Roosevelt Takes to the Skies

Seventy years ago today, on 11 January 1943, President Roosevelt became the first US president to fly in an airplane while in office; the occassion was the Casablanca Conference where he would meet with British Prime Minister Churchill, and French Generals DeGaulle and Giraud.  The 5,500 mile journey, began with a train ride from Washington to Miami, where Roosevelt boarded the Boeing 314 Clipper Ship, Dixie Clipper for a flight to Trinidad. After Trinidad, the President made stops in Brazil and Gambia, where he boarded a C-54 which took him the final leg of the journey to Casablanca. Roosevelt’s landmark trip took a total of three days, ending on 14 January 1943.

Post by Curator Kimberly Guise.