President Roosevelt’s log of the trip
Thursday, December 2 (at Tehran; en route Tehran to Cairo; at Cairo)
8:37 a.m. | The President, riding in a jeep, left his quarters at Camp Amirabad to inspect the camp and its personnel. In the jeep with the President was Major General Connolly. The party proceeded to the area in front of the Commanding General’s headquarters, where honors were rendered to the President by an honor company and the post band. From here the President was driven about the camp. The President stopped at the post hospital for a few minutes and, remaining in his jeep, made a few impromptu remarks to a group of Army patients and hospital personnel (approximately 75) who were assembled in front of the hospital. His remarks are appended, marked Appendix “E.” The party then returned to the area in front of the Commanding General’s headquarters, where some 3,000 personnel of Camp Amirabad were drawn up for the President’s inspection. The President’s jeep was driven onto a low platform and, again from his jeep, the President made an impromptu speech to those assembled. A copy of his remarks is appended, marked “F.” |
9:10 a.m. | On completion of his address, the President departed Camp Amirabad for Gale Morghe Airport. Outside Camp Amirabad the President transferred from the jeep to a staff car for the ride to the airport. Our route from Camp Amirabad to Gale Morghe skirted Tehran to the southward. It was over dirt roads mostly and was very dusty. |
9:30 a.m. | Arrived Gale Morghe Airport. The President and his party embarked in the planes. |
9:46 a.m. | The President’s plane departed Tehran for Cairo. In the President’s plane with him were: Mr. Hopkins, Admiral Leahy, Admiral Brown, Admiral McIntire, General Watson, Major Boettiger, Captain Flythe (Medical Corps, USA), Lt-Commander Fox, Lieutenant (jg.) Rigdon, Secret Service Agents Spaman, Fredericks and Spicer, and Steward Prettyman. |
12:00 (noon) | Our plane passed over Baghdad and circled the city before proceeding on. |
3:30 p.m. | Our plane crossed over the Suez Canal. |
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Miscellaneous notes on Tehran
Tehran is the terminus of our Persian Gulf supply line for lend-lease material sent to Russia. Actually it is nearby Kazvin where the supplies are turned over to the Soviets. These supplies are shipped by rail and motor convoy from Abadan and Khorramshahr through Tehran to Kazvin. Planes are assembled at Abadan (on the Persian Gulf) and flown here for delivery to the Soviets. Some few planes are flown from Abadan by Soviet pilots. All movements of planes north from Tehran and supplies north from Kazvin are handled by the Soviets. To date they have been very careful not to permit our men beyond those points.
Our forces here bring in all of their foodstuffs. Nothing is bought locally. This is done because of the extreme scarcity of foodstuffs in Iran and consequently, in order not to deprive the Iranians of what little there is. This practice also helps greatly in keeping retail prices down. There is real inflation prevalent here – automobile tires are reported to be selling for $2,000 each; a “fifth” of whiskey for $40; a cake of toilet soap for 60¢ (United States currency). Even though there was an absence of fresh vegetables, the diet fed us by the Army while in Tehran was most appetizing.
There are two U.S. Army camps located near Tehran – Camp Amirabad and Camp Atterbury. There are approximately 30,000 officers and enlisted men of our Army stationed in the Persian Gulf Service Command, whose headquarters are at Tehran.
Brigadier General Sweet directs the U.S. Army motor truck transport in Iran and Iraq. He keeps the American supplies rolling through to Russia over the trans-Iranian route.
Major General Connolly and Brigadier General Hurley were both on the job constantly during our visit to personally see that the President and members of his party were well cared for.
The following U.S. Army officers, on duty in Tehran area, served as interpreters for our party while we were in Tehran: Major O. Pantuhoff, Major N. E. Mitchell, Captain Charles Berman, and Second Lieutenant Boris Alexander.
The weather during our entire stay in Tehran was delightful. The days were mild and the nights cold. There was no central heating in Tehran. Most of the buildings are heated by portable oil stoves. The Russian Embassy is the only steam-heated building in the city, we were told.
Mount Demavand (Elburz Mountains) near Tehran is 18,456 feet high.
Nice wide streets here. The roadways are paved but most of the sidewalks are not, causing the city to appear very dusty and dirty.
The city’s transportation system was apparently most inadequate. It consisted mainly of a very few small buses, which were invariably packed, and horse-drawn “droshkies” [droshkies].
While in Tehran the President presented autographed photographs (mounted in silver frames) to Marshal Stalin and to the Shah of Iran.
It was most evident that every individual member of our Army stationed in Tehran was delighted at our visit and for the opportunity to discuss home and home folks.
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