ID needed for US vehicle and unit in Holland, 1945

[Hanno Spoelstra]

This picture was taken in Zeist in May 1945. As you can see it features a US Army vehicle - but as far as I know no US units were involved in the liberation of this part of the Netherlands.

Who can ID the vehicle? And the unit? See the bumper markings: OWI = Office of War Information? UKB = UK Branch?

Thanks in advance!

liberation.jpg

[Alex van de Wetering]

Interesting picture. OWI does indeed sounds like "Office of War Information", but I have no idea what they actually did (apart from what I just read on wiki ) and why they were in UK/Canadian territory.

The vehicle has to be a Chevrolet. The low stance made me think it could be a small pickup, but the cut fenders and big wheels suggest something bigger....maybe a 1,5ton truck??? Is that a seam above the windshield?

Alex

[lynx42]

I agree with Alex, definitely a Chev. Here in Australia we call them the Lend-Lease Chevs. The bumper bar dates it from 1942 on and the placement of the headlights and the shape of the windscreen confirm it.

It is unusual having a chrome or silver painted grill.

It may be one of the smaller 1 tonners but it looks to have the 17" wheels of the 1.5 ton trucks.

Regards Rick.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks Alex & Rick,

Yes, Chevrolet, but which one? Attached goes a picture of the Truck, Carryall, 1/2 Ton, 4x2 Chevrolet, based on the 1941 Chevrolet Suburban. This does not have the seam above the windshield:
Chevrolet Carryall 0,5 t 1941.jpg

Combined with your remarks about it being a 1.5 ton truck, it triggered my memory about a picture I had seen before in a book titled Dordrecht 1939-1945 - deel 4. It shows a large woody wagon-bodied vehicle based on a Chevrolet truck chassis on the Town Hall Square in Dordrecht, May 1945:
1945 Dordrecht_woody wagon-bodied staff car on 1.5-ton Chevrolet truck chassis_resized.jpg

From the book Professional Cars: Ambulances, Hearses and Flower Cars, by Greg Merksamer I learned "Eureka constructed field ambulances and woody wagon-bodied Navy staff cars on the 1.5-ton Chevrolet truck chassis”. Could this be the type of vehicle in question?

If so, riddle solved? Possibly, yes, but what about the OWI? According to the article Preparing for Victory. The U.S. Office of War Information Overseas Branch’s illustrated magazines in the Netherlands and the foundations for the American Century, 1944-1945 they were active in the Netherlands.

Judging from these two photos they were somehow taking part in the liberation of at least two towns. Strange, for a non-combattant unit? Laying the foundation to today's general public perception that "Holland was liberated by the Americans", that's for sure...

Hanno

Edited to add pdf version of report linked above: ejas-9629.pdf

[cletrac (RIP)]

The Chevs with the vertical grille bars don't have that heavy piece of chrome going across the top of the grille.

[motto]

They look to me to be 20" wheels. The bumper is also the heavy truck type as used on military/government contract vehicles.
The cab has a join above the windscreen which to me means that the manufacturer supplied the vehicle with front end sheet metal finishing at that point. The body work aft of the join would have quite possibly been built 'in theatre'.
What appears to be 'a heavy piece of chrome bar going across the top of the grill' is simply light reflection off wet body work. The front end is standard for the 1-1/2 ton truck.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

...but what about the OWI? According to the article Preparing for Victory. The U.S. Office of War Information Overseas Branch’s illustrated magazines in the Netherlands and the foundations for the American Century, 1944-1945 they were active in the Netherlands.

Judging from these two photos they were somehow taking part in the liberation of at least two towns. Strange, for a non-combattant unit? Laying the foundation to today's general public perception that "Holland was liberated by the Americans", that's for sure...

Triggered by a picture sent to me by Alex, I searched and came across this picture taken during the liberation of Amsterdam, 8 May 1945.

Take a close look and tell me what you see.... are these OWI people again?!?

48198974612_6bfa529425_o.jpg
Source: https://flic.kr/p/2grbkVE

[Ed Storey]

I believe it is a Dodge Command Reconnaissance Truck; and after studying the uniform, I don't believe the driver of the vehicle in the photograph is Canadian.