U.S. NAVAL BUDGET

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1943, Page 3

U.S. NAVAL BUDGET

Largest in History

ALMOST 30,000,000,000 DOLLARS,

WASHINGTON. Mav 14

The largest Naval Appropriation Bill in history, requesting almost 30,000,000,000 dollars, was submitted to the House of Representatives by the Appropriations Committee, which released evidence of high Naval officers who detailed the growth of America’s rapidly expanding Navy. Vice-Admiral Horne. Vice-Chief of Naval Operations, revealed that, the Navy’s strength on July 1. 1944. is expected to be 5,100 ships with a total personnel of 2,500,000 men, and 225,000 officers. Six 35,000-ton battleships are already in, service and two are nearly ready. The highlights of Vice-Admiral Horne’s evidence are: Firstly, that the Navy’s greatest need 'is escort vessels for combating submarines, the building of which is outstripping the sinkings. Secondly, our battleships at the time of Pearl Harbour lacked speed and flexibility. However, the battleship has proved that the day of the battleship is far extended.

Thirdly, aircraft carriers, around which the ideal task force is built, becomes the backbone of . the fleet. Whether our Pacific strategy becomes a step-by-step' re-investment o f the islands or a flank approach to 'Japan we are going to need carriers in quantity. The traditional naval ' battle—battleship against battleship and big fleet against big fleet—is out of the picture.

Fourthly, expenditure for ammunition; after the defeat of Hitler will increase instead of decrease

Fifthly, contracts for 27,642 naval planes are expected in 1944. including one hundred four-engined transports, twenty of which will be similar to the seventy-ton Martin Mars flying boat. Sixthly, the Navy is acquiring considerable numbers of auxiliary carriers—flying decks mounted on merchant ships and hulls. Seventhly, the Normandie requires fifteen more months before salvaging. The completed total cost will be twenty million, or twenty per cent. of the cost to reproduce the ship from hull to structure. Several officials emphasised the importance of landing: craft as requisite for amphibious operations. Admiral Horne said: We must get to the Axis on the Continent of Eur-

ope, regain the islands of Melanesia and Micronesia, and make a final assault against Japan by amphibious operations, utilising landing craft. Read Admiral Cochrane asked for a million tons of small amphibious craft, seventy per cent, of which would be landing craft. He predicted the losses in some cases would exceed fifty per cent. The losses in the North African landings were very heavy. They were not violently opposed but the weather was bud.