World War II Database

1.  David Stubblebine says:
12 May 2024 08:05:43 PM

Standing left to right: General H.H. Arnold, Chief of US Air Forces; Air Chief Marshall, Sir Charles Portal of Great Britain; General Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff; Admiral Ernest J. King, Chief of US Naval Forces, Field Marshall Sir John Dill, Chief of Joint Staff Mission; General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, US Army; Sir Dudley Pound, Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord; Admiral W.D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy.

Note also the three flags in the background: the United States, the Dominion of Canada, and the United Kingdom. Also, there are four chairs in the foreground but only three dignitaries. Other photos from this conference show these three also seated with Governor General of Canada and Earl of Athlone Alexander Cambridge; it would seem this empty chair was for him.

Admiral Leahy at far right is wearing the United States Navy’s “working gray” uniform with standard shoulder marks and gold gilt buttons. This was a recent relaxation of the regulations for this uniform that had initially required gray shoulder marks and black buttons. Admiral King was a strong advocate of the gray uniform and it is mildly unusual to see King wearing the blue uniform while another naval officer wore the grays, as seen here.