A one-of-a-kind ‘jeep’ named Squeekie was built from photos by William Mason in 1942. In 1943, this press photo was taken, then circulated around the country, two of which can be seen below.

Mason worked at Oakland’s Independent Iron Works, Inc. I wasn’t able to uncover too much about Mason, other than he filed a patent for an arc welding machine, on behalf of his employer in October of 1956.

This photo was shared on a vintage photograph Facebook Group by Bob Cunningham. He included the following text, though I’m unaware of where the text originated (maybe based on an original press photo caption?):

Per the Facebook post: “In 1942, William Mason, an iron works superintendent in Oakland, California, used newspaper photographs to create “Squeekie,” his version of the Army’s new wonder car, the “jeep.” Although Mason built the 2-horsepower car for his son, Billy, his wife often used it for ’round-the-town grocery shopping during the days of gas rationing, since it got a thrifty 35 miles per gallon and rolled on unrationed, small sized implement tires. The little “jeep” was once stolen and abandoned in a farmer’s field, and the U.S. Army was notified that one of their prototypes had been found. At the time, most civilians had never seen an actual “jeep,” so the mistake was understandable.”

Here are two newspaper photos and captions:

Published March 13, 1943, in the Oakland Tribune.

Published March 18, 1943, in the La Crosse Tribune, out of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Cropped version of the bottom photo.

This photograph was published in the April 29, 1946, issue of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It’s located in the University of Texas at Arlington’s digital archive library.

https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20033476

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Brooklyn Heights School jeep “test run”. (1946). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20033476

“Twenty neighborhood children took a “test run” in a jeep to be used for a carnival at Brooklyn Heights School. Driving the jeep is Jack Scott, and sitting beside him is Howard Victry, president of the school Dad’s Club. The children and Mr. Victry are facing the camera and Mr. Victry’s hand is raised. Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Morning Edition April 29, 1946.”