▁top - secret ▁air bor ne ▁reconna issance ▁program ▁carried ▁out ▁over ▁North ▁Africa ▁and ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁during ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁It ▁is ▁notable ▁for ▁many ▁reasons , ▁but ▁especially ▁because ▁the ▁driving ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁operation ▁was ▁Major ▁Elli ott ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁who ▁acted ▁in ▁direct ▁consult ation ▁with ▁his ▁father , ▁President ▁Franklin ▁D . ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁of ▁the ▁Army , ▁George ▁Marshall , ▁and ▁the ▁Air ▁Forces ▁commander , ▁General ▁Henry ▁“ H ap ” ▁Arnold . ▁ ▁Pl anning ▁American ▁plans ▁to ▁in va de ▁North ▁Africa ▁germ in ated ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁( Operation ▁G ymn ast , ▁which ▁later ▁became ▁Operation ▁Tor ch ). ▁Sim ult ane ously ▁became ▁apparent ▁the ▁critical ▁necessity ▁of ▁air bor ne ▁log istics ▁via ▁Brazil , ▁Africa , ▁and ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁supply ▁the ▁USS R , ▁China , ▁and ▁even ▁Australia . ▁M apping ▁and ▁reconna issance ▁of ▁the ▁affected ▁areas , ▁which ▁were ▁then ▁in ▁danger ▁of ▁being ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁A xis , ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁highest ▁priority . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Colonel ▁Paul ▁T . ▁C ull en ▁and ▁Captain ▁Elli ott ▁Ro ose vel t ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁conduct ▁aer ial ▁phot ographic ▁reconna issance ▁st aging ▁out ▁of ▁Acc ra ▁in ▁the ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁( l ater ▁Gh ana ). ▁C ull en ▁was ▁a