Truman Removes Naval Operations Chief From Office

Northern Advocate, 28 October 1949, Page 5

Truman Removes Naval Operations Chief From Office

WASHINGTON, Thu. (noon) .—-President Truman today removed Admiral Louis Denfeld, United States Chief of Naval Operations, from office.

President Truman’s action was a dramatic climax to the bitter controversy between the Navy on the one hand and the Army and Air Force on the other over the role of the Navy in any future war.

Lari’S vsetfi ww J ~"T Mr Truman announced to pressmen today that he had decided to transfer Admiral Denfeld to other duties. Mr Truman said he acted as supreme commander-in-chief of the United States armed forces, on the recommendation of Mr Francis Matthews, Navy Secretary.

Mr Truman released a letter from Mr Matthews which said: “My relations as Secretary of the Navy with Admiral Denfeld as Chief of Naval Operations, have finally become such that I find it increasingly difficult to work with him in the harmonious relationship which should prevail between the occupants of those two official positions."

Princely Wages For Australian Seamen SYDNEY, Thu., (12.45 p.m.).— Australian seamen will receive princely wages when they take the Italian liner Remo, formerly the Australian prize Reynella, to sea for delivery to her owners. The Australian Maritime Transport Unions’ Council, which claims the right to man with Australians any ship bought in Australia by overseas interests and being sailed to a new port, also fixes the wages. In the Remo, the assistant cook will receive £2l a week, plus food and keep. Donkeymen, greasers, and firemen will be on a similar scale. The chief steward will get £2B compared with £lO for a week’s work on the Australian coast. The captain will draw £SO a week and the chief cook £27.

Mr Truman said he hoped the transfer of Admiral Denfeld to other duties would bring about greater harmony between the armed services.

He said he did not know' whether Admiral Denfeld would resign from the navy.

He w'ould name a successor to the post of Chief of Naval Operations as soon as he found out who it would be.

RESISTANCE EVIDENT Mr Mathews in his letter outlined events leading to his request for Admiral Denfield’s removal. He said that soon after he assumed office it became evident to him that there was resistance by some naval officers to accepting unification of the armed services.

“That condition was reflected by public and private statements from various sources and"by other methods,” he said. “Some of the individuals involved held very important assignments in the Navy.” Mr Mathews said, he decided this month that Admirai Denfield should not hold his post any longer. He concluded his letter to the President by emphasising the need for loyalty to superiors and respect for authority from officials of the armed services.

Mr Truman, in a brief reply to Mr Mathew’s letter, authorised Mr Mathews to cari-y out Admiral Denfield’s transfer.