Additional Info

Relentless Advance of the Axis Powers in Europe and Asia

Americans wanting to fly for the US services needed college courses to qualify. Canada did not have such restrictions.
Canadian recruiting efforts tried to be low key early on. Momentum built throughout 1941. Americans across the US traveled to sign up and be trained in the RCAF.
“Some said it wasn’t our fight. But I didn’t see it that way. It was everyone’s fight.”
By the Fall of 1941, over 3,000 had been recruited.
By the 7th of December, 6,100 Americans were in the RCAF
Over 5,200 completed their service in the RCAF.
From 1939-45 over 8,800 served, including approximately 700 killed in training or combat and those eventually transferring to the USAAF

Training in Canada: “We were all Yanks, whether we were from Maine or Mississippi. But so long as they taught us to fly, we didn’t mind what they called us.”
RAF Bomber command regular missions: Night-time, 6-10 hours, 1,500+ miles, 15,000-25,000 feet, unpressurized, continual roar of engines and whistling air, over Germany, enemy searchlights, enemy flak, enemy fighters, bad weather. Northern Europe winters added: extreme cold...-20F, -30F, -40F..., layers of clothing. And: relieving oneself compounded the challenges. Tail gunners especially impacted.by the cold.
Damaged and returning: “...The plane had a thousand holes in it and six of them were big enough to put your head through. It was even worse than the attack we had three weeks ago. All of our instruments were blown away and I could never describe how hard it was to get home..."
Off duty time: Letter writing, poker and craps, drinking with pals, pub crawls, Eagle Club, movies, dates...decompressing after tough missions.