Air Transport Commander
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Cliff Henderson volunteered for active duty. He contacted General Hap Arnold and requested overseas duty with the Army Air Corps. On March 19, 1942, Arnold appointed Cliff as Major temporary of the Army. Next, Cliff became Chief of the Air Transport Section under the U. S. Army’s 10th Ferry Command. This position included two missions. He organized cargo and traffic for the Air Ferry Command. In addition, Cliff coordinated the movement of strategic war materials from China, India, and the U. S.
In September 1942, Cliff Henderson received a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. His assignment as Military Commissioner entailed acting as a liaison between Dakar’s French Colonial government and the Allies engaged in North Africa. Stationed in Dakar, he acquired an additional title. Clearly aware that the direct route to the heart is through the stomach, Cliff strolled the city’s streets carrying an assortment of chocolate bars in his pockets. As a result, the children followed him shouting, “Here comes the Chocolate Colonel!” How easy to picture Cliff in this role delightfully passing out chocolate to the excited children.
Exploratory Flights into China
Cliff Henderson’s assignment in the East proved pivotal to the war effort. Burma Road existed as the main road to deliver supplies to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. It fell to the Japanese in April 1942. President Roosevelt felt it imperative to support the Chinese from impending domination by Imperial Japan. Without a doubt, the feasibility of an air route became necessary. Cliff, along with two other crew, made exploratory flights between Dinjan, India and the Chinese military center of Kumming. Cliff reported that the air route proved feasible provided pilots were skilled, the airplane extremely airworthy, and the weather held.
Invasion of Sicily
During the July 1943 invasion of Sicily, Cliff Henderson served as liaison officer attached to the 12th Air Force. Brigadier General Jimmy Doolittle commanded the unit based in Tunisia. While stationed there, Cliff introduced Doolittle to Bob Hope on tour with the Hope Gypsies. The audience challenged Hope during a show for his lack of courage for not enlisting. A GI in the back of the crowd yelled, “Draft Dodger!” at Hope who quipped, “Don’t you know there’s a war going on? A guy could get hurt!”
Love your blogs, so interesting!
What an amazing story about “the Chocolate Colonel,” heart warming to read about A hero who had time to bring happiness to children. The American GI was known for kindness to children in nations liberated by the Allies. Thank you so much for bringing this true story to life.