French Gratitude Train on railroad tracks   Save
French Gratitude Train Collection
Description: Photograph of the exterior of the French Gratitude Train parked on an unknown set of railroad tracks in Ohio. On the exterior are crests from the different regions of France. In 1948 the United States sent a large shipment of food, fuel and clothing to Le Havre, France, to be distributed to needy people in the war-torn country. To reciprocate, the French people collected gifts, including hand-made toys and crafts and local specialities, to send to the United States. The gifts filled 49 box cars, one for each state and one to be shared by Hawaii and Washington, D.C. The train, known as the "Gratitude Train," "Train de la Reconnaissance," or "Merci Train," arrived in the United States in 1949. The boxcars were "40 & 8" type cars that had been used to transport troops during World War I and World War II. The Ohio train traveled through the state from June 5 through October 22, 1950. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SC1344_12
Subjects: World War II; Postwar Europe; France; International relations; French Gratitude Train
Places: Ohio