“Our American“ – A Czech Family’s Memories from May 1945

Not everyone in Rokycany had “their American” in May 1945. But one Czech family did – and they never forgot him.

 

On a sunny day in May 1945 – one of the first days of peace in Europe – a jeep with the hand-painted name “Night Owl” rolls into a quiet street in the Czech town of Rokycany. Inside sits a young 1st Lieutenant Gerard F. Hart and his driver. They stop at a wooden gate in front of the home of Captain Jaroslav Smolák, an officer of the Czechoslovak artillery.

 

Just hours earlier, Captain Smolák had stood in a long line outside the town hall. It was filled with people volunteering to host American soldiers – the very men who had brought them long-awaited freedom. When his turn finally came, he received official confirmation: „Mr. Jaroslav Smolák will provide accommodation for the officers from the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division“. Not everyone in line was so lucky – many went home disappointed, knowing they came too late and wouldn’t have “their American.”

 

But when Lt. Hart arrived at the Smolák home, he quickly realized he had found something special – a family that would welcome him as one of their own. Mrs. Jindřiška Smoláková greeted the guests in perfect English, instantly warming their hearts. Captain Smolák shook their hands and welcomed them with a celebratory toast.

 

And then there were their children: seven-year-old Miroslav, his sister Hana and brother Jarin. For young Miroslav, the arrival of the Americans was the greatest adventure ever! He was fascinated by the fast, powerful jeep – and Gerard knew exactly how to encourage that childhood curiosity. Soon, he was taking the Smolák family on rides around Rokycany and the surrounding countryside in his beloved “Night Owl.” They went on trips, shared laughter, and, for a brief moment in time, lived like one Czech-American family. The children adored the American soldiers, and Miroslav would later fondly remember how he used to visit the U.S. field kitchen for cups of hot chocolate.

 

But those joyful first days of freedom didn’t last forever. Before long, Gerard had to say goodbye and begin the long journey home to his own family in Hudson, New York. All that remained were photographs – and the lasting memory of a beautiful friendship formed in the most extraordinary of times.

 

Yet some stories do not end with farewell.

 

More than 81 years later, the story of the Smolák family’s friendship with Lt. Gerard Hart still lives on. Jaroslav Smolák’s grandson, together with his son Michael, recently acquired an original wartime Jeep Willys. And what will it be called? Night Owl — bringing the story full circle!

 

In recent years, the past has reached into the present in another extraordinary way: the Smolák family managed to contact Gerard Hart’s grandson, Evan. After decades, the descendants of both families have found each other once more. And perhaps they may continue the extraordinary bond that began in those unforgettable days of May 1945.