Office of the Historian

811.2361/1–848: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

restricted
Washington, February 18, 1948—2 p. m.

207. Reply along following lines Fonoff note alleging violation Big Diomede (urtel 40 Jan 8).1

[Page 814]

Careful inquiry reveals only possibility such violation Dec 25 was USAF aircraft on search mission for other aircraft reported missing. Whereas flight log discloses aircraft was cruising at 5000 ft over Little Diomede at 0542 Greenwich Mean Time, there is no evidence it flew over Big Diomede. US Govt convinced no violation Sov frontiers occurred.

Marshall
  1. Not printed. This telegram relayed the text of note No. 5 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated January 5 which protested against the violation of territory by an American four-motored aeroplane, which was said to have flown over the Soviet island of Big Diomede, penetrating inland to a distance of two miles (811.2361/1–848). The Embassy in the Soviet Union stated that it had made the reply here suggested in its note No. 88 dated February 19.↩