Wow it is old....Ya most fords will..kinda weird I think...

 

My 72 Maverick did the same thing. Every Ford I've known back in the day would do it. Ford considered it a feature.

 

in my 1979 owner's manual, they call it "select shift"

neat, i think, how they revived the name here recently.

 

Trying to figure out what advantage there is to starting out in 2nd gear.
I think it would be better to limit up shift to 2nd but start in 1st. JMO

 

limiting torque to the wheels on low traction surfaces is the biggest advantage.

especially on ice and snow, starting in 2nd gear can help you start without spinning.

pulling a trailer away from a dead stop on wet grass comes to mind as well.

 

This sounds like a transmission issue, specifically a problem with the downshift. If the engine is revving at a high RPM and the truck isn't downshifting to first gear, this could indicate a problem with the transmission control module or a mechanical failure within the transmission itself. I would suggest having the truck inspected by a mechanic to diagnose and fix the issue.