782.5 MAP/4–2650
Memorandum by the Deputy Director of Mutual Defense Assistance? Department of State ( Ohly ), to the Director of the Office of Military Assistance, Department of Defense ( Lemnitzer )
Subject: Projects for Rehabilitation of Turkish Airfields; FY 1951 Presentation.
In light of NSC 36/1,1 and the concern of the Department expressed in my memorandum to you of February 28, 1950, subject, Reconstruction of Military Airfields in Turkey with FY 1950 MDAP Funds, I should like to draw your attention to the item in the proposed FY 1951 Air Force Budget for the Turkish MDAP for further Turkish airfield construction projects.
The Department recommends that to the greatest degree possible the testimony before the Budget Bureau and Congress be limited to the general statement that these funds are for the rehabilitation of certain Turkish airfields now deteriorated from their World War II condition, in order to permit the fullest efficient use by the Turkish Air Force of the equipment which we have given them. It is recommended that details of size, strength, and location of airfields not be testified to if such is possible, and if such be not possible, that such testimony be given only in executive session.
It is informally understood that these funds would be applied to re-surface the runways at three bases in western Turkey now already operational, and to develop two further bases at Adana and Antalya. It is informally understood that the proposal for the base at Adana, which is justified as a year-round training base, is generally being discussed in terms of roughly 100,000 lbs. gross load weight and over 10,000 ft. of runway. Before such a plan would be finally implemented, the Department will want to consider it further en its merits, but, subject to such further review, the Department believes that these items should be included in the FY 1951 budget request.
- A report to the National Security Council by the Secretary of State on Construction of Airfields and Stockpiling of Aviation Gasoline in Turkey, April 15, 1949, printed in Foreign Relations, 1949, vol. vi, p. 1654.↩