Log of the President’s Trip to the Berlin Conference
Thursday, August 2:
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The President and his party left the Little White House at 0715 by motor car for Gatow Airfield. We arrived at the airfield at 0740. All hands immediately embarked in their respective planes. Ambassador Harriman and General Parks were among those on hand to see the President off. By special request of the President, no honors were rendered him at the airport.
At 0755 Plane No. 2 (a C-54, Major Jesse Hayes pilot) departed for St. Mawgan Airport in Southwest England. The principal passenger was Secretary Byrnes. With him were: Mr. Ross, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Russell, Mr. Brown, Lt-Colonel McIntire, Major Mitchell, Lt. Elsey, Lt. Edelstein, Captain Graham, Lt. Rigdon, CWO Stoner, CWO Caldwell, Sgt. Philler, Agents Holmes, Haman, Campion, Waters, Spicer, Kearney and Gilliam, and Mr. Romagna.
Plane No. 1 (a C-54, Lt-Col. H. T. Myers pilot) departed Gatow at 0805 for St. Mawgan. Passengers were: The President, Admiral Leahy, Judge Rosenman, General Vaughan, Captain McMahon, Mr. Maloney, Mr. Drescher and Mr. Hipsley.
0815: Plane No. 3 (C-54) with all other members of our party departed Gatow for England. Lieut. McCarthy returned to Plymouth with us in this plane.
Our route from Gatow was via Magdeburg, Kassel, Brussels, Cape Gris Nez, Newhaven, over the Isle of Wight and Portland.…
Our plans to land at St. Mawgan, where an official welcoming committee (including Ambassador Winant and Admirals Stark and McCann and General Lee and British civic officials) awaited us, were thwarted by the weather. When our planes were over Harrowbeer – about 10 miles outside Plymouth – we received word that the airport at St. Mawgan was closed at the moment because of fog. Observing that Harrowbeer was clear, the President decided to take no chance on the weather and instructed his pilot to set his plane down there. Plane No. 1 landed at Harrowbeer at 0940. Planes No. 2 and No. 3 followed in shortly afterwards in that order. (Distance traveled, Berlin to Harrowbeer, approximately 800 miles.)
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Transportation was soon assembled and the President left Harrowbeer at approximately 1020 for the drive to Plymouth.…
The President arrived at Mill Dock, Plymouth, at 1105. He was met here by Admiral Sir John [Ralph] Leatham, Commander in Chief, Plymouth. The President, Secretary Byrnes, Admiral Leahy and Admiral Leatham embarked in Admiral Leatham’s barge and left immediately for the Augusta, then at anchor in Plymouth Roads. They arrived on board the Augusta at 1120.
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At 1131 Ambassador Winant, Admiral Stark, General Lee and Admiral McCann arrived on board the Augusta and called on the President. They had been at St. Mawgan awaiting us, but on learning of the President’s landing at Harrowbeer, had hurried on to Plymouth.
The British battle cruiser Renown and the USS Philadelphia were at anchor in Plymouth Roads with the Augusta. King George VI was in the Renown. He had come down from London by train this forenoon especially to welcome the President to England.
At 1235 the President, Secretary Byrnes and Admiral Leahy left the Augusta for the Renown to call upon the King. They lunched with the King on board the Renown. Other guests were Lord [Sir Alan] Lascelles, Viscount [the Earl of] Halifax, Admiral Leatham and Captain Campbell.…
1400: Lieut. McCarthy was dispatched to Washington via air with White House mail.
At 1504, King George VI, accompanied by the Earl of Halifax, Sir Alan Lascelles, Admiral Leatham and Captain Campbell, came on board the Augusta to call on the President.…
The King was greeted on the quarterdeck by the President, Secretary Byrnes, Admiral Leahy and Captain Foskett. He inspected the Marine Guard and made a brief tour of inspection of personnel on the weather decks forward. The party then retired to the President’s cabin.
The visit concluded, the King and his party left the ship at 1534, at which time full honors were again rendered. After the King had left the Augusta the British White Ensign was hauled down.
The Augusta got underway at 1549 and stood out of the harbor. The Philadelphia got underway at 1555 and followed in column astern.…
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The President met with the members of the press (White House Correspondents Smith, Nixon, Vacarro and Beatty) shortly after our clearing the harbor and discussed the conference with them.
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