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

832.348/56: Airgram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)

Washington, January 5, 1943—6:35 p.m.

A–725. Your A–947, December 28, 10 a.m.⁹ As you are aware, the Joint Brazil–United States Defense Commission,¹⁰ Washington, recommended in its no. 12¹¹ the allocation of 14 Navy patrol bombers to the FAB.¹² This equipment is extremely tight. Navy approved the allocation of seven PBY–5’s.

The Navy Department states that the first two of the seven should be en route to Brazil with United States Navy crews within a few days. The remainder, at the rate of one or two a month, should be similarly delivered by about April. The Department learns from the Navy Department that two Brazilian crews are now in training in the Northeast for operation of the first two PBY–5’s, As you know, the United States Navy retains control over and responsibility for these planes until they are fully turned over to the Brazilian crews.

Hull

9. Not printed; this airgram made reference to 12 PBM planes and 12 PBY–5A planes, anticipated for use on submarine patrol duty.
10. For origins of this Commission, see Stetson Conn and Byron Fairchild, The Framework of Hemisphere Defense, in the series United States Army in World War II: The Western Hemisphere (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1960), pp. 317–319.
11. Not printed.
12. Brazilian Air Force.