Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing William Spoelhof Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
- Location of Service: Washington, DC; England; Belgium; Netherlands
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Senior Grade
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/8130
William Spoelhof, an American-born college professor whose parents had emigrated from Holland, retraced their path during World War II as a member of the OSS. After extensive training stateside in all things Dutch, he journeyed to London, then Paris, and finally Brussels, where his office contacted Dutch partisans for undercover work in their occupied homeland. Eventually, he followed the Allied armies into Holland and Germany, continuing to gather intelligence on German activities and plans.
Interview / Recording
Transcript
Share
-
PlayHis first job in intelligence, preparing handbooks on Dutch life. 00:03:01.7 - 00:05:28.1
-
PlayFlying over the English Channel shortly after Glenn Miller's plane disappeared; life in liberated Paris; getting lost on the way to Brussels. 00:12:14.0 - 00:15:55.4
-
PlayHis duties in Brussels, working from information he had gleaned from Dutch refugees to London; sending Dutch back into their homeland to spy on the Nazis. 00:20:48.2 - 00:23:58.2
-
PlayHis whereabouts during the last days of the war. 00:26:23.7 - 00:31:42.0
-
PlayHomecoming from the war; meeting people who claimed they had been in the Underground. 00:42:17.9 - 00:43:12.3
More Resources
Interview / Recording
Transcript
Share
-
PlayHow his background in academics prepared him for intelligence work. 00:01:37.2 - 00:02:56.7
-
PlayIntelligence gathered during the Battle of the Bulge indicated Germans wanted to recapture Antwerp; who they got their information from. 00:04:29.3 - 00:07:04.4
-
PlayFearing capture, making plans to burn all their papers. 00:20:26.7 - 00:21:10.9
-
PlaySeeding clues as to his location in his correspondence to his family; how his experiences in the war shaped him; using his faith to strengthen his courage. 00:33:28.2 - 00:37:18.8
About this Item
Title
- William Spoelhof Collection
Names
- Spoelhof, William
- Holberg, Jennifer L.
- Smith, Rachel
- Calvin College
Home State
- Michigan
Headings
- - Spoelhof, William
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
- Location of Service: Washington, DC; England; Belgium; Netherlands
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Senior Grade
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected 2002-09-30; 2002)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2002)
- Manuscript: Biography [1 item] -- (collected 2002-12)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2002-09-30; 2002)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2002-10-29; 2002)
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected 2002-10-29; 2002)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2002-09-30-2002-10-29; 2006-03-03)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/8130
Cite as
- William Spoelhof Collection (AFC/2001/001/8130), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video