832.24/4–2046

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Pawley)

secret
No. 36

Sir: The War Department, in a communication dated April 20, 1946, has informed this Department that it has placed in the category of surplus the following installations located in Brazil: [Page 451]

  • USAFSA Headquarters and 200th Station Hospital, Recife, Brazil
  • Mucuripe Tank Farm, Fortaleza, Brazil
  • Mucuripe Housing Area, Fortaleza, Brazil
  • Mata Tank Farm, Belém, Brazil
  • Natal Dunas Tank Farm, Natal, Brazil

The Department of State has advised the War Department in its reply, a copy of which is enclosed,49 to the effect that these installations are considered to come within the Procedure to Govern Disposal of Military Facilities which are Subject to Prior Agreements with other American Republics, a copy of which was forwarded to the Embassy with instruction no. 7919 of March 27, 1946.49

Likewise, the Department has requested the War Department to turn over the Maceio Land Base, which was constructed under the terms of Decree Law 3462, under the same procedure as referred to above (reference Department’s instruction 8021 of May 9, 1946).

You are accordingly instructed to confer at once with the War Department custodial agents for these facilities, and thereafter to approach the Brazilian Government for the purpose of working out the necessary arrangement for the transfer.

Any moveable equipment which is determined not to belong to Brazil either under the Decree Law in question or under the Secret Air Base Agreement should be declared surplus to the Foreign Liquidation Commissioner in the normal manner. It is the Department’s desire that such surplus material should be offered for sale in the first instance to the Brazilian Government.

Very truly yours,

For the Acting Secretary of State:
Spruille Braden
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