832.248/340: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)
371. From the Under Secretary. General Marshall and the War Department in general are most desirous of taking immediate action in accordance with the outline in your no. 334, February 3, 8 p.m., with respect to the 10 pursuits and 2 bombers; and they are exceedingly grateful to the Air Ministry for its cooperation in this regard and its sympathetic recognition of the problems of personnel and equipment faced by our Army. The Air Ministry’s willingness to shorten the period of adaptation, thus permitting the rapid release of our much needed personnel, coincides exactly with the program of the War Department, which sincerely appreciates this mark of collaboration.
In brief, the War Department accepts the Air Ministry’s proposal in its broad outline. The minor differences from that proposal in the following outline are merely dictated by the need for fitting it in with our legislation and particularly our war plans, which the War Department feels confident the Air Minister will readily understand.
- 1.
- On signal of the Brazilian Government 2 B–18’s and 10 P–36’s together with crews, maintenance personnel, equipment and ammunition will be sent to the Natal area for delivery to the United States Air Mission and for training of Brazilian personnel and operation under the supervision of the Air Mission.
- 2.
- Personnel accompanying the ships will, under the Air Mission’s supervision, conduct the instruction of the Brazilian personnel in the operation and maintenance of the airplanes and will return to the United States when the Brazilian authorities consider that the Brazilian personnel has acquired the necessary training. It is repeated that the War Department greatly appreciates the Air Ministry’s cooperation in fixing this period of adaptation at a maximum of 6 weeks. Anything which can be done further to shorten the period will be helpful.
- 3.
- When the Air Ministry is satisfied that the FAB personnel has acquired the desired training, the title to the airplanes and accessory equipment will, in accordance with the procedure fixed by legislation, be transferred to the Brazilian Government, at a reasonable valuation, under the terms of the new expanded Brazilian-United States lend lease agreement now being negotiated.
To perfect plans for the flight the War Department asks for the following specific information: (a) the exact place in the northeast area to which the airplanes shall be flown, and (b) the designation of the Brazilian personnel or agency in that area who will receive [Page 645] the group and will work out the details of the cooperative arrangements there. Upon receipt of the instructions of the Brazilian Government and approval of the foregoing the War Department will promptly dispatch the ships to Brazil. [Welles.]