See Willow Run. . .

(See Willow Run. . .)

The U.S. flew three heavy bombers during World War II, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The Liberator was the most-produced bomber in history, over eighteen thousand. Of that, Ford at its Willow Run facility, produced well over eight thousand. The Liberator, along with its cousins from Boeing, be it Flying Fortress out of Seattle or Burbank, or the Superfortress out of Kansas City, along with British Bomber Command were the only Allied forces in combat at all times with the Combined Bomber Offensive, 1942-1945.

In retrospect, strategic bombing, the Eighth Air Force bombing by day and Bomber Command at night fell short of rendering the Third Reich prostrate. Bombing was not that accurate and before the introduction of long-range fighters like the P-51 Mustang, losses were prohibitive. But before Noth Africa, before Sicily, before France, and regardless of how effective the strategic bombing offensive was in the end, this was the only Allied force in the air and placing ordinance on target. Willow Run's legacy in the production of the B-24 and Ford's contribution that helped win the war.

Willow Run was at capacity making Liberators till the end of the War. The Willow Pad is a three-part oil field in Alaska that is set to be placed in service that could produce 187,000 barrels of oil a day. However, a go-ahead would require Presidential approval which does not seem to be forthcoming, despite the benefits accrued to the people of Alaska and how said benefits would be applied to the rest of the country with lower gas prices.

But President Biden is beholden to two groups of people; the Chinese and environmental extremists, who oppose any new oil development which suggests that the project would be kept idle. The final decision could come this week. This has become like clock-work when an opportunity presents itself to supplement American domestic energy production but a when weak President faces a fanatic,, what chance does he think he has ?