Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, Europe, Volume II

853.79681/89: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Portugal (Fish)

Washington, May 21, 1943—8 p.m.

901. Your 975, May 3, 4 p.m. The following is for your strictly confidential information and you should not initiate any action with the Portuguese Government until you have made known your views to the Department and until a reply can be made thereto:

Informal discussions have been held between the Department and officers from the War and Navy Departments, who are vitally interested in trans-Atlantic air transportation and it is believed that a review of the situation is in order. Obviously, Murphy and the Mediterranean Air Command were not fully cognizant of the steps which have been and are being taken to inaugurate land transport services to Europe via the Azores.

The possibility of operating a landplane service from this country via the Azores to North Africa, without calling at Lisbon, would obviously offer the ideal solution, as it would materially shorten our communications to the Mediterranean and the Middle and Far East. Before this ideal condition can be attained, however, certain problems must be solved. The most immediate problem is the completion of landing facilities on one of the islands of the Azores group. In this connection the War Department through Pan American Airways is attempting to secure improvement of facilities on Terceira Island and explore possibilities of construction of new facilities on Santa Maria Island. The Department assumes that the Portuguese authorities would prefer that the military airport on Terceira Island be used since it would give them better control of operations. With this in mind Pan American is compiling, for the Portuguese Government, a list of requirements for operation of heavy land aircraft into Lisbon and Terceira. This list of equipment and facilities approved by Portuguese will be submitted here for handling as to priorities.

In the meantime Pan American will attempt to secure permission to undertake a test landing as early as possible on Terceira Island with a DC–4 so as to check physically the present possibilities of this field for large-type landplanes.

Reference is made to Department’s telegram 1803 of December 30, 1942, 1 p.m. and to your reply no. 6, January 2, 1943, 6 p.m.⁴² The Department has the impression that recent events in North Africa⁴³ perhaps may have changed your views on this matter. In any event it would be appreciated if you would give an appraisal of the situation as it exists today. This Government is very much interested in operating a commercial air service directly to North Africa via the Azores, as noted above. The present commercial operator could no doubt operate this service. Such a service would be in addition to the service presently operated to Lisbon. Two immediate considerations now arise:

1. Do you believe that the Portuguese Government will permit the operation of a “Y” service of this nature by Pan American Airways and using landplanes? Of course, the Department would prefer to secure this permission without having to grant any return concessions.

2. If this is not possible, then for what concessions, in your opinion, would the Portuguese be willing to allow such an operation?

You should, of course, in reaching your conclusions, bear in mind the following factors:

1. The interested agencies of this Government do not want any steps to be taken which might prejudice the present discussions between Pan American and the Portuguese Government regarding Terceira Island.

2. A direct landplane route from this country to North Africa via the Azores has postwar connotations. However, the Department would be willing, if necessary, to confine the operations of this route for the duration only.

3. It might be preferable, in view of Pan American’s long-term arrangement with the Portuguese, and in order to preserve the commercial character of the operation, to withhold any mention of a temporary service.

A second problem relates to item no. 2 referred to in your telegram 789 of April 8, 1943, 5 p.m.⁴⁴ to which the Department replied in telegram no. 760 of April 30, 1943, 9 p.m.⁴⁵ Further consideration of this matter leads the Department to believe that it would be preferable if the British were advised of the developments in the Azores at this time rather than to have them find out indirectly what is going on, or when the first landplane arrives. Your views on this subject are invited. The Department believes that it should advise British here so that our military may make a corresponding statement to the British military authorities at same time.

Hull

42. Neither printed.
43. For correspondence on the invasion and occupation of North Africa, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. ii, pp. 429 ff.
44. Not printed; item no. 2 was in reference to the concern of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, President of the Portuguese Council of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs, over whether the British knew of or approved of Pan American’s application for use of land airport in the Azores (853B.7962/20).
45. Not printed.