Evening star., 1948-04-01
Carrier 10 Sail Today
With Planes 10 Bolster
Turks at DardaneIIes
ky ths A.,aeiuisd srs.,


The United States moved speed.
lily today to shore up air and ses
defenses of the Dardanelles nov
guarded by 100000 Turkish troops.
Carrying a cargo of former United
States Air Force planes, the escort
carrier Rendova was due to sal
today from San Francisco for Is.
.anbul.
The Navy announced late yester-
day that. this is the first of three
shipments of planes which will be
delivered under the Greek Turkish
military aid program. Two other
escort carriers will make the ferry
ing trips from Norfolk in May and
June.
The announcement did not say
how many planes will be trans
ported. The 12,000-ton escort car
riers normally carry up to 80 Navy
folding wing planes, but probably
not more than 80 or 40 Army planes
could be handled.
Submarines Also Ready.
The carriers will make a To-day
stay in Yesilkoy, an outer port fol
Istanbul, the Navy said.
Meanwhile, four late-model SUBJ
marines are preparing to leave New
London, Conn, for an unnamed
Turkish port.
The subs, also transferred under
the military aid program, will be
manned by American crews for the
delivery voyage. Turkish seamen
trained in this country will be
aboard the undersea craft.
An American military mission OF
about 260 men already is in Turkey
giving instruction in use of military
equipment furnished by the United
States. The mission includes some
100 Ground Force officers and men,
100 from the Air Force, about 40
from the Navy and 20 experts on
road construction.
Tank Shipments Delivered.
A smaller mission assigned to
Greece is helping direct government
forces in military operations against
the Communicated guerrillas.
Maj. Gen. Horace L. Mcbride,
head of the Turkish mission, dis
closed recently that the big ship
ment" of military supplies started
in February. He did not say what
types of equipment were being de-
livered, but the Army said last
month they included about 100 light
tanks. About so M-24 tanks armed
with 77-mm. guns, along with some
105-mm. guns, trucks and ammuni-
ton were in one shipment on
March II.
In recent weeks, American officials
have expressed fear that Russia will
step up its drive to gain control OF
the strategic Dardanelles. There
were similar fears last year. They
prompted President Truman to ask
Congress then for the $400 900, ,O0C
ek-Turkish aid program.
Program to Be Expanded.
The program is due to be ex-
.panded with $275, 100000 in new
military aid. .- >.
There has been no breakdown oi
the amounts each eouJltrY Will &c,
under theJmeasdfe nov nearing hnaI
congressional approval. But it has
been indicated that Turkey will
receive about 100000 900. the same
as in last years fund.
Russia's renewed interest in the
Dardanelles area is indicated by a
Moscow broadcast warning the
Greeks to beware of Turkey. It said
Turkish troops are being moved to
the Greek border and will seize
the province of Thrace on some
pretext.
The broadcast, recorded by the
United States official monitoring
service, also assailed q proposed
treaty between Greece and Turkey
as dictated by Anglo o-American i'm
perialists."
Thrace, bordering European Turk
ey, is claimed by Communist domi-
mated Bulgaria.