893.24/1490

The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the Munitions Assignments Board ( Hopkins )

My Dear Mr. Hopkins: Reference is made to the Department’s letter of March 2, 1943, in which it was requested that there be reconsidered the action taken by the Munitions Assignments Board on February 3, 1943, disapproving the request made by China Defense Supplies, Incorporated, that five C–47 transport planes be assigned to China for the use of the China National Aviation Corporation and to your letter of March 26, 1943, stating that it was necessary again to disapprove the Chinese request for additional transport planes.

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As you are aware, five Lend-Lease transport planes were recently allocated to China to facilitate military and official communications. We understand that these planes have been turned over to the Aeronautical Commission of the Chinese Government for employment in such communications. This allocation, however, does not meet the standing need of the China National Aviation Corporation for five additional transports for internal communications in China and for communications between China and India. There is enclosed a memorandum24 setting forth the considerations underlying the Department’s recommendation that every effort be made by this Government to allocate planes to supply this need. The Department hopes that the Munitions Assignments Board will give the matter renewed and favorable consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Cordell Hull
  1. Supra.