811.2360H/12–2646: Telegram
The Chargé in Yugoslavia (Hickok) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 27—9:45 a.m.]
1257. Deptel 838, December 13. Replying to Embassy’s note 661 of December 18 Foreign Office note December 24 in substance as follows.
Yugoslav Govt immediately after incident carefully investigated all circumstances including weather and informed American Govt all details its findings fully proving illegality of flights over Yugoslav.
Fact that infringement of Yugoslav territory was at that time daily systematic and made by number of planes excludes any supposition that deviation caused by weather conditions.
With re weather conditions it is notorious that at time and in particular area extraordinary dryness and abnormal heat reigned and on days of accident there was perfect visibility.
Accordingly Yugoslav Govt surprised that American Govt persists in allegation that flights caused by adverse weather consisting of heavy clouds, icing and high winds. This allegation based on mere conjecture or solely on statement of pilot of first plane who referred to weather conditions to avoid responsibility for disobeying landing order.
Yugoslav Govt must persist in its view set forth in its notes of August 20 and October 11 and must reject the requested indemnity for planes which met with accident exclusively by fault of American competent authorities and of the pilots.19
Full text follows by mail.
- Telegram 34, January 17, 1947, to Belgrade, instructed the Chargé to reply to the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry along the following lines: “US Govt acknowledges receipt of FonOff note of Dec 24 refusing US Govt’s further request for payment of compensation for two Amer airplanes shot down over Yugo on Aug 9 and 19, 1946, respectively. US Govt, which has made its views in this matter abundantly clear, finds Yugo Govt’s communication entirely unsatisfactory and fully reserves its position in respect to compensation for two aircraft concerned.” (811.2360H/2–2646)↩