Willkie’s international mission began in August 1942. On August 26, he departed from Mitchel Field on Long Island, New York, aboard an American military aircraft that became famous during his journey. The aircraft was named Gulliver, after the central character of Jonathan Swift’s well-known novel Gulliver’s Travels. The name was particularly appropriate for an aircraft carrying an American political figure across distant countries and unfamiliar regions during a global conflict.
The aircraft was a four-engine Consolidated military transport derived from the Liberator design. It was operated by American military personnel and adapted for long-distance transportation. Contemporary official American diplomatic correspondence identifies the aircraft as a Consolidated C-87 transport. It was equipped to undertake demanding flights across continents, although the journey required careful planning, refueling stops, and cooperation with different governments.
Willkie was accompanied by several individuals, including Joseph Barnes and Gardner Cowles, both associated with the American Office of War Information. The mission also involved military personnel responsible for operating and navigating the aircraft. President Roosevelt had arranged the necessary diplomatic communications and sought permission from foreign governments to facilitate the journey.
The trip covered approximately 31,000 miles and lasted forty-nine days. It took Willkie through numerous countries and territories in the Middle East, Africa, the Soviet Union, and Asia. His itinerary included important political centers and areas directly affected by the war.
