Were there any Americans on the Eastern Front before Pearl Harbor?

[Hyus]

Were there any American citizens present on the Eastern Front before 7th December 1941? For example journalists/reporters, foreign volunteers, or even residents of a place that got caught up in the fighting? I know there were American reporters in other theaters of the war while the US was still neutral (for example, William L. Shirer in France during the 1940 Blitzkrieg).

If there were any Americans in that part of the world, I'd also like to know what happened to them after the US entered the war.

[Hyus]

Well, I found mention of one American journalist who was assigned to Moscow in 1941: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_LeSueur

I don't know anything other than what wikipedia says though, which is barely anything on this topic. He apparently authored a book 'Twelve Months That Changed the World' about battles he covered on the Eastern Front in 1941 and 1942.

[OpanaPointer]

UPI and AP had stringers there, not sure if any were American.

[Prosper Vandenbroucke]

Were there any American citizens present on the Eastern Front before 7th December 1941? For example journalists/reporters, foreign volunteers, or even residents of a place that got caught up in the fighting? I know there were American reporters in other theaters of the war while the US was still neutral (for example, William L. Shirer in France during the 1940 Blitzkrieg).

If there were any Americans in that part of the world, I'd also like to know what happened to them after the US entered the war.

In 1940, you have the "Eagle Squadrons" into the RAF numbered 71 121 133 RAF Squadrons and manned by american volunteers.
They went back to the U.S. Armay Air Corps on the 29th of September 1942

[Hyus]

In 1940, you have the "Eagle Squadrons" into the RAF numbered 71 121 133 RAF Squadrons and manned by american volunteers.
They went back to the U.S. Armay Air Corps on the 29th of September 1942

I thought those guys fought on the western front. Are you saying some of them got sent to the eastern front in 1941? I never heard of that.

[Andy H]

Were there any American citizens present on the Eastern Front before 7th December 1941? For example journalists/reporters, foreign volunteers, or even residents of a place that got caught up in the fighting? I know there were American reporters in other theaters of the war while the US was still neutral (for example, William L. Shirer in France during the 1940 Blitzkrieg).

If there were any Americans in that part of the world, I'd also like to know what happened to them after the US entered the war.

Hi Hyus

Depends what you mean by 'present on the Eastern Front'
I don't know of any American personnel actually fighting at the Front.
Outside of Diplomatic staff, there could well have been Americans within the International Red Cross or serving on merchant ships, be they American flagged or not, that were caught up in the chaos.

Regards

Andy H

[Hyus]

Depends what you mean by 'present on the Eastern Front'
I don't know of any American personnel actually fighting at the Front.
Outside of Diplomatic staff, there could well have been Americans within the International Red Cross or serving on merchant ships, be they American flagged or not, that were caught up in the chaos.

I'm interested in any Americans who got mixed up in those events, doesn't have to be military. I already found one instance of a reporter based in Moscow at the time (mentioned in a previous post). Being neutrals, I was curious to learn about American citizens in Eastern Europe during Operation Barbarossa, what sort of trouble they ran in to and how they coped with it, and what happened to them when their country became a belligerent in December.

[Andy H]

Hi Hyus

America kept active Diplomatic relations with Finland, as they never actually declared war against Finland though they did sever relations in 1944.
So maybe look into that aspect of American activity in Finland.

Regards

Andy H

[Hyus]

America kept active Diplomatic relations with Finland, as they never actually declared war against Finland though they did sever relations in 1944.
So maybe look into that aspect of American activity in Finland.

Thank you Andy, I wasn't aware that they maintained diplomatic relations with Finland after 1941. Definitely something to investigate re: American diplomatic workers who might have been there.

[Prosper Vandenbroucke]

In 1940, you have the "Eagle Squadrons" into the RAF numbered 71 121 133 RAF Squadrons and manned by american volunteers.
They went back to the U.S. Armay Air Corps on the 29th of September 1942

I thought those guys fought on the western front. Are you saying some of them got sent to the eastern front in 1941? I never heard of that.

Oh very sorry. I made a mistake. I was reading the Eastern Front and I was thinking Western Front.
Accept all my apoliges.
Kindly regards
Prosper

[Hyus]

Oh very sorry. I made a mistake. I was reading the Eastern Front and I was thinking Western Front.
Accept all my apoliges.
Kindly regards
Prosper

No problem, we all have those moments