In early 1942 the Operations Division of the War Department was thoroughly engaged in strategic planning for marshalling the US forces to enter the conflict with the Axis powers in Europe.  Transfer of those forces to the European theater and the initial deployment and engagement in battle demanded a thorough and complex plan coordinated with the British plans, deployment and dynamics.  This early planning became known as the Bolero Plan. The detailed high level planning for the USAAF forces has been copied from the National Archives for your viewing here.

An excellent comprehensive history of Bolero planning is available at

 http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-WD-Ops/USA-WD-Ops-9.html

From the USAAF perspective, Operation Bolero was concerned with the deployment of its aircraft and crews.  Due to the very active submarine warfare being conducted in the Atlantic to thwart the deployment of troops and equipment from the US, an alternative to shipment by sea was required.  The airborne ferry route across the North Atlantic to the UK became the focus of very detailed, urgent, high risk planning.  This relatively small, but vital part of the overall Bolero Plan became a very interesting and significant phase of 1st Fighter Group history.

 During transfer of 1st FG P-38’s to the UK, one flight of the 94th FS was forced to land on the Greenland icecap.  The pilots were later rescued, but the planes remained to sink through the ice over many years.  One of these lost P-38’s was recovered by very persistent and expensive operations and restored to pristine beauty and currently flies as the GLACIER GIRL.

  See the excellent website at

 http://www.thelostsquadron.com/p-38-pages/p-38-lightning-history.htm

 To experience the dynamics of planning for Operation Bolero go to:

 OPERATION  BOLERO  PLANS

 (Copied from files at the National Archives @ College Park, MD)