Office of the Historian

865.248/10–2148: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Dunn) to the Secretary of State

secret
Rome, October 21, 1948—7 p. m.

4072. Reference Embtel 3232,1 Embassy’s airgram 832, 18 August, Italian Government request for purchase surplus aircraft as embodied [Page 809] Italian Note Verbale 6351 to State2 and other similar requests here have received only minimum results.3 To date OFLC has been authorized to negotiate sale of 10 C–45’s, 20 L–5’s, 13 AT–6’s and 5 PW R–1832–92 engines. This transaction now being firmed up with Italian Government. Italians have again urgently requested that authorization be granted for purchase of following additional surplus equipment: (a) 30 L–5’s, 10 in flyable condition and 20 for spare parts. (b) 40 C–45’s, 20 flyable and 20 for spare parts, (c) as many C–47’s (up to 80 in original request) as are available, (d) 7 PW R–1340–AN–1 engines for AT–6. (e) Additional 20 PW R–1830–92 engines.

OFLC indicates that items a, b, d, and 6 C–53’s under item (c) could be made available from USAFE surpluses in Germany pending authority from Munitions Division of Department. All surpluses must be declared authorized for sale by 31 October therefore action in this theater depends on decision prior that date.

Urgently and most strongly recommend that authorization be granted to OFLC for sale of equipment listed in a, b, d, and e above within the limits of USAFE availability and favorable consideration be given for sale of six C–53’s under existing surplus credit.

Equipment is urgently required for training purposes as outlined in airgram 832 to replace obsolete aircraft that must be salvaged. Earliest decision requested with corresponding instructions to OFLC Paris. USAFE being queried for concurrence on availability.

Please pass to Department of Air.4

Dunn
  1. See footnote 1, p. 803.↩
  2. Ante, p. 802.↩
  3. The note of the Italian Embassy, 9632 of October 22, not printed, requested that some 70 aircraft, thought to be available as surplus in Germany, be transferred to OFLC, Paris, for transfer to Italy (865.248/10–2248).↩
  4. In a letter dated November 16, 1948, not printed, the Acting Secretary of State, Lovett, urged the Secretary of Defense that consideration be given to the emergency needs which might affect Italy’s security in the period prior to the implementation of any future over-all program. Noting that the greater part of the Italian Air Force needs could not be met from surplus available in Europe, Mr. Lovett asked about the possibility of transferring matériel to Italy from other sources (865.248/10–2248).

    In Forrestal’s reply of November 20, not printed, he stated that after informal discussion with representatives of the State Department and of the Air Force, he had referred the question to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (865.248/11–2048).

    ↩