PEARL HARBOUR

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1945, Page 5

PEARL HARBOUR

(Rec. 10.30) NEW YORK, Nov. 23 Responding to questions at the Pearl' Harbour inquiry, Admiral Richardson said the battleships were moored in pairs sided by side at the time of the Japanese attack, because of insufficient berths to handle each ship separately. That was the habitual practice. There were other anchorages in the Hawaiian group, but only Pearl Harbour had anti-aircraft protection, and that protection was by no means sufficient. Asked what steps he took to prepare the fleet, at Pearl Harbour for war, Admiral Richardson replied: “I did everything in my power to make the officers and men war-minded. However, a deterrent was the fact that officers who were long-time friends of mine would says: “Joe we cannot be on the verge of war, as otherwise they would give us sufficient men to man the ships.” Admiral Richardson expressed the opinion that the President had the power to increase the number of men in the Naw faster than he did. Asked if a full complement of men would have made a difference to the outcome of the Pearl Harbour atatack. he said“lf that were the only change the difference would be infinitesimal.”