▁southern ▁route ▁was ▁pione ered ▁for ▁the ▁Fer ry ing ▁Command ▁by ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Pan ▁American ▁Air ways , ▁which ▁had ▁developed ▁the ▁air fields ▁along ▁the ▁route ▁as ▁an ▁agent ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 - 4 1 . ▁ ▁Pass enger ▁operations ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁route ▁began ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁its ▁first ▁flight ▁made ▁by ▁Hay nes , ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁operation ▁was ▁susp ended ▁in ▁October ▁to ▁winter ize ▁the ▁trans ports ▁and ▁improve ▁facilities , ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁southern ▁route ▁began ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 4 . ▁Mov ement ▁of ▁combat ▁aircraft ▁by ▁the ▁Fer ry ing ▁Command ▁beyond ▁North ▁America ▁using ▁the ▁southern ▁route ▁began ▁November ▁ 2 0 . ▁All ▁of ▁this ▁activity ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁gave ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁a ▁head ▁start ▁in ▁developing ▁the ▁aer ial ▁lines ▁of ▁communication ▁for ▁its ▁own ▁forces ▁that ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁route ▁was ▁adopted ▁for ▁year - round ▁movement ▁of ▁aircraft ▁and ▁units ▁to ▁the ▁combat ▁the aters , ▁prepared , ▁brief ed ▁and ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁Fer ry ing ▁Command . ▁ ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁and ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁When ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁entered ▁the ▁war , ▁Old s ▁immediately ▁implemented ▁a ▁previously - prep ared ▁plan ▁to ▁use ▁civil ▁transport ▁pil ots ▁to ▁replace ▁reserve ▁military ▁av i ators ▁re called ▁to ▁their ▁combat ▁commands . ▁His ▁staff ▁also