Upon his inauguration in 1933, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt pledged a “Good Neighbor” policy toward Latin American nations based on mutual cooperation and respect. This proved valuable during World War II when several of these countries, including Mexico, joined the U.S. to declare war against the Axis Powers. Mexico and the U.S. enjoyed a good relationship during the war, highlighted by thousands of Mexican nationals serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and creation of the Bracero program, which brought laborers from Mexico to perform agricultural work in the U.S. In April 1943, President Roosevelt took a 16-day train trip to inspect twelve military installations and four war production plants. The highlight was a reciprocal visit with Mexico’s President Manuel Ávila Camacho, the first face-to-face meeting between leaders of the adjoining countries in 34 years. They met in Monterrey on April 20 with a contingent including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico George Messersmith and State Department officials. Thousands of cheering residents welcomed the American delegation, and events included a seven-course banquet and review of troops. The following day the train crossed the border at Laredo and continued to Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, where cadets from Mexico were among those receiving flight training. The group was escorted to the administration building (later CNATRA headquarters) and lunch at the cadet mess hall. Eleanor Roosevelt met with waves, and President Camacho greeted cadets from Mexico and their ground crews. The culmination of the visit was dozens of planes in a flyover and dive-bombing exhibition. Ambassador Messersmith described the exchange as “the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the two countries.” (2021)