learn and teach ja 8b history jake watson 8b history jake watson

world war ii lend lease act ci

The Counter Intelligence Corp was a division of the Army during World War II

The Counter Intelligence Corp had many top secret duties during World War II...

Their main objective: Investigate sabotages and subversive activities against THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

My Grand father was a special agent with the CIC

He had many assignments but one memorable one took him to Alaska

That’s him in the middle

He was involved in the Alsib Route of the Lend Lease Act of 1941

Passed on March 11, 1941, the Lend-Lease act set up a system that would allow the United States to lend or lease war supplies to any nation deemed “vital to the defense of the United States.”

Russia was fighting a losing battle and did not have the supplies and equipment necessary to stop the Nazi’s from invading. The Lend Lease Act had another Route: ALSIB short for Alaska - Siberia

The Lend Lease program got supplies to Alaska Starting point Great Falls, Montana up to White Horse, Canada then North to Alaska Russian pilots would fly the supplies over the Bering Sea to Russia

Almost 8,000 aircraft were ferried over the ALSIB route

Not all of the aircraft made it

The Lend-Lease program dramatically changed the tide of the war. Unfortunately, those who flew the planes and built the air route between the United States, Canada, the Yukon, Alaska, and eventually across Russia to the Asian Pacific, received little or no recognition.

Neither the Red Army Museum in Moscow nor the Soviet Air Force Museum makes any mention of Soviet use of American aircraft during WWII or that the Western Allies even participated in that war. This is even more interesting when comparing a P-63 flight manual page from the Soviet version and the American original.

Review

WWII Russia desperately needed supplies The Alsib Route was a success and helped the allies win the war Those who worked on the project got little or no recognition Even Russia doesn’t acknowledge having had help to win the war!!!

Now you know about Lend Lease and the Alsib Route share your new knowledge with someone

The End

Sources: Files, photos, notes and memories from my Grandfather Clement M Toohill to Investigator 301 Staff Sergeant US Army Air Corps