821.248/1–1546: Telegram

The Ambassador in Colombia (Wiley) to the Secretary of State

secret

44. General Arnold has telegraphed General Eisenhower16 in substance as follows:

When he told Chief of Staff Solano of the assistance he proposed to send to Colombian Air Force, General Solano said that 2 months ago, well after the Staff conversations, the Colombian Govt had handed me a memo (which I took to Washington) inquiring what assistance we planned to give to the matériel and training problems of the Colombian Air Forces, and that they had received no reply. General Arnold expressed the view that our relations with Colombia were being jeopardized and asked that implementation of the Staff conversations be [Page 654] undertaken immediately and that action on matériel and training program for Colombia be initiated without delay.

As the Dept may recall from my conversations while in Washington and from my previous telegrams and reports on the subject I feel this question should have immediate and favorable consideration. It is very important.

Wiley
  1. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chief of Staff.