This was the operational name for the CIA-led program to identify and bring to the US former German scientists and military leaders in 1945, extending a few years to 1948. The race was on to grab as many as possible before the Soviets could. Naturally, in the course of such an undertaking some true Nazis, without any redeeming qualities, snuck through. By the end of Operation Paperclip 1,648 former German/Nazi officials had been relocated to the US, given new names/identities and set up in houses, jobs...some very good jobs...including at universities as professors! But, this all came with the "price" of 100% cooperation with the CIA and other US government agencies. AND! this was also privately financed via a banking coalition led by George Herbert "Bert" Bush.

Let me add this editorial comment before I continue: TOO BAD WE DIDN'T GRAB MORE!! IT'S SAD THAT THE SOVIETS GOT ANY!

A little back-story. In late April, 1945 two German U-boats had snuck away from a port in Norway, which was still held by German troops. Incredibly, these two subs had managed to elude the combined British Navy and the US Navy operating in the Atlantic. But, it was very late in the war, Germany officially surrendered May 7, 1945, but the Allies already knew the war was effectively over, and had stepped down from heightened alert. That is why these two subs were able to make it through the Atlantic, around the tip of South America and into the Pacific, where they hoped to reach Japan, since the Japs had not yet surrendered.

However, these two German U-boat captains, very experienced and skilled, were in for a shock! The US Pacific Fleet, in 1945, was a totally different beast than anything the Germans had seen in the Atlantic. They soon realized it would be impossible to reach Japan. The US Pacific Fleet had deployed over 600 destroyers, frigates, patrol boats covering the Pacific, all modern ships with sonar, and the ships were fast! They tried, but had to keep moving west, in an attempt to locate an alley through the screen. The subs were able to refuel when they encountered a German tanker which was anchored in "neutral" waters near Peru. (Actually, like Argentina, Peru was Nazi-friendly).

The two sub captains had received a radio message, from Nazis held up in Panama, that they might be able to rendezvous with a Jap fleet operating near the Aleutians (Alaska), but forget trying to reach Japan by way of the South Pacific passing near Australia. And, so it was that on May 15, 1945 while nearing Alaska a US patrol plane spotted the two subs cruising just below the surface...they had run up snorkels to take in fresh air...before they knew it three US destroyers were on them. Using an "underwater phone" the commander of the US squadron ordered the subs to surface and surrender. The jig was up!

Turns out the two subs were loaded with German/Nazi officials...and a treasure trove of technical information. Design plans for jet aircraft, rockets, the A-bomb...They were taken to a US Navy base and "spilled the beans." In exchange for good treatment these Germans agreed to cooperate fully. This is how, and why, the CIA came to hatch their program Operation Paperclip. The senior CIA official in charge of the operation was close friends with George Bush's grandfather, and the subject of a book accusing the Bush family of being Nazi-sympathizers. It is 100% true that some Nazi Party officials took advantage of the program to sneak into the US. They had created false credentials passing themselves off as scientists or the like. But the US was in a race to grab as many German scientists as they could as the Soviets were using draconian measures to round up and seize as many as they could.

Some of these Nazis, who were not really scientists, were later outed and arrested, some as late as the late 1950's. But, yeah, some managed to enjoy the benefits until they died of natural causes/old age. Oh well! Considering what incredible feats US science/engineering was able to accomplish...a technological advantage we enjoy to this day...it was a small price to pay.

For some so-called historian to try now, 75 years later, to cast a pall over "The Bushes" because of what Grandpa Bush did in 1945 is simply ridiculous. The senior Bush passed away in 1953 at the age of 78. It should also be noted that senior Bush was a staunch Democrat, a huge donor to the Dem Party and a supporter of FDR and Truman. That is irrelevant, however, to his role in Op. Paperclip.

I have other reasons to be leery of "The Bushes" as they are members of The Swamp, RINOs, but not because of what old man Bush did working with the CIA in 1945. If anything a big THANK YOU is appropriate.


Of course, Bert's son, George H.W. Bush later became Director of the CIA before becoming POTUS. Obviously, there was always some connection between the Bush family and the CIA.