BAILOUT PASS
I am searching my memory for the facts. Each crewman was issued a bailout kit with hard tack, compass, razor, & ?????, which one of the crew members signed for, for the (entire) crew. There were silk maps of the area also and $50 in gold seal currency in each sealed pack carried by the airmen.
The Bailout pass was carried by all the crew members and as you can see it had the airman's picture on it. The American Flag on the wallet size tri-fold paper and languages of the area where the crew was flying over on bombing missions. Believe it or not there were safe areas throughout most of Europe where partisans and/or other underground members would assist downed Allied fliers. The pass identified the flier as an American by the Flag.
The wording asked for assistance to avoid capture. At first we had the gold seal currency to hand out to those who aided us, but in 1945 the gold seal currency was replaced by chits. With the chits the airmen could reward those who helped him by writing a chit with an amount of money on it similar to a check.
It was a long, long time ago. Maybe others can add to this.
The writing in English on the pass says:
"I am an American airman. Please take me to your commanding officer and notify nearest American or British military mission in Belgrade, Bucharest, Poltava or other nearby place. Also, please arrange for transportation. Thank you."
The text is then repeated in Russian.
The back of the pass repeats a basic request in English and several other languages.
This is the chit, with which it was hoped the airman could bargain for assistance.
And the back of the chit repeated the statement in several other languages as well.
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