The Norweb Collection - An American Legacy

The Secretary of State replied to Norweb's report on December 4, 1943, saying "I heartily congratulate you and Kennan on the rapid and substantial progress made."

Events moved quickly in January of the following year, too quickly for Salazar, it seems. On the strength of Kennan's and Norweb's report of December 2, the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff urged Secretary of State Hull to obtain the formal concession of the base on Santa Maria Island as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stationed a squadron of US. anti-submarine warfare aircraft (B-24s) on the British base at Lagens, but did not paint British markings on their fuselages as Salazar had stipulated. In addition, despite the lack of formal Portuguese authorization, the Joint Chiefs of Staff dispatched a Liberty ship carrying an engineer battalion and an armed escort to Terceira Island, with instructions to land and begin transporting equipment to Santa Maria for the base to be built there. A second engineer battalion was sent a few weeks later.