Evening star., 1928-04-01

mated that a total &2SSN3kSSE.j
OF S64 naval avia-
t0rS will be re- Inward u. Waraer.
Quired to man the planes. The number
necessary 70 be trained was based upon
O. fixed attrttton Of per cent q figure
expressive Of past experience, but seri-
ously open to question in the light OF
probable future changes and particu-
iarly OF possible future personnel legiS-
lation Maintaining the per cent as
sumption. however il appears that the
specified total OF e64 can only be
reached by dint OF training total OF
SaS naval aviatorS successfully complet-
ing the course ut Pensacola between
July l. 1927. and July l, is3S. It ap-
pears that in round numbers the num-
Der OF graduates in the Naval Academy
classes of le3S and 1880, inclusive. the
classes from which the major part Of
the oficerS completing their training
In aviation between the present date
and 1898 would naturally be selected,
will be as follows: 1925. 44e 1926. 45T:
1927. $50, 1928, 100: 1929, $50, and 1880.
$50. or 3. total of 2.245.
Allowing for the normal number OF
separations 70 the Stan Corps and Ma
rine Corps and OF designations and re-
tirementS during the first two and one
half years after graduation. this would
correspond TO approximately 800 offi-
GERS from those classes left IN the line
Of the Navy 80 months after their re-
spective graduationS. With the present
system these 1900 oficers will Be the
only source from which We can procure
64S graduate naval aviatorS. In only
one case has more than % per cent Of
the surviving membership OF Naval
Academy classes been qualified, and In
only two cases does this figure exceed
Is per cent Past experience indicates
that about one-hah of the graduates
of the Naval Academy classes are phys
1cally qualified for aviation. and that in
the past about 40 per cent or less OF
those who went to Pensacola, all OF
whom are physically qualified, have
succeeded in completing their training
successfully. The product OF these two
figures alone, Secretary Warner pointed
out, indicates a probable maximum pro-
duction Of 20 per cent.
The average attrition in the naval
service as a whole is taken as per
cent in personnel calculations. In
aviation, owing to thEi specml hazards
of flying and to the occasional necet.
sity Of detachment from flying duties
for physical reasons, it must be figured
as considerably higher, probably some
where around per cent. under existing
conditions The result Of this differ.
ence In attrition Is, Of course, that II
IS per cent Of every Naval Academy
class be trained as naval aviAtors i'm.
mediately upon the completion % their
two years of sea duty, the percentage
Of naval aviatorS remaining viii be
much less than IS after 10 years and
will have been still lower after 20 or
more. Even IL IS per cent Of every
class at the Academy are qualified %
naval aviators as, soon as possible after
graduation and the Desirable experience
aviators available in the whole coFu.
nlisSioned line personnel OF the Navy a.
any time win be Of the order Of II.
or 10 per cent. Not only Is this not
enough to meet the needs Of the organ
iZation definitely planned four years
hence. but ii certainly win not be
enough TO meet demands that will con-
tsnue 70 develop thereafter.
1t is understood the slate Of changes
in the high commands of the feet has
been completed in the Bureau Of Navi-
cation and that 1t viii now 60 to the
Secretary Of the Navy for approval.
There has been much speculation rela-
tive TO the new assignments Of thes
high ranking officers of the Navy, the
prevailing opinion that assignments to
the key positions win be as follows:
Read Admiral Louis McC. Mutton, from
superintendent Of the Naval Academy
70 command the battleship divisions:
Vice Admiral william v. Pratt, from
command Of the battleshin divisions Of
the battle feet to command that neet: I
Rear Admiral Monteomery N. Taylor.
from command Of battleship division 8
Of the battle feet 10 command the
scouting feet, as the relief of Vice
Admiral Ashley H. Robertson, who will
be assigned TO duty as commandant OF
the 1lth Naval District and Nayal Base
at San Diego; and Rear Admiral Wit
liam c. Cole. from duty as comman-
dart OF the Norfolk Navy Yard to COM
nand the naval forces in Europe a.
the relief Of Vice Admiral Guy II.
Eurrage. VI
Considerable discussion continues
relative TO the successor Of Rear Ad-
rtiral Mutton as superintendent Of the
Naval Academy, and among the most
prominent being mentioned for this
desirable assignment are the following:
Adn1irsls Louis n. de Eteiguer and Guy
II. BugTage; Rear Admirals william n.
EtsndIey aud Philip Andrews and Capt
Wat Cluveriug. In the event that
Admiral Etandiey Is not assigned 70 the
Naval Academy. IL is possible ne may
be detailed as assistant chief OF the
Bureau Of Naval Operations as the
relief Of Rear Admiral Thomas j. Sem,
who IN all probability viii be assigned
~ commander Of the destroyer squad
YOnG 0f the battle feet. The name Of
Rear Admiral John r. Z. Biakeiy. now
in command OF light cruiser division B.
has also been mentioned as possible
selection for detail sg assistant chief Of
naval operations.
Capt Frederick l.. Oliver. on duty
In the Navy Department budget once.
viii be relieved by Capt. R0SeFt \.
Dawes. now in command Of the u. y. b,
Relief The former officer viii under
20 the next class at the Naval War
College. Capt. James o. Richardson,
who has been in command Of Destroyer
Division 80 of the Scouting fleet, VIII
70 To duty !n the Bureau of Navigation.
The following oflcers Of ths Navy
have been detached from duty at the
Naval Academy and VIII undergo .
course Of instruction at Columbia uni
veFsitg. Lieut.. COnldF Ralph kifiy,
LieDts. Lester o. E0ck. Lawrence r.
D!yoll Vincent w. Grady, Alexander
N LpKeF, John r. McOoYern, William
II Mills sno Oral II. SSigart: Lisuis.
f5llflipr gfsdf) Robert A. J. English,
FglNsr 8 HsIselI William y Holden,
Donsld H. Johnston. David r. Justice,
Leon J Names, Francis j Nee, John
X Stephens. Daniel n CsndieT, ir;
jesse q, Coward and Howard n. OTen1.
Army.
A Dgnbes u changes among tns
commissioned personnel on duty In the
Ofl1cs ~ the surgeon general OF the
Army this city, viii be made within
the f2ext two of three months The
liEt " Outgoing Officers il headed by
gAeut. Col Charles l.. Foster, N. g.,
cblef III the personnel division vino
goes ~ Port AcPheTgJD, Ga Col
Foster vii Ls reileged Of his duties ia
the llafhlnnel afflG4 hIknlt the middle