In this episode of the Mentioned in Dispatches podcast Marc Lassen tells the incredible story of The Liberty Car—Cadillac US1257X, explaining how he came to buy it, restore it and research its First World War history.
Discovered in 2005, this Cadillac officer’s car's First World War military history was lost to time until Marc’s dedicated efforts to authenticate and preserve its legacy. Through collecting countless artefacts and meticulous research, Marc has brought to light the extraordinary service record of this unique vehicle.
The Liberty Car was present in France from 1917 to 1919, during the entirety of the U.S. involvement in the Great War, making it a rare survivor with a verified record of service in the Great War. It played a crucial role during the Second Battle of the Marne, providing support to French and American troops near the front line.
Eleanor Butler Roosevelt, wife of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., also utilised the Cadillac for two months while scouting locations for soldiers’ rest and recuperation leave, as documented in her autobiography. Despite the passage of time, the Liberty Car has survived remarkably intact, retaining many original materials, components, and evidence of its wartime service.
Recognising its historical significance, the car was added to the Historic Vehicle Association’s National Historic Vehicle Register and the U.S. Department of the Interior Historic American Engineering Record in 2014.