Cablegram, Washington, 30 June 1950
488. IMMEDIATE SECRET
Our 484 paragraph 3.[1]
As the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries were in conference I conveyed the information contained in your 273 to Labouisse,[2] Director of Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs, who expressed pleasure and gratitude.
At the same time I received the following formal note in reply to the note referred to in my telegram 477.[3]
Begins. The Secretary of State notes with pleasure that Australian Government has decided to send the vessels Shoalhaven and Bataan to the assistance of Republic of Korea in support of Resolution passed by United Nations Security Council.
The United States Government accepts with gratitude the offer of the Australian Government to make available the squadron of mustangs now in Japan. Since it is, of course, impossible to determine here to just what use these aircraft can best be put, it is requested that their commander get in touch with appropriate United States Military authorities in Japan, notifying them that the squadron is available. General MacArthur has been notified of the Australian offer of vessels and aircraft. Ends.
_1 30 June. It reported that Truman had welcomed the offer of the Australian Government, communicated to Washington in Cablegram 273 of 30 June, ‘to place at the service of the United Nations, through the American authorities, the R.A.A.F. Fighter Squadron now stationed in Japan’. Paragraph 3 reported that the text of Cablegram 273 would be conveyed by Makin to the State Department on that afternoon.
2 Henry R. Labouisse.
3 29 June. Makin had reported to Spender that he had communicated to Acheson the Australian Government’s decision to place ships of the Royal Australian Navy at the disposal of the United Nations in support of the Republic of Korea and had inquired as to US reaction to the United Nations’ possible use of the Royal Australian Air Force’s mustang squadron then in Japan. Acheson had ‘expressed great satisfaction at the action of the Australian Government in supporting in this way the decision of the United Nations’ and had undertaken to consult and report about the offer of the mustang squadron.
_
[NAA : A6364, WH1950/1 IN]