732.62114/5: Airgram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)
A–2497. Department’s A–2051, August 13, your despatch 12094 July 26,63 and A–1617 July 21, 3 p.m. Department has been informed by Admiral Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the United States Army and Navy, that very few prisoners of war captured by the United States Naval Forces have been transferred to the custody of the Brazilian Government. In view of this fact and the fact that it would appear from the exchange of correspondence between the Department and the Embassy that the retention of these prisoners might inconvenience the Brazilian Government, you should inform the Brazilian Government that this Government will transfer these prisoners to the United States for permanent internment as soon as feasible if they can be assembled at either Belem, Recife, or Natal, where they can be shipped on vessels returning to the United States from supplying American installations at those points.
You should also inform the Brazilian Government that this Government would be grateful if the arrangement whereby the Brazilian Government agreed to accept, with the full responsibility of the captor Power, prisoners of war captured by the United States Naval Forces, could be continued as a means for providing temporary custody for such prisoners of war who can be more conveniently landed at Brazilian ports.
An early reply by airgram is requested.64