811.34537/482: Airgram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Cuba ( Braden )
A–129. The Navy Department has informed the Department that it desires to obtain in the vicinity of the Guantánamo Naval Base two sites to be used as landing fields for the training of carrier based planes. Two sites have been selected as being most desirable for the purpose. The first of these consists of about 448 acres and is located on the lands of the Guantánamo Sugar Company adjoining the Central Los Canos Narrow Gauge Railroad in Los Canos. The second consists of about 300 acres and is situated on the La Verdad property of the Guantánamo Railroad near the railroad station and village of Novaliches. The Navy Department understands that the Guantánamo Sugar Company will be willing to lease the desired portion of its property at a nominal rent for an indefinite period.
It is assumed that this matter can be handled directly by your Naval Attaché with the appropriate Cuban officials under the provisions of the Joint Military and Naval Cooperation Agreement which will be signed on Monday. If this cannot be done, you are authorized to discuss it with the Cuban authorities with a view to obtaining their consent to the Navy Department’s request.41
- In his telegram No. 870, September 23, 1942, 8 p.m., the Ambassador reported that consent had been given (811.34537/489).↩