824.248/227
The Ambassador in Bolivia (Boal) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to report an interview this morning concerning Lend-Lease equipment for Bolivia between General Miguel Candia, Bolivian Minister of National Defense, and Lieutenant Colonel Donald N. Wackwitz, Chief of the United States Army Aviation Mission to Bolivia, which was also attended by Colonels Coello and Jordan, the two ranking officers in the Bolivian Air Corps.
General Candia had asked Colonel Wackwitz to call in regard to the airplanes to be sent shortly from the United States to Bolivia under the Bolivian-United States Lend-Lease agreement and to plans to be made for ferrying them from the United States and using them in Bolivia. General Candia had received word from General David Toro, Chief of the Bolivian Military Mission to the United States, that the original quota of 59 planes for Bolivia in 1942 had been cut to 38 and that delivery of the remaining planes would have to be postponed until 1943. This seemed to disturb the General greatly and Colonel Wackwitz reports that he pounded the table and said that he would not accept the reduction. Colonel Wackwitz attempted to explain that the need for planes for actual war purposes and training in the United States necessitated the curtailment but this seemed to have little effect. Colonel Wackwitz informs me that the interview terminated with General Candia saying that he would send a telegram to General Toro instructing him to protest to the War Department and say that Bolivia could not agree to the reduction in Lend-Lease deliveries this year!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Colonel Wackwitz has for months been trying to impress upon the Bolivian Army authorities the need for providing hangar and other facilities for the planes which are to come to Bolivia under Lend-Lease without any visible success. That the bulk of the 38 planes the Bolivian Army is to receive in 1942 will be without shelter and thus subject to rapid deterioration and that the Bolivian Army does not now have sufficient trained pilots to utilize satisfactorily even that number of planes does not prevent General Candia from insisting on more.
[Page 535]Despite the absurdity of General Candia’s stand, it does seem worthwhile for the Department and the War Department to explain patiently to Ambassador Guachalla and General Toro the situation making the decrease in Lend-Lease deliveries necessary.
Respectfully yours,
First Secretary of Embassy