811.248/568: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:10 p.m.]
599. My 594, June 13, 3 p.m. The Foreign Office informed me last night that the report communicated by it to me earlier in the day to the effect that one of our Liberators had landed at Mudanya and that another had been shot down by Turkish anti-aircraft guns at Yalova was incorrect.
The plane located at Mudanya although flying at a very low altitude did not stop in Turkey and apparently succeeded in reaching Syria.
The plane that passed over Yalova was warned away from the forbidden zone by anti-aircraft fire. This plane landed very shortly thereafter at Arifiye. The Foreign Office explained that the appearance of this plane over Yalova, the accompanying anti-aircraft fire and the subsequent report of an accident in Yalova in which 1 man fatally and 2 slightly injured had led to the erroneous report given me earlier in the day.
The Turkish General Staff now states that only 4 Liberators have landed in Turkey of which 3 are in Ankara and 1 is in Arifiye. Although detailed information has not as yet been received the General Staff believes that the plane at Arifiye is not seriously damaged and that none of the crew are seriously injured.
The following are the names of the members of the third crew that landed in Ankara: Lieutenants Cave, Zielsel and Wicklund, Sergeants Durfee, Perrone and Pearce and Corporal Story.
Repeated to Cairo.