Office of the Historian

825.7962/1–2045: Telegram

The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State

Santiago, January 20, 1945—1 p.m.
[Received 5:17 p.m.]

94. General Luther Smith from Caribbean Defense Command, Panama, now in Santiago, informs me that he fully concurs in recommendations for improvement of Chilean airports (see my despatches 11094, November 13;13 11187, November 30 and 11381 January 114), a matter which not only falls within his province but has again been touched upon in conversations now being conducted with Chilean military officials. He and I recommend, therefore, if State and War Departments perceive no objection that (1) I now be authorized to inform the Foreign Office in reply to its note of October 2715 transmitted in Embassy’s above-mentioned despatch of November 13 that we agree to send several Army Air Force airport technicians to make technical surveys and recommendations for improvement and building of Chilean airports without any lend-lease commitment; and (2) that War Department instruct CDC,16 Panama, to order the above-mentioned mission to Santiago immediately.

Bowers
  1. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. vii, p. 688.↩
  2. Neither printed.↩
  3. Not printed.↩
  4. Caribbean Defense Command.↩