During the Winter War, Haitto partook a Red Cross concert tour which also visited the United States for the benefit of Finland. Haitto played in the Carnegie Hall with Sir John Barbirolli, among other venues, and appeared in the 1941 film "The Hard-Boiled Canary". In 1942 Haitto and Sirpo settled down in Portland, Oregon, and Haitto studied with Ivan Galamian in 1943–1945. Haitto was known for his virtuosity: he played the compositions of Niccolò Paganini in a faultless way, and he loved the music of J. S. Bach.