Office of the Historian

831.24/4–146

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Venezuela (Corrigan)

secret
u.s. urgent
Washington, April 18, 1946—7 p.m.

179. For the Ambassador. Major Calderón accompanied by Falcon Briceño and Colonel Marcano left with Flack on April 11 copy of Calderón’s memorandum addressed to General Walsh36 requesting following planes: 6 AT–6’s, 6 AT–11’s, 6 PT–17’s, 6 P–47’s, 3 B–25’s, 3 Kingfisher hydroplanes, 10 C–47’s; also certain maintenance and other equipment and additional air mission personnel. Re Embdes 8575 April 1.

Final decision on release of these planes, which include bombers, fighters, and advanced trainers (all of which could be made available [Page 1320] under interim program) is subject to your approval. Please telegraph your recommendation on foregoing.37

Byrnes
  1. Maj. Gen. Robert L. Walsh, Army Air Forces.↩
  2. In telegram 234, April 22, 1 p.m., the Ambassador indicated that the presence of tension between civilian and military elements in Venezuela made necessary a deferring of a decision on releasing planes (831.00/4–2246). Reassured by the President of the Junta, Ambassador Corrigan in telegram 254, May 1, 1946, 5 p.m., concurred in the proposal to release planes, maintenance items, and to add personnel to the air mission (831.24/5–146).↩