Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The American Republics, Volume VI

831.20/69: Airgram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Venezuela (Corrigan)

Washington, August 27, 1943—6 p.m.

A–842. Your Despatch No. 4540, June 21.¹⁶ The Department has been informed by the War Department that it will approve the assignment of a United States Military Aviation Mission to Venezuela under the following conditions:

(a) That a standard agreement for the Mission be signed by the Venezuelan Government.

(b) The Venezuelan Government to pay the full amount of additional compensation to members of the Mission in accordance with the scale approved by the President.

In the exchange of notes concerning the number of officers and enlisted men to be assigned as members of the Mission, the War Department will agree to assign one officer with broad experience as a pilot and technical officer, one engineering officer and one enlisted technician as the initial members of the Aviation Mission. These officers will make a full survey of conditions in Venezuela. If they receive sincere cooperation from the Venezuelan Government in increasing the efficiency of the Venezuelan Air Force, additional personnel will be assigned as required.¹⁷

The War Department has also informed the Department that if it develops that the request for an Aviation Mission was made in hopes of securing additional equipment under Lend-Lease and that there is no real desire to increase the efficiency of the Venezuelan Air Force, the Aviation Mission will be recalled with the required 30 day notice.

Hull

16. Not printed.
17. The agreement was signed at Washington on January 13, 1944. For text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 398, or 58 Stat. (pt. 2) 1225.