U.S. NAVY IS SLIPPING, ADMIRALS SAY

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1949, Page 5

U.S. NAVY IS SLIPPING, ADMIRALS SAY

Sensational Press Disclosures Made

(Rec 9.10) WASHINGTON, Oct 3. Documents, in which high United States Navy officers have expressed alarm over the Navy’s morale and strength, were secretly given to the press to-day. The officers alleged that the Navy’s offensive power has been greatly reduced under the present unified defence policy.

A naval source, who stipulated that his name must not be used, handed the documents to reporters in the corridor of a building. They included firstly the statement by Admiral Louis Denfield, Chief of Naval Operations, that, “The Navy, stripped of its offensive power, means that the nation is stripped of its offensive power.” Secondly, there is a warning by Vice-Admiral Gerald Bogan, Commander of the First Task Fleet in the Pacific, that the Navy morale had fallen to despondency, because of confusion and bickering over the Navy’s future role.

Thirdly, there is a statement by Admiral A. W. Radford, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, that most of his officers concurred in Vice Admiral Bogan’s views and also in those recently expressed by Captain John Crommelin.

Captain Crommelin recently caused a stir by publicly charging that the Navy’s attacking power is being “nibbled to death" in Washington defence headquarters.

The surreptitious release of these documents was the latest incident in rivalry between the Navy and Air Force for Congressional appropriations.

Admiral Bogan outlined his

views in a letter to the Navy

Secretary, Mr Francis Matthews. Admirals Radford and Denfield supported him in an appended

letter. A U.S. Navy spokesman said Mr Matthews was, “Quite disturbed when he learned that a copy of Admiral Bogan’s letter had leaked out to the press. He summoned Admiral Denfield and other high officers for a conference. Admiral Denfield also was described as, “very concerned” about the publication of his endorsement. He had intended his remarks to remain strictly secret, between himself and Mr Matthews.