https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/842028f8e127aa46a0e84194e12171c2.pdf bd08135019537ec7be5ed1c3e6a66215 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information .•:v.-i Defence Liaison/C.C.E./cb €tet. I f FILE COPY ^ OTTAWA FILE ...5:0.1.14T - f t . -* V dfa#» Letter No Date (' s£cyj?iry c_>»ss7FJC*ri cw P.OtpbeJ?. $ £ . . 1950 TOP SECRET FROM: THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, CANADA TO: The Canadian Ambassador,, Washington* B.C* Reference, f A*2411. of October 6 and your despatch 255& of Oe tober 14* Subject: .?£oposed U.S.. Strategic Air Command Projects at Goose Bay. 1# Xour communications under reference indicated that the 0SAF wishes to undertake the immediate construction at Goose Bay of! Copies Referred To No. of Enclosures Post File No 1) 8 storage/buildings, and certain specific related facilities, at a site to be agreed upon by the local Canadian and 1I*S* Commanders, on the understanding that approval of this project "will not confer on the IJ*S» any interest in or title to the land involved|" 2) 20 Troop accommodation buildings and 20,000 square feet of warehousing all of a prefabricated and temporary type - on the understanding that approval of these projects "will confer no rights or interest in the land and that the buildings will be re* moved upon request,*" g» These requests were first raised at the meeting of the Permanent Joint Board on Defence on October 2-S When, by way of explanation, the plans of Strategic Air Command, U.S.A.F., were outlined in some'detail by a S.A.C* General* It was indicated to the Canadian Section that the U.S. Government will, In a few weeks' time, be making proposals at a high'level for the use of Goose Bay, in peacetime and in any general emergency, as the principal advance base for Strategic Air Command. It was also stated that these proposals might include a,,request for the limited use of Harmon Field (the leased base at Stephenville) and, possibly, Gander in this connection* When he sees you this week, Mr. Heeney will be able to explain more fully why the OSAF is interested in IPtr&^egic Air Command having the use of these bases and the general-nature of the proposals that the U.S. Government is expected to make in the near future* Incidentally, Messrs* Benninghoff and Wyght of the Canadian desk at the State * *»—i 000218 C �document disclosed under the Access to Information Act- _ Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a {'.Information ' Department' war® preseat -at the" f*?BD meeting and;-are... - •,"- _••.''• therefore quite familiar, with the •.whole •.euhj act* -.' 5« Mr. 'Claxton and '-the ..Prime. Minis tor have • .given .some consideration to the .'proposals discussed in a. preliminary way .by. the fJlp ,aad are 'understood , '••'.• to be prepared'to give Sfap&thetie.. consideration to ..-. Washington* s proposals fliea-they^ are-received* : I. : . imagine timtt"-.i». the ©vent of •approval ef any-.pro** ,..••• posals that are-fertheoainga'wa will .have, to give the ''.."_ UtS*'-authorities -a detailed, deeumeiit setting'forth ;. .'•' ' ~ very clearly the eis*eu«stancea ii_. which operation® '•.. •..'• froa' these''bases may eOE»ience; ia.the event of an emergency* 'We will also want''-to' ensure '.that Strategic ; Air Oommand will'not have access to ,tho bases indefinitely and that Canada will not- have to mike '©rippling p&faents •in order .-to,, liquidate_th» 83AF interest in.'inetalletioae ; at Ofooa.o Bay and (lander* 4*' . : tovi will recall from ..;_uu.rdespatch He* •©87.10 ef September 13 ./that, •©»• August 18*.-the-USAP*a "••" 43rd. Mediusi Boaher Group (.&*»29a and.-.l*«80s) was permit ted:-' to move-to Goose.Bay for' a 6-week period as &tipre» •cautionary measure* '• this ''group* which was "'living under. -.-. •c«a.n\vas'at 'Goose, had. to.return", to the'E*B*'at • the .end;, of September* At the recent $3W .meeting*, '..it was" in** -..-.: dieated' that-the varieua'. buildings 'mentioned -in para* ,. .graph .He* 1 above were;'.'required, urgeatly because the ' ' 'ir«S». Gevernment would, in due course, be asking permission to. depley:a-.Bomber Group.'to Geese, Bay by the. end ef the year*.. '-'• • .'.'•' 8* '. • I should be. grateful i f you .would itifoJwr the . State ©apartment that 'the requests" for i$Bsedi&te construction-'of the-s'torage: buildings and- related • .facilities," troop housing' and, warehousing at Goose Bay have been approved subject to the conditions stipulated' by the-!f.#S* authorities •{paragraph••So* 1. above) .and to the following understandingsI a) .that there'.will be-.'no aterage ef special weapons at Goose without; the express approval of the • ' Canadian Government j b) ; that, the period during ifhich the'.storage buildings, •troop housing .and warehousing,' fihiehare all understood te b© required for the purposes'of' •• '•'Strategic Air Odigmaad.' may remain at Goose ""'.'"'• is a matter for subsequent .eonsiderationi «)• -the'sites for tho-: troop housing -and warehousing' will be subject'to agreement between the . Canadian and- 0.S» C'easmanding Off ic era 'at aeeae'' .Bay* • . . . . ' . S. .At the request'of the 9*11* • Section, FJJ$P» information en all'aspects ©f.Strategic-Air Comsand'.§..,-»- ,. It e?re^t ___• Soese- Bay 'and. the .other bases- ia being kept: . • » m- 2 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information 'ActDocument divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces.a ('information __ '*"• «• «3 •"* in just as few hands as 'possible here and papers on „ the matter are being held in a safe* 'I think it might be useful if further correspondence on the subject between the Department and the Jkabassy took the form, Whenever possible, of numbered letters in envelopes marked "fo-be opened only by*.*.11 (Mr* Wrong or Mr* 'Heeney as the ease iaay be). -'••-'. ••<'•. .tinder-Secretary of Bmt® for External Affairs 000220 ., � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource USSEA to WashDC D-3376 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 25-Oct-50 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG25-A-3-b, File number: 50195-40, pt 1 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDAC01837