Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The American Republics, Volume VIII

810.7962/11–146

The Secretary of State to the Secretary of War (Patterson)

secret

Washington, February 21, 1947.

My Dear Mr. Secretary: The Department has received your letter of November 1, 1946² and has reviewed the enclosed recommendations³ of the District Engineer, United States Engineer Office, Miami, Florida, for the disposition of the United States interest in:

Airport	Locality	Country
Soledad Airport	Barranquilla	Colombia
La Aurora Airport	Guatemala City	Guatemala
Puerto Barrios Airport	Puerto Barrios	Guatemala
Bowen Field	Port-au-Prince	Haiti
Carmen Airfield	Carmen	Mexico
Chetumal Airport	Chetumal	Mexico
Cozumel Airport	Isla de Cozumel	Mexico
Campo Juanes Airport	Méricla	Mexico
Rihl Field	Tampico	Mexico
Chiapas Field	Tapachula	Mexico
Tehuantepec Airport	Ixtepec–Oaxaca	Mexico
Las Bajadas Airfield	Vera Cruz	Mexico
Las Mercedes Airport	Managua	Nicaragua
Asuncion Airport	Asunción	Paraguay

The recommendation for disposition of General Andrews Airport, Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic, has been considered separately, in accordance with your letter of December 26, 1946⁴ and is discussed in another letter.

Your letter states that there is no further War Department requirement for these airports, which were improved under the provisions of the Airport Development Program by Pan American Airways, Inc.

It is a matter of national interest that aviation facilities developed during the war be disposed of in a manner which will promote the world-wide air commerce of the United States. While the Department recognizes that the settlement of the contract is a matter for determination between War Department and the contractor, it believes that in connection therewith it is important that the War Department take such action as may be appropriate to be sure that the beneficial use of facilities constructed or improved through the use of public funds should be available to all United States aircraft authorized to be operated by the United States and the foreign government concerned.

In the event all of the property is not transferred under the obligations and commitments of the contract in the course of the settlement with the airline, the Office of the Foreign Liquidation Commissioner could undoubtedly arrange to delegate authority to the War Department to dispose of such of the property as may be surplus.

You suggest in your letter that the Department advise the Kilgore Committee⁵ regarding steps being taken to dispose of the United States interest in these airports. Since these steps are being taken by the War Department, it seems to the Department that the War Department might more conveniently and appropriately advise the Kilgore Committee concerning them.

The recommendations of the Miami District Engineer and returned herewith in accordance with the request in your letter of November 1.⁶

Sincerely yours,

For the Secretary of State:

Willard L. Thorp

Assistant Secretary

2. Ibid., p. 105.
3. Not printed.

4. Not printed; in it Secretary Patterson submitted a proposal from Pan American Airways System as follows: “We would like to submit a proposal under which our existing agreement would be cancelled and the entire airport turned over to the Dominican Government for maintenance and operation. We would propose that the Dominican Government reimburse us for the value of our investment, plus such additional amount as our Government suggested by way of reimbursement for the improvements installed under the contract.” Secretary Fatterson indicated that the value of United States Government constructed facilities at this airport was estimated $1,316,350 with a sale value of $1,000,000. (839.7962/12–2646)

   Secretary Patterson was informed of the Department’s views in a letter of February 21, as follows… it is the primary responsibility of a government to provide within its territory the facilities and services required for international civil aviation. The foregoing proposal is in accord with this view and the Department therefore perceives no objection to it.” (839.7962/12–2646)

   The State Department was informed in a War Department memorandum of May 21, that the War Department was concurrently directing the Chief of Engineers to dispose of General Andrews Field at Ciudad Trujillo, as concurred in by the State Department (839.7962/5–2147).

5. U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.
6. In a memorandum of March 21, the War Department indicated that the Department of State would be advised at the time disposal instructions were issued (810.7962/3–2147).