Office of the Historian

J. C. S. Files

Memorandum by the United States Chiefs of Staff

secret
C. C. S. 411/5
[Cairo,] 7 December 1943.

Operations in the Southeast Asia Command

1. In order to settle the question of tonnage lift to China versus availability of aircraft from A. T. C. India–China Wing, it is recommended that the Combined Chiefs of Staff accept the following in lieu of the solution recommended in C. C. S. 411/4, Sextant, 5 December 1943:1

a. The Combined Chiefs of Staff recognize the principle that the Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia Command2 must have control over resources allocated to him for the accomplishment of the assigned objectives.

b. The Combined Chiefs of Staff also recognize the necessity of firm commitments of tonnage over the “hump” into China during the next six months. The Combined Chiefs of Staff direct:

(1) That the tonnage over the “hump” be maintained on the following basis of transport plane allotments:

C–87’s C–46’s Tons Delivered
December 40 97 8,858
January 40 107 9,535
February 48 120 11,066
March 55 25 5,614
April 52 46 6,716
May 50 96 9,686

(2) They further direct that transport plane allotments to the Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia Command, for Tarzan, be on the following basis:

  • 15 Dec to 31 Jan—18 C–47’s or 12 C–46’s
  • 1 Feb to 28 Feb—11 C–47’s or 8 C–46’s
  • 1 Mar to 31 Mar—188 C–47’s or 126 C–46’s
  • 1 Apr to 15 Apr—183 C–47’s or 122 C–46’s
  • 16 Apr to 15 May—114 C–47’s or 76 C–46’s
  • 16 May to 30 Jun—43 C–47’s or 29 C–46’s

Note: The above subparagraph is based on the assumption that 35 additional C–47’s will be available in the theater by 1 February. (Now allotted to the 10th Air Force)

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c. The Combined Chiefs of Staff direct that any shortages in delivery of transport aircraft into the theater on present allotment bases be prorated in proportion to the allotments outlined in b (1) and (2) above. Excess in numbers of A. T. C. aircraft over the expectations outlined in (1) and (2) above will be allocated by direction of the Commanding General, U. S. A. A. F., India,3 during the above period.

  1. Not printed herein. This paper, a memorandum by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Southeast Asia Command (Wedemeyer), proposed an amendment to C. C. S. 411/2, which is printed ante, p. 430.↩
  2. Admiral Mountbatten.↩
  3. Presumably Major General George E. Stratemeyer.↩