725.5 MSP/9–1053
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Military Assistance, Department of Defense (Stewart) to the Acting Special Assistant to the Secretary for Mutual Security Affairs (Nolting)1
Subject:
- Additional United States Assistance Proposed for Ecuadoran Navy
1. Reference is made to memorandum from your office, 23 July 1953, subject as above, which inclosed a copy of despatch No. 4 of 3 July 1953 from the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador.2
[Page 991]2. The Department of Defense has reviewed the recommendations submitted by the United States Naval Mission in the aforementioned despatch. The following information is furnished.
- a.
- None of the types of ships recommended for additional assistance to the Ecuadoran Navy are available in excess of U.S. needs.
- b.
- As regards the Patrol Craft (PCE) and frigates (PF), provision of additional combat vessels under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP—grant aid) would require a revision of the presently established naval force bases for Ecuador. As you were informed in a memorandum of 5 June 1953,3 subject: Force Bases for Ecuador, Mutual Defense Assistance Programs, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have concluded that no revision thereof should be made at this time.
- c.
- Assistance by a team of experienced personnel to conduct the hydrographic survey recommended can be furnished under the Naval MDA Training Program at no cost to the Ecuadoran Government.
- d.
- The training of Ecuadoran personnel recommended can be furnished under existing legislation at no cost to the Ecuadoran Government except for transportation and maintenance of those personnel to, from and within the Continental United States.
- e.
- The approximate procurement cost of the ships recommended, including equipment and spare parts, are shown on the attached list (Inclosure 1).
3. In view of the limited funds available for Title IV grant aid, it is not considered desirable to program for Ecuador any of the recommended ships. These vessels, however, could be procured and sold to Ecuador under the reimbursable military assistance provisions of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act of 1949, as amended.
4. The Department of Defense is prepared to consider requests received through prescribed channels of communication from the MAAG Ecuador for approval of the projects outlined in paragraph 2c and d. Any requests for vessels should be the subject of a diplomatic note to the State Department.
Major General, U.S. Army
- Mr. Nolting was appointed Acting Special Assistant to the Secretary for Mutual Security Affairs on Aug. 4, 1953; he became Special Assistant on Jan. 4, 1954.↩
-
Under cover of the referenced despatch, Ambassador Daniels transmitted to the Department of State a memorandum from the Chief of the United States Naval Mission in Ecuador, Cmdr. R. J. Toner, dated July 2, 1953, recommending the following assistance to the Ecuadoran navy: (1) replacement of certain antiquated Ecuadoran merchant ships converted to naval use by permitting Ecuador to purchase newer patrol craft or frigates from the United States, (2) authorization to allow Ecuador to purchase a net tender, (3) assistance to conduct a hydrographic survey to determine the feasibility of constructing a channel in the Estero Salero at the entrance of Guayaquil harbor, and (4) support of training for Ecuadoran naval officers in the United States in net tender operations (722.5 MSP/7–353).
In the referenced memorandum, dated July 23, 1953, Acting Special Assistant Newman transmitted a copy of Commander Toner’s memorandum to the Department of Defense, and also requested information concerning what action Defense was prepared to take with respect to the recommendations for naval assistance to Ecuador (725.5 MSP/7–353).
↩ - See airgram A–249, dated June 29, 1953, printed on p. 985.↩