From War to Wonder: The DUKW’s Journey of Reinvention

Last weekend, we celebrated my in-laws’ 50th wedding anniversary in the Wisconsin Dells. One of the highlights? Riding in a DUKW—those iconic amphibious “duck boats” that drive on land and then plunge into the river.

Dells Duck - 2025

As we splashed along with our kids laughing beside us, I couldn’t help but think of my grandfather, Sergeant Jack Anderson. In his WWII diary—published in my book A Soldier’s Song—he wrote about watching DUKWs unloading supplies on the beach headed for the front lines as his unit unloaded their LST. Back then, they were machines of war—built for tough terrain, open water, and survival.

Landing Ship Tank (LST) including my grandfather’s gun crew truck in Southern France

And now, here we were, making family memories in that same vehicle.

Reinvention in the Flow

The DUKW was created for a specific purpose during a moment of global crisis. But when the war ended, they didn’t just disappear—they were repurposed. From battlefield logistics to lakeside sightseeing.

There’s a lesson there: just because one chapter ends doesn’t mean the story is over.

Life shifts. Roles change. Sometimes we’re called to start again. And like the DUKW, we have the capacity to adapt—maybe even bring joy in places that once brought pain.

Dells Duck 🦆 splashing into water

Moving Forward

It’s strange and beautiful that something my grandfather saw during a terrifying moment of war is now part of a joyful moment in my family’s life. That’s the flow of life—hardship doesn’t have to have the last word.

If you’re in a season of change, remember the DUKW. You may have been built for one thing—but you’re capable of becoming so much more.

Learn In The Flow Of Life

Jason

What’s something in your life that’s taken on a new purpose over time? I’d love to hear your story. Let’s keep learning in the flow together.