822.24/104
The Minister in Ecuador ( Long ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 31.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that the Minister of Finance86 intimated that he might take up the matter of the $5,000,000.00 worth [Page 295] of equipment which Ecuador is to receive under the Lease Lend allotment for the present fiscal year.
The Commander-in-Chief87 is an Army man who has had limited experience with aviation, save for the flying which he did during a recent visit to our country. His first idea, when learning that the $5,000,000.00 worth of matériel was to become available, was to have most of it in munitions.
Recent developments in world events which have thrown into relief the importance of aviation have caused Colonel Urrutia to have many talks with the members of the American Aviation Mission88 which, at the solicitation of Colonel Urrutia, has submitted a list of what it deems to be conservative requirements for the Air Corps of Ecuador during the present fiscal year.
I enclose a copy of the memorandum89 handed by Captain Renshaw90 to Colonel Urrutia which totals approximately $2,000,000.00 or 40% of the total available prior to July 1, 1942.
The Minister of Finance may not be familiar with these details. Consequently, this report is sent in advance so that the respective Departments of our Government may be prepared to discuss allotments in the event that they are willing to take the matter up with Mr. Illingworth.
I am informally advised that at this moment there are available nine fairly dependable Ecuadoran pilots; and that at the end of probably four months’ training eleven additional pilots (who would then be competent) will become available. In addition, it will be recalled that primary training is to begin as soon as the new Primary Trainers being shipped from California arrive in Ecuador. That is, this training should start about the middle of September.
The Air Mission in Ecuador tells me that they are counting upon the assignment of one additional Officer more or less as indicated in Mr. Welles’ letter to the Secretary of War dated June 28.89 It is urged, of course, that the new man be a qualified instructor who speaks Spanish, and that he arrive here without delay.
If the $2,000,000.00 are made available in aviation equipment, as suggested by our Aviation Mission, it is thought that the Army can be supplied with sufficient cartridges to satisfy present requirements with $3,000,000.00.
Respectfully yours,
- Vicente Illingworth.↩
- Col. Francisco Urrutia.↩
- An agreement between the United States and Ecuador for a military aviation mission was signed December 12, 1940; Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 189, or 54 Stat. (pt. 2) 2437.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Capt. Harry A. Renshaw, Chief of the American Military Aviation Mission in Ecuador.↩
- Not printed.↩