The officers of the regiments of the Poltava Air Base. Presumably, the regimental commanders of the 169th Air Base Special Purpose. In the center of the photo – the girl-translator. The Americans left – Col. Barton from the 483rd Bomb Group, right – Colonel Rice 2 bomber group.
In 1943, the US government asked to Joseph Stalin’s resolve Heavy Bombers US Air Force fly over Soviet territory to bomb targets in eastern Germany and the Balkans, so they do not go back to England or Italy. In early 1944, the Soviet Union has allocated for this flight three fields in Ukraine in Poltava region: Poltava, Mirgorod and Piryatin (Poltava airfield complex, 169th Airbase of special purpose). Poltava Air Base were covered by Soviet air defense aircraft on airfields themselves everything was organized at the highest level.
Time taken: June 1944
Location: Poltava Air Base, Ukraine, USSR