121.861/165: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:30 p.m.]
555. For the Secretary and the President. Davies and Burns departed this morning via Alaska. Passengers on General Burns’ plane in addition to his party were Commander Young, Dr. Waldron,57 Major Osman, Captain Beck and Associated Press correspondent Gilmore. The two airplanes are easily distinguishable as Davies has painted on the bow of his plane in large letters in English and Russian the words “Mission to Moscow”. The obvious effort of Davies to publicize Mission to Moscow while on a serious and vital official mission of the President has already been noted here and if carried back to the United States may, I fear, cause criticism which will detract from the President’s high purpose.
- Maj. John F. Waldron, U.S. Army Medical Corps, attached to the American Lend-Lease Supply Mission.↩