Letter from Colonel Patrick Maher¹ to Denis Herlihy² (Dublin)
(Secret and Personal)

Mr. Herlihy,³
On the afternoon of the 26th ultimo Mr. Wm. Moreland, US Consul, Limerick, called to my office and informed me that the ATC⁴ plane which landed at Shannon at 13.37 hrs. on Saturday 24th ult. had on board a 'Two Star' General of Transport Command. This General, before leaving Paris had communicated with Colonel Krepps, US Military Attaché at Dublin and had informed Krepps that he proposed to land at Shannon on the Westbound journey. The General, whose name was withheld, expected to meet Krepps on arrival here but as Krepps did not turn up he took Moreland into his confidence. He told Moreland that ATC were anxious to use Shannon as an alternate in their flights from the US to Europe and the Middle East and from the Middle East and Europe to the US.

(I gathered that ATC aircraft are likely to fly the North Atlantic in ever increasing numbers, that the US is pouring and will continue to pour men and material into certain European and Middle East countries and that the USSR had protested against the re-opening of Tripoli Airfield. Mr. Moreland was deliberately vague as to the nature of the cargo and the mission of the personnel carried in these machines).

The General was anxious to know what would be the reaction of the Irish Government to the use of Shannon by ATC as an alternate. He pointed out that the aircraft would be unarmed and that ATC had to a great extent lost its military complexion and could now be regarded as an unscheduled operator. ATC would arrange with one of the scheduled operators to do their maintenance and other work at Shannon and would not station any of their own men here. The cargo would be unidentifiable and the destination would not be obvious.

I informed Mr. Moreland that up to the present ATC aircraft had been facilitated in every possible way but that I could not say what the reaction of the Government would be to frequent and regular landings.

On 6th inst. I again met Mr. Moreland and having referred to our conversation of 26th ult. I asked him if there had been any developments. He informed me that he had discussed the matter with Colonel Krepps within the last few days. Krepps told him that the whole matter would be taken up with the Irish Government, through the usual channels, if and when it was considered desirable.