UNRRA Warsaw war-relief delivery needs Soviet overflight permission
History making for the U.S. and awesome first for Veterans Air Crew
If it’s a “first” for the United States, imagine how it feels to the Veterans Air crew! The article contains the first research mention of crew member Captain William Jakeman. With 7,000 flight hours logged, this historic civilian-owned DC-4 flight is surely in capable hands. Harvey Stevenson (erroneously called Henry), company attorney and Vice President, is quoted in the NYT article, but whether he accompanied the flight is not known.1 The Crew manifest is yet to be located.
“Proof of Life”
While the New York Times 7 May article indicated that the Crew left Newark “with full documentation” from the Soviets, the Crew thought so also. But the photo-story begs to differ. The crew landed in Berlin to acquire the Russian-demanded overflight permit.3
OMGUS?
“The Office of Military Government for Germany (U.S.)[OMGUS] was established, effective October 1, 1945, and was responsible for administering the U.S. zone of occupation and U.S. sector of Berlin, and for functioning as U.S. element of organizations comprising the Allied Control Authority, the name given to the four-power occupation control system…OMGUS was formally abolished on December 5, 1949, and its functions transferred to the U.S. High Commissioner for Germany (USHCG). General Lucius D. Clay commanded OMGUS…OMGUS was quite active in restitution and reparation matters as the result of various Allied agreements.”5