Original WWII Photograph – U.S. Soldiers with Horse-Drawn Carriage, Belgium, 1944–45

This original World War II photograph captures two U.S. Army soldiers seated on a horse-drawn carriage in a European city, most likely in Belgium or the Netherlands during the final years of the war or early postwar occupation (1944–45). The storefront signage in Dutch, including “In elk huis een electrisch fornuis” (“In every home an electric stove”), situates the scene firmly in the Low Countries.

The carriage, drawn by a pair of dark horses outfitted with white leg wraps and polished harnesses, contrasts with the modern wartime presence of American soldiers in uniform. This striking image highlights the juxtaposition of 19th-century urban transport and mid-20th-century military occupation. For soldiers accustomed to jeeps, trucks, and tanks, a moment like this with traditional European street transport was both unusual and memorable.

Such candid street photographs offer rare insight into the daily life of American servicemen in liberated cities, where war and peacetime traditions overlapped.

This listing includes a high-quality 5×7 photographic print, professionally reproduced from the original and presented in a ready-to-display frame. The original vintage photo is preserved in an archival glassine envelope to ensure its long-term protection and historical integrity.