Description:

AMERICAN CHAOS IN 'OPERATION BOLERO', SHIPPING MATERIEL TO ENGLAND, 1942
Fine content typed D.S., 18pp. legal folio, New York, July to September, 1942, several reports typed and signed several times by British Ministry of Transport representative J. E. Cooper concerning the complete confusion in American ports as regards preparation and implementation of OPERATION BOLERO, the intense effort to undertake the huge movement of men and material that laid the groundwork for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. The report goes into detail as to the awkward loading situation in New York and at other ports, the complete lack of planning, restricting loading of certain cargoes to certain berths, underutilization of cargo space, unknown dates of cargo availability, underloaded vessels, insufficient documentation, mixture of Lend-Lease with other cargoes, etc. Cooper also comments on the good training of apprentice seamen, aircraft and parts to be carried aboard the British carrier HMS DASHER, and complaints of seamen being carried in the same accommodations as troops. With a later analysis of total materiel shipped to the USSR, worth $11.1 billion, for which the Soviets reimburses the U.S. 1/5000th of the cost, versus 3/13s repaid by the UK. Some marginal rust stains, else very good.

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November 13, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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