What vehicle ?

[Bob Grundy]

I am no expert on US vehicles. Can someone tell me what this is please?

It is on Facebook and everyone thinks it is a genuine action photo. However I think it is an exercise at Slapton sands. The landscape does not seem France nor is there anything going on on the beach.

[wally dugan]

DUKW

[markyakyak]

DUKW

[Bob Grundy]

Thanks to both of you.

[TheAmericanPatriot]

No expert but i would agree that it doesnt look like its taken during action. People dont realize that a large majority of photos out there are training photos and everyone seems to have a bad habit of assuming all photos are genuine

[No Signals]

9 hours ago, TheAmericanPatriot said:

No expert but i would agree that it doesnt look like its taken during action. People dont realize that a large majority of photos out there are training photos and everyone seems to have a bad habit of assuming all photos are genuine

Genuine training photos, but I know what you meant 🙂

[07BE16]

Background does not look like Slapton or surrounding area.

[MatchFuzee]

Perhaps crossing a river. 

[ploughman]

The water looks very calm.

Is this on a River or a Lake of some description?

Also is that a Railway or Road with the retaining wall.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by ploughman

[Rootes75]

If thats fields in the background they are very steep on the incline.

[Great War truck]

Crouching low in a DUKW for concealment and protection, men of the 89th division, U.S. Third Army, cross the Rhine River at Oberwesel, Germany. March 26, 1945. (Photograph by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Oberwesel it is then

Edited November 30, 2021 by Great War truck

[10FM68]

I agree it's an exercise, but, I wonder, could it be in southern Germany, northern Italy, Austria or somewhere where those terraces might be more common than the UK?  The buildings beside the possible railway/road seem to have very wide eaves, again suggestive of somewhere continental- perhaps where there is heavy winter snow.  Wherever it is, it looks pretty peaceful and neither the driver nor the lieutenant are wearing webbing.

[Great War truck]

Here is a modern image of the East bank of the Rhine at Oberwesel. Very steep fields which are terraced. Railway and road at the bottom. Not found the exact location but this is pretty close. 

[Rootes75]

That does fit the scenery of the facing bank in the photo.

[Bob Grundy]

This I like. I do a lot of studying of Great War photos and this seems like I am on The Great War Forum with the informative answers and comments. The last modern aerial shows the terraces and I think that is the place. 

[10FM68]

21 hours ago, 10FM68 said:

I agree it's an exercise, but, I wonder, could it be in southern Germany, northern Italy, Austria or somewhere where those terraces might be more common than the UK?  The buildings beside the possible railway/road seem to have very wide eaves, again suggestive of somewhere continental- perhaps where there is heavy winter snow.  Wherever it is, it looks pretty peaceful and neither the driver nor the lieutenant are wearing webbing.

Sorry, I was typing as GWT was posting his solution!  So you can ignore this as the Lower Rhein it is!

[Great War truck]

Bob, I have always enjoyed your then and now style photos in Stand To. I would like to see more. I also very much enjoy studying these old photos. I have not seen the postings on Facebook Bob, but my other thoughts are that the GI's have 44 pattern webbing so it could not have been taken around D Day. The standing Lt has what appears to be an Engineers Special Brigade patch on, but i suspect that it is the red variant which was used by Amphibious Forces. The ESB patch probably only appeared around D Day in Europe and of course in the Far East. So the Lt is not with the 89th Division but the DUKW driver. Were DUKW's used for assault on D Day? Maybe by the Rangers at Pointe Du Hoc, but otherwise wasn't it all Higgins Boats? Anyway, super photo and thanks for sharing it.

[MatchFuzee]

From DUKWs at Pointe du Hoc on D-day by mike1960research:-

One DUKW was hit by 20mm cannon fire (Flak 30 AA guns) and was sunk.

The three remaining DUKWs were stalled along the shoreline either stuck on a sandbar or could not cross the shell cratered beach and were not able to erect their ladders up against the cliff. Colonel Rudder ordered the DUKW crews to raise and extend their ladders where they were and Rangers climbed the ladders while exposed to German fire.    While perched on the top rungs, brave Rangers sprayed the top of the cliff with automatic rifle fire.    While providing fire support from the top of one of the DUKW ladders, Private Malcolm Arnold observed waves of Rangers climbing up the cliff under fire from above and with grenades exploding around them.    A number of Rangers fell when the Germans cut their ropes.

The complete article:-

https://www.google.com/amp/s/mikesresearch.com/2019/06/06/dukws-at-pointe-du-hoc-on-d-day/amp/

[Bob Grundy]

22 hours ago, Great War truck said:

Bob, I have always enjoyed your then and now style photos in Stand To. I would like to see more. I also very much enjoy studying these old photos. I have not seen the postings on Facebook Bob, but my other thoughts are that the GI's have 44 pattern webbing so it could not have been taken around D Day. The standing Lt has what appears to be an Engineers Special Brigade patch on, but i suspect that it is the red variant which was used by Amphibious Forces. The ESB patch probably only appeared around D Day in Europe and of course in the Far East. So the Lt is not with the 89th Division but the DUKW driver. Were DUKW's used for assault on D Day? Maybe by the Rangers at Pointe Du Hoc, but otherwise wasn't it all Higgins Boats? Anyway, super photo and thanks for sharing it.

Thanks for the compliments, both Steve and me enjoy doing them, been at it now since 1986, plenty more to go at.....

[Mike C]

Interesting that, while the majority of rifles visible are semi-auto M1 Garand rifles (as you would expect) there are two bolt action M1903 Springfield rifles which are visible leaning in the front right corner of the DUKW, one each in the cargo and driving compartments.

Mike

 

 

[MatchFuzee]

The M1903 was in service for many years, it was used as a sniper rifle in WW2 the Korean War and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War.

[Mike C]

Yes, I agree with you, but I still find it interesting that 'standard' M1903 rifles (M1903 and M1903A3) were being issued and used by forward area troops, as these appear to be as they are still equipped with the foresights while factory-finished sniper rifles fitted with scopes had the foresight removed (USMC versions done 'locally' retained the foresight). The one in the driving compartment ie issued to a transport driver, is readily understandable, but I'd be pretty p****d off if I was the only guy in the Section issued with standard bolt action while everyone else had Garands.  

Mike

Edited December 3, 2021 by Mike C

[Mike C]

The image also has at least one companion image taken looking back toward the rear of the cargo compartment. It is captioned 'crossing the Rhine at Oberessel, Germany, 89th Division men crouch low in their crowded assault boat to escape enemy fire. 3/26/45. 89th Infantry Division, US 3rd Army'. It is credited to T/S A H Herz. The companion image is published on page 91 of Davis, P J (2004) US Guns of World War II, ISBN1-57747-105-9. 

Mike