File No.: Case File # 13
Title: U.S. Paratroopers looting on "The Island", The Netherlands, Fall of 1944
Investigation made at: Municipalities of Nijmegen, Overbetuwe, Nederbetuwe and Lingewaard, The Netherlands
Period Covered: September 28 1944 to November 23 1944
Date:  June-July 2009
Case Classification: Listing of cases where US Paratroopers allegedly and unlawfully stole Dutch property in the Province of Gelderland, Fall of 1944
Case Status: Active Case File

REASON FOR INVESTIGATION:
Stealing Liberators
Various publications document a range of cases of looting by U.S. Paratroopers of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and their sub-units in the area named "The Island" in The Netherlands in the fall of 1944. In the winter of 1944-1945 other Allied units billeted in the area, but looting continued.
Cases range from petty theft to cracking strongboxes in empty houses and using explosives to open bank vaults, to a case of tricking the treasurer of a large firm to accompany paratroopers to a staged security interview while other 'sky soldiers' opened the vault and safe of his employer ... with the keys of the treasurer which he was instructed to leave behind!

Looting in publications

On page 193 of Mark Bando's Book "Vanguard of the Crusade" we read:

   "Joe Harris saw a badly wounded runner of G/506th in the battalion aid station [in Opheusden]. The wounded man told Harris to go to the house used as G/506's CP to look for a musette bag behind the boiler in the cellar. Someone had blown the safe in the brick factory across from Wageningen and had placed the paper guilders in this bag, hiding the loot in the cellar of the CP. Upon checking the location out,  it was discovered that someone had tossed a white phosphorus (WP) grenade into the cellar, and the bag of money had burned up."


Provincial Archive in Arnhem
We started this investigation into a single case of opening a bank vault and the safety deposit boxes inside it in the town of Elst.
In the Provincial Archive (Gelders Archief) in Arnhem, we found the official reports of many looting cases by Allied servicemen in the area North and West of Nijmegen. These incidents took place in the period shortly after the failure of Operation "Market Garden" in late September 1944 until the transfer of the 101st Airborne Division to Camp Mourmelon in France in November 1944. After The 101st left the area, looting by British and, subsequently, Belgian soldiers continued. We found that an astonishing amount of theft, larceny and looting took place in the villages of "The Betuwe" (the Dutch name for "The Island"). We acquired copies of all reports with an indication of involvement of Allied troops and/or cases of safes and/or vaults being opened by force.

Analysis of looting by US Paratroopers
For this Case File we have narrowed this collection of reports and documents down to incidents of looting by US Airborne soldiers.
The incident- and investigative reports were drawn up by the Provost Marshal of the 82nd Airborne Division, the freshly reinstated Royal Netherlands Military Police ("Koninklijke Marechaussee"), and local Auxiliary Police ("Orde Dienst"). The collection also contains an incident reported in writing by de victim involved.
None of the documents disclose that any of these cases have been solved in the sense that individual perpetrators were apprehended.

Sensitive subject
Although this agency has strong sympathies with the Army units of the soldiers allegedly responsible for the damages caused by these crimes, we do think that these incidents, their reports and the subsequent investigations shed interesting light on historical facts. Some of the investigative reports are made by detectives serving in military organizations in a time when combat took place in short distance.
"Battle detective work" in a pure sense of the term.
This Case File deals with a subject on which, even today, somewhat of a taboo still exists: crimes committed by soldiers of the victorious Allied armies.
We made the choice to also publish this aspect of battle.

 SYNOPSIS:
We have indicated the individual incidents of looting in "The Island" area, by American paratroopers in the fall (months of September, October and November) of 1944 with Sub File Numbers 13A to 13U and one document 13-bis.
Of each case we describe the details found in the incident- and/or investigative reports.
Scanned copies of these reports are attached and when exhibits are available, these are also submitted.
 

Sub File No.: 13A
Date committed: September 28th, 1944
Location of the crime: Oosterhoutsche Dijk No. 19, Lent, Municipality of Elst, Saint Anna Foundation Building, Municipality of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Victim: Van Hasselt Nijmeegsche Grinthandel N.V. (a private company)
Modus Operandi: Unknown subjects in U.S. Army uniforms applied ruse to persuade procurer of a large gravel company to surrender vault- and safe-keys and to be taken to city of Nijmegen in military transportation for a claimed security debriefing interview. Procurer had to stay overnight and upon return found company vault and safe looted.
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division
Damage: Cracked vault, 48 bottles of liquor, 1 Philips radio, clothes, role of tarp, shares, 8000 to 10000 Dutch Guilders in cash.
Details / Remarks: Suspects used German word "Sicherheitsdienst" for army security organization (such as a unit's S-2 section) and procurer's patron was a Nazi collaborator. In combination with relatively sophisticated use, there is reason to believe that suspects were well informed and has prior criminal experiences.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13B
Date committed: October 6th 1944
Location of the crime: Dorpsstraat No. 16, Elst, Municipality of Elst, The Netherlands
Victim: Herberts Book- and Printing Company
Modus Operandi: Opening a safe with the use of force and steeling contents
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. or British Military personnel
Damage: 235 Dutch Guilders in cash from a safe and stationary, food and bed linen from shop and house
Details / Remarks: In September 1944, this house and company had been looted by retreating German soldiers. Reporting victims states that American and British troops loot even more intensely than the Germans.
Exhibits: Case File
 

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Sub File No.: 13C
Date committed: October 7th, 1944
Location of the crime: Kerkstraat No. 19, Zetten, Municipality of Valburg, The Netherlands
Victim: A named private Dutch citizen (undisclosed in this publication)
Modus Operandi: Opening a safe with the use of force and steeling contents
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. Military personnel
Damage: Jewelry, fountain pen, vintage valuable coins, 1185 Dutch Guilders in cash
Details / Remarks: U.S. Army boot print found at crime scene by investigating Royal Netherlands Military Police, confirmed by U.S. Army officer.
Exhibits: Case File


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Sub File No.: 13D
Date committed: 13 and 17 October 1944
Location of the crime: Rijksweg Zuid No. 5, Elst, Municipality of Elst, The Netherlands
Victim: A named private Dutch citizen (undisclosed in this publication)
Modus Operandi: On 13th of October items were removed from damaged home. On the 17th the safe was found opened with the use of force and a military type pick-ax left at crime scene.
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. Military personnel
Damage: Several items, including a Philips radio, articles of clothing, food, furniture, blankets, two bottles of wine and one liter of liquor, keys to local office of Ration Distribution Service.
Details / Remarks: Military type pick-axe left at crime scene may indicate involvement of U.S. Military personnel
Exhibits: Case File


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Sub File No.: 13E
Date committed: October 12th 1944
Location of the crime: Teselaarschestraat, Bemmel, Municipality of Bemmel, The Netherlands
Victim: A private Dutch citizen (a medical doctor)
Modus Operandi: Local Auxiliary Police discovered home of local physician entered and looted. Policeman found U.S. Paratrooper in bed who, when challenged, drew sidearm and stated he was informed that dwelling belonged to a Dutch collaborator. When policeman suggested reporting the matter to soldier's commanding officer, the latter stated that his CO was at a location far away from Bemmel. Policeman then asked for soldier's name and was given false information as was later discovered by 82nd Airborne Division's Provost Marshall.
Suspects: An unidentified U.S. Paratrooper of the 82nd Airborne Division
Damage: Food
Details / Remarks: This investigation was conducted upon instructions of the CO of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The case was apparently not taken lightly as there is a relatively elaborate investigative report, considering the unit's combat engagements at the time.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13F
Date committed: October 17th 1944
Location of the crime: Town Hall of Dodewaard, Municipality of Dodewaard, The Netherlands
Victim: Municipality of Dodewaard
Modus Operandi: Opening of steel archive door with the use of explosives
Suspects:  Unidentified U.S. Military personnel
Damage: Damage to said steel archive door, apparently no removed valuables
Details / Remarks: Witnesses stated hearing several explosions and presence of U.S.
Exhibits: Case File & Now & Then comparison of the town hall of Dodewaard.

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"Then" photo: Captain Frank L. Lillyman of 3rd Battalion of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (r)
(most likely) discussing the looting problem in front of the Dodewaard Town Hall.
Photo via CPT Page from the Robert E. Jones collection.


Sub File No.: 13G
Date committed: November 11th 1944
Location of the crime: Village of Hien, dwelling indicated "B.118", Municipality of Dodewaard, The Netherlands
Victim: A named private Dutch citizen (undisclosed in this publication)
Modus Operandi: Safe opened with the use of force
Suspects : Unidentified subjects
Damage: 17000 Dutch Guilders in cash
Details / Remarks: Case described in same incident report as Sub File No. 13F
Exhibits: Ref: Case File 13E


Sub File No.: 13H
Date committed: October 20th 1944
Location of the crime: Village of Ressen, dwelling indicated "C.39B", Municipality of Bemmel, The Netherlands
Victim: Elster Kweekers Veiling (a produce auction company)
Modus Operandi: Opening of vault by use of explosives
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. Military personnel
Damage: 51000 Dutch Guilders in cash
Details / Remarks: Amount of guilders removed from safe was determined by company's accountant. Reporting executive officer of company stated seeing soldiers "presumably American" loading a truck marked "W.4164916 S."
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13I
Date committed: October 23, 1944
Location of the crime: Molenstraat No. 55, Nijmegen, Municipality of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Victim: A named private Dutch citizen (undisclosed in this publication) (an owner of a cafe)
Modus Operandi: While leaving his business unattended for short period a radio was removed from his cafe. A witness stated a U.S. Soldier with a patch depicting an eagle's head on his sleeve took said radio and fled in a jeep.
Suspects: An unidentified  U.S. Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division
Damage: One (1) Philips radio receiver
Details / Remarks: Upon learning witness's statement in relation to an eagle head patch, the case was forwarded to the Provost Marshall of the 101st Airborne Division.
Exhibits: Case File


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Today, No. 55 Molen Straat in Nijmegen still houses a café. Situated in the old downtown of the city, the interior has been modernized in June of 2009.

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We talked to the staff about the incident. We found that after 65 years, the stolen Philips radio was still missing. However, the "De Compagnie" café, now features a modern digital "DJ-booth", to entertain patrons' ears:

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Sub File No.: 13J
Date committed: October 27th 1944
Location of the crime: Post Office, Dorpsstraat, Elst, Municipality of Elst, The Netherlands
Victim: Netherlands Postal, Telephone and Telegraph Service
Modus Operandi: Opening of steel cabinet with the use of force
Suspects: Unidentified subjects
Damage: Postal stamps
Details / Remarks: Extensive use of force. No more than postal stamps were in cabinet.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13K
Date committed: October 30th 1944
Location of the crime: Rijksweg South No. 4, Elst, Municipality of Elst, The Netherlands
Victim: A named private Dutch citizen (undisclosed in this publication) (a notary public)
Modus Operandi: Opening of safe by use of force
Suspects: Unidentified subjects
Damage: Notary public documents, jewelry, porcelain and cash money
Details / Remarks: Local notary public reported discovering incident and stolen items in letter to local Military Commissioner at his own initiative.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13L
Date committed: November 7th 1944
Location of the crime: Rijksweg North, Elst, Municipality of Elst, The Netherlands
Victim: An undisclosed number customers of the Nederlandsche Handelsmaatschappij Bank
Modus Operandi: Opening of bank bank safe and several safety deposit boxes of customers with the use of  explosives.
Suspects: Unidentified subjects
Damage: Unknown
Details / Remarks: Royal Netherlands Military Police forwarded this case to British military criminal investigation organization. Finger print evidence was found at crime scene.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13M
Date committed: November 7th 1944
Location of the crime: Village of Hien, Municipality of Dodewaard, The Netherlands
Victim: Vink's Conserven Fabrieken (a private company)
Modus Operandi: Removing of unpurified wine from cannery company by U.S. military personnel. Upon discovery by company's management perpetrators fled scene in a 1/4 ton truck marked "101-A.B. 377-F.B./ B. C.O."
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. Army personnel, presumably of "B" Battery, 377th Field Artillery Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, a named Dutch member of  security detail of the company (undisclosed in this publication)
Damage: An unknown amount of unpurified wine
Details / Remarks: Royal Netherlands Military Police forwarded this case directly to Major General Taylor, CO of the 101st Airborne Division
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13N
Date committed: November 8th 1944
Location of the crime: Village of Hien, Municipality of Dodewaard, The Netherlands
Victim: Vink's Conserven Fabrieken (a private company)
Modus Operandi: Manager of said company saw 5 U.S. soldiers arrive in Jeep with trailer marked "101-A.B./502-P.L.-S.V.1" who were clearly intoxicated and started to pour wine from barrels into glass bottles and also drinking it.
Suspects: Five (5) unidentified U.S. Army soldiers, presumably of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment,101st Airborne Division
Damage: An unknown amount of unpurified wine
Details / Remarks: Royal Netherlands Military Police forwarded this case directly to Major General Taylor, CO of the 101st Airborne Division
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13O
Date committed: November 10th 1944
Location of the crime: Village of Hien, Municipality of Dodewaard, The Netherlands
Victim: Vink's Conserven Fabrieken (a private company)
Modus Operandi: Patrol of Dutch Auxiliary Police encountered several American soldiers who, when challenged, aimed fire arms, including a Thompson Submachine Gun, at Police. Soldiers appeared to be intoxicated
Suspects: Several unidentified U.S. Army soldiers
Damage: presumably an unknown amount of unpurified wine
Details / Remarks: Royal Netherlands Military Police forwarded this case directly to Major General Taylor, CO of the 101st Airborne Division
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13P
Date committed: November 10th 1944
Location of the crime: Andelst, Municipality of Valburg, The Netherlands
Victim: Unknown; presumably Dutch property
Modus Operandi: An unidentified paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division, apparently of Polish descent, billeted in Andelst was in possession of 60000 Dutch guilders in cash. To reporting Dutchman, this soldier stated that he and his comrades possessed a total of 200000 Dutch guilders in cash
Suspects: Unidentified paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division
Damage: 60.000 to 200000 Dutch guilders in cash; possibly obtained from one or more of the previously described incidents
Details / Remarks: An investigation was made by plain clothes personnel of the Royal Dutch Military Police, but no arrests were made. Later is was heard that U.S. Military police did arrest five (5) US Soldiers in the particular home were soldiers were billeted in Andelst. Remarkable is the sentence in the official investigation report by RNMP stating: "[...] in Andelst American Military were billeted, belonging to the  Airburn-troops (sic) who are locally considered notorious."
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13Q
Date committed: November 18th 1944
Location of the crime: Andelst, Municipality of Valburg, The Netherlands
Victim: An unidentified Dutch company
Modus Operandi: Two (2) U.S. soldiers used a raft to cross water in order to reach amount of wine, guarded by Dutch Auxiliary Police. When challenged, U.S. soldiers aimed rifle at Police. Soldiers left scene with weapon aimed.
Suspects: Two (2) unidentified U.S. soldiers
Damage: None; this was an attempt to steal wine
Details / Remarks: Report made by Dutch Auxiliary Police commanded by Pieter Heijmering, born May 23 1901 in Medemblik, The Netherlands, locally known as "Captain George" or "George of the Rebel Club". This incident report bears autograph of approval reading: "George"
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13R
Date committed: November 18th 1944
Location of the crime: Municipality of Dodewaard, The Netherlands
Victim: Several Dutch citizens, among which a farmer from Hien, Municipality of Dodewaard.
Modus Operandi: This case file reports the apparently token return of looted items. 250 Dutch guilders are paid for a butchered cow, a typewriter borrowed from the municipality and several small items such as silverware, blankets, clothes and a mirror. The report states that these items represent small part of total of looted items from Dodewaard by Allied military.
Suspects: Unidentified unidentified U.S. Army personnel, presumably belonging to 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Damage: None; returned items
Details / Remarks: The officer returning the items and paying 250 Dutch guilders is identified from the "Pulles Rosters" as 1LT Robert M. Banker of "F"/502nd, ASN 0-1297654.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13S
Date committed: November 19th 1944
Location of the crime: Municipal Hall, Dorpsstraat, Elst, Municipality of Elst, The Netherlands
Victim: Municipality of Elst
Modus Operandi: Using explosive charge to open steel door to vault in municipal hall
Suspects: Unidentified Allied military personnel
Damage: Steel door to vault damaged by explosion, no valuable from vault
Details / Remarks: Local authorities fear another attempt as in vault are important documents regarding population of Elst and also records of an accounting firm.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13T
Date committed: November 27th 1944
Location of the crime: Zetten, Municipality of Valburg, The Netherlands
Victim: Veilinggebouw Midden Betuwe (a produce auction company)

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Modus Operandi: Several items were removed from fruit auction building where previously American Airborne Troops had been billeted.
Suspects: Unidentified soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division
Damage: Stolen items include furniture, 2000 pencils, stationary, paintings and tools. Estimated value is 500 Dutch guilders
Details / Remarks: The report states that on the 28th of November Scottish troops were billeted in the auction building, instead of American Airborne Troops.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13U
Date committed: Unknown
Location of the crime: Bank in Zetten, Municipality of Valburg, The Netherlands
Victim: Rotterdamsche Bank and one of its clients (undisclosed in this publication)
Modus Operandi: Opening bank vault by using explosives
Suspects: Unidentified Allied soldiers
Damage: Unknown, Client claims he lost bonds and 9000 Dutch guilders in cash from a safety deposit box
Details / Remarks: Incident submitted because of assumption that U.S. Army personnel committed this bank robbery. Incident reports from dates after the departure of U.S. Airborne from "The Island", only state attempts and the use of explosives to destroy property. In other words; after the paratroopers left The Island, there were no banks left to rob.
Exhibits: Case File

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Sub File No.: 13-bis
Date committed: Unknown
Location of the crime: Unknown
Victim: Unknown
Modus Operandi: Unknown
Suspects: Unidentified U.S. Army personnel
Damage: Unknown
Details / Remarks: In the archive in Arnhem we found a note between several incident reports of looting by U.S. Army personnel. The note says: "1/4 ton trk number 20493023  Btry 'E' 81st AA Bn Gene B Ganier , capt". The note is  most likely made in the course of an investigation into a case of looting where a jeep was seen with said serial number. It apparently belonged to Battery "E", 81st Anti Aircraft Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. The "Pulles Rosters" confirm that Captain Gene B Ganier belonged to this unit.
Exhibits: Note

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CONCLUSIONS:

Controversial subject
The topic of crimes committed by triumphant liberators is a delicate one. Author Mark Bando took a risk when writing "Avenging Eagles, forbidden tales of the 101st Airborne Division". There are no doubts about the truth in the published stories, but they were mostly told to the author 'off the record' of the numerous interviews Bando held with veterans. These were the stories that the old warriors are not proud of. Bando made an effort to try and conceal the true identity of the individuals involved in the accounts. But with unit rosters, other publications and a layman’s talent for riddles at hand, many of the perpetrators in the book can be identified.
The book describes cases of arson, looting and theft, adultery, battering, fratricide and homicide.
Let it be clear that we enjoyed reading "Avenging Eagles". Because of our fact-finding attitude, and our devotion of the truth, we look forward to the release of the next volume with stories from the September 1944 to May 1945 period of the 101st Airborne Division. The controversy around the darker aspects of the victorious armies may have caused the holdup of this release.

We believe that we took a smaller risk in publishing the incident reports about looting paratroopers. These incidents are on public record – be it limited - and they categorically feature unknown subjects; or 'unsubs'.
They do however all describe cases of looting; larceny in a war situation without the exonerating excuse of 'steeling for survival'. Under Dutch law, this constitutes a war crime and has no statute of limitations.

Effects of looting
Looting became a heavy burden on the communities of "The Island". It is sometimes claimed that the Allies did far more damage to the area than the occupying German troops. The period of American paratrooper presence and the locations of the various subunits on "The Island" can be deduced from the events described in the reports. Starting in late September and ending with the transfer of the 101st Division to Camp Mourmelon in France in November, the behavior of some of its soldiers gave the unit an unsavory reputation. In one of the reports the term 'notorious Airburn (sic) troops' has been used. Not all the reports list the sums of cash money stolen from dwellings, banks and commercial buildings. Therefore, an exact amount of the damage suffered from these cases cannot be given.

Conclusion
These tales do not describe the finest of war time events of both the 101st and the 82nd Airborne Divisions. It is important to know that the British and Belgian troops who relieved the paratroopers, were barely any better. There was just less loot left for them. There are hardly any cases of looting known in the Eindhoven area or in Normandy, earlier in 1944. Whether this conduct can be attributed to the fact that most civilians from "The Island" had evacuated, leaving their homes and businesses unattended, or that the relative static front line duty in the bridgehead south of Arnhem caused boredom, is a question for behavioral scientists.
The fact remains that what the paratroopers did, can at least be described as conduct unbecoming "individual ambassadors of the United States", as general Maxwell D. Taylor, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, directed in a message to his troops on the eve of Operation "Market Garden".

Footnote: To date, we have not solved any of the reported incidents. If, in the future, we are able do so, the cases will not be presented here with details of the perpetrators.
EXHIBITS:

January 22nd 2010 UPDATE:
DOCUMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES IN WASHINGTON D.C.


We received several documents from the National Archives relating to looting in the area of the 101st on The Island in the fall of 1944.

Our contact John Klein of Murietta, California went to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., in December 2010 to do research of his own and I requested him to look for documents relating to this subject.
These documents in general relate to looting in the area around the town of Heteren.

An enquiry was made by an especially formed Board of Officers of the 101st which, on the 24th of October 1944 reported that the area around Heteren was first occupied by elements of the 501st PIR who relieved the British 7th Hampshires on the4th of October 1944.
"F" Co./501st Parachute Infantry Regiment was the first company to occupy the town.
A total of 18 cases of looting of safes in the Heteren area where inventoried, indicated on an overlay (unfortunately not present with the documents I received), designated "A" to "R".
Only of the looted safe dubbed "H", it was found that its contents were removed by soldiers of the 501st.
There names are Pvt's Gerard and Edward L. Dann, of "I" Company of the 501st.
These soldiers were being tried by courts-martial.

Also, on the 17th of October 1944, a letter was sent by General Taylor to apologize for all the damage by looting in his town but "irresponsible civilians as well as troops of various organizations were in and around Heteren during the period when the safes were opened" and therefore the 101st could not take responsibility for these thefts.

Further, the Chief Staff of the Netherlands Military Mission, Major General Kruls, wrote a report on the 18th of October 1944 regarding his inspection trip to the Betuwe.
After this report reached General Taylor he had a meeting in Nijmegen on the 6th of November 1944 with Lt-Col. Van Everdingen and Majors Blauw and Pierson of the Royal Military Police in the Nijmegen and Elst area.
After the meeting Taylor concludes that these officers are responsible for the Kruls report and finds their accusations of looting "irresponsible" because they "are a serious reflection upon the 101st and the 82nd Airborne Divisions, both of which have contributed as much as or more than any other military units to the liberation of Holland".
The Dutch officers "never at any time approached the responsible American Commanders with their complaints. They apparently made no attempt to verify the rumors which they reported as facts” and Taylor concludes his November 8th 1944 report of "Alleged Looting by United States Troops" with the hope "that a retraction will be formally requested of General Kruls and the responsible Dutch officials."

Click here for:
  • The General Kruls Report
  • The Investigation by the Board of Officers
  • General Taylor's letter to The Mayor of Heteren
  • Other documents of the 101st Division Staff regarding looting
It is our opinion that General Taylor was overreacting. We understand that he had to go on what he was presented by the Board of Officers. The Board conducted an investigation in the Heteren area. That is less than 5 miles from Elst. However, under the given circumstances of relative little action in Elst and the relative small scale of Dutch rural society at the time, Elst is another district.
The Kruls Report seems to sum up reports from the Elst district (Mr. Tap was a notary public in Elst and some of the other cases also sound familiar from the reports presented above) and the Board lists cases in and around Heteren.
The incident reports by the Royal Military Police in the Elst district that we have obtained from the Arnhem Archive clearly do not constitute "unverified rumors reported as fact".
U.S. Army boot prints, pick axes, traces of explosives and bullet holes were found on several crime scenes. Dutch civilians did not have the right to keep firearms or explosives; and still don’t today. Besides, most of The Island was evacuated, except for the Royal Military Police (Koninklijke Marechaussee) and the Auxiliary Police (Orde Dienst) who where there just to prevent looting.

In conclusion: Other than the soldiers who looted safe "H" in the Board of Officers Report, no individual soldiers were caught. This subject still has lots of mystery in it and we will keep monitoring it.

Our viewers are encouraged to do the same with this Case File.
July 10th 2013 UPDATE:
DOCUMENT FROM THE REGIONAL ARCHIVE IN 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, HOLLAND
Recently, in the Brabant Historical Information Center (BHIC) in 's-Hertogenbosch, the capital of the Dutch Province of North-Brabant, we discovered a document which sheds new light on the subject of looting paratroopers. Until now, it was widely assumed that American paratroops only started looting since their deployment in the De Betuwe area, also known as The Island. A document from the historical files of the Municipality of St. Oedenrode dated November 7th 1944, states that at least 10 acts of looting, theft and/or destruction of property had taken place in this community by "American Military Personnel (Airborne Troops)".
 

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1)    2)
1) Document listing 10 cases of looting by Airborne Troops in St. Oedenrode
2) Translation of the list of looting cases in St. Oedenrode

Sint Oedenrode is a town which is located a few miles North of Eindhoven and was liberated by elements of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment on the first day of Operation "Market Garden". The document refers to 4 separate lists of missing items but these were not located by us in the BHIC archives. Because of its close proximity to Eindhoven, the town was flooded with British troops soon after September 18th, 1944. It is therefore unknown what the reporting civilians led to believe, in November 1944, that it had been American paratroopers who stole or destroyed their property.

In conclusion: Apparently, looting of Dutch property by American Airborne troops was not limited to The Island in the Dutch province of Gelderland. This new document is a lead to believe that looting had already started in the first days of the Holland invasion when American paratroopers where deployed in the province of North-Brabant.

 
 

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