Soviet soldier shakes hands with US Sergeant Bernard McGuire at Poltava Airfield, Ukraine, June 1944.
A Handshake Between Allies in Wartime
This remarkable photograph captures a Soviet infantryman shaking hands with US Sergeant Bernard McGuire at the 169th Special Air Base in Poltava, Ukrainian SSR, in June 1944. Although the Soviet Union and the United States fought alongside one another against Nazi Germany, photographs showing direct encounters between ordinary servicemen of the two nations remain relatively uncommon, making this image a valuable historical record.
The meeting took place during Operation Frantic, the Allied shuttle-bombing campaign. Under this program, American B-17 Flying Fortress bombers attacked targets in German-occupied Europe, landed at Soviet airfields to refuel and rearm, and then continued their missions before eventually returning to bases in Britain or Italy. To support these operations, special facilities were established at Poltava, Mirgorod, and Pyriatyn, where Soviet and American personnel worked side by side.
Life on these airfields brought together soldiers, mechanics, pilots, and support crews from two very different military traditions. Despite language barriers and political differences, they shared the same daily concerns: maintaining aircraft, defending the bases, and preparing for the next mission. Moments like the one preserved in this photograph offered a rare glimpse of personal interaction amid the demands of a global war.
Only days after many of these photographs were taken, on the night of 22 June 1944, the Luftwaffe launched a devastating raid against the Poltava airfields. Numerous American bombers and several Soviet aircraft were destroyed or damaged, demonstrating that even bases located far behind the front lines remained vulnerable to German air attacks.
Today, this simple handshake stands as a quiet symbol of Allied cooperation during World War II. Rather than depicting combat, it reminds us that victory also depended on trust, coordination, and the ability of people from different nations to work together toward a common objective.
Technical Photo Data
- Location: Poltava, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
- Date: June 1944
- Event: Operation Frantic (Allied shuttle bombing campaign)
- People shown: Soviet infantryman and US Sergeant Bernard McGuire
- Photographer: Unknown (USAAF archive)