the 40 Thieves, with special attention given to the dominating success the team exhibited in the 1980s.

It was then near the conclusion of the ceremony that Deacon Marty McIndoe, of St. Francis de Sales Church, Patchogue, came forward to offer a blessing of the truck, which capped off a truly deserving day for an iconic piece of drill team apparatus in the history of the Van Guard Hose Company and the Patchogue Fire Department.