Evening star., 1928-12-30
ARMY-NAVY NEWS


Ing available for this fiscal year will
permit, 1t is understood that most OF
the changes among the flag officers OF
the Navy afloat and ashore, to be made
next year will take place before June
so, 1929. Included in these changes
are the relief of Admiral Henry A.
Wiley as commander-in-chief OF the
United States fleet and the probable
assignment to that command of Ad-
miral William V. Pratt and the deslg-
nation of Vice Admiral Louis McC.
Mutton, now in command of the battle
ship divisions of the battle feet to COM
mand of that feet as relief of Admiral
Pratt. 1t has also been rumored that
Rear Admiral William c. Cole, COM
mander of battleship division 4 of the
battle feet, and Rear Admiral Lucius
A. Bostwick, commander of battleship
division of that fleet, will be ad-
vanced to the temporary rank OF vice
admiral one to command the battleshlp
divisions of the battle fleet and the
other to command the scouting feet as
relief of Vice Admiral Montgomery NJ.
Taylor, who in all probability will be
given shore duty.
The indications are that Rear Ad-
miral Harris Laning will remain for an
other year in command of the battle
ship division of the scouting fleet, Rear
Admiral Frank H Clark in command
of the destroyer squadrons of that fleet
and Rear Admiral Frank B. Upham in
command of the control force. It is
understood that Rear Admiral Yates
Stirling, jr., now in command of the
Yangtze patrol will be relieved by Rear
Admiral Thomas T. Craven, who is now
commandant of the naval training sta
ton at Great Lakes, ILL.,, and of the
9th Naval District
Upon completion of the gunnery pro-
gram for this competitive year, Lieut..
Comdr. Mervyn S. Bennion, now on
duty as navigator of the U. S. S. Mary
land, will come to duty in the Bureau
of Ordnance, while Lieut.. ComGr. Van
Leer Kirkman, on duty as engineer off,
Ger OF the U. S. S. Mexico, will be as
signed to duty in the Bureau of Navi-
cation.
AS result of the retirement of Capt.
George L. P. Stone on December "a,
Comdr. Laurance N. McNair and Lieut.
Comdr. Charles M. Elder became due
Tor promotion on December 25. The
resignation of Comdr. Hugo w. Koehler,
who has requested that it become eff
fective on February IA, 1929, will create
q vacancy in the grade of commander
that will be filled by the promotion of
Lieut.. Comdr. Henry T., Settle. The
latter officer is the running mate for
CASAlO III lIlG
Dental Corps and two in the Supply
Corps, and his promotion will operate
TO provide for advancement of those
groups to the rank of commander.
These officers are Lieut.. Comdrs. L. A.
Willard, George H. Reed, John v. Nc
Alphine, Edward E. Harris, w. L. Dar-
nall, John r. Barber, F. L. Morey and
NJ. w. Mangold of the Dental Corps
and Lieut.. Comdrs. A. H Mayo and
EVaI IS
Uoon the retirement of Capt Charles
z. Smith on February 18, upon his own
application, after 80 years service,
Comdr. William Baggaley and Lieut..
Comdr. Rush S. Fay will become due
for promotion to the grades of captain
and commander, respectively.
1t is extremely doubtful that the pro-
posed cruise of the fleet to the west
coast ports of South America will be
made, there being a wide variance of
opinion among the naval authorities as
TO the desirabhity and adviSability of
conducting the cruise following the
fleet problems and manoeuvers to be
held in February off the Pacific end of
the Panama Canal. In view of the re-
cent visit of the u. S. S. Maryland to a
number OF the west coast ports of South
America with President-elect Hoover
the question has been raised whether
there is any need for the cruise. High
ranking officers of the fleet are in gen.
efal in favor of carrying out the cruise
program announced by the Navy De-
partment sometime ago, whereas some
Navy Department officials hold the view
that it would be better not to conduct
the cruise. In all probability the mat
ter will not be finally determined until
Mr.. Hoover Is consulted in the matter
but In any event the attitude of the
State Department will be determining
factor in the decision.
Though Capt. Charles E. Riggs was
designated to be surgeon general of the
Navy and chief of the Bureau of Medi-
cine and Surgery this week, succeeding
In that office Rear Admiral E. r. Stitt,
who completed his tour of duty as chief
OF that bureau on November 80. the
retirement OF Rear Admiral Cary Gray
son on December 20 leaves one vacancy
in the grade of read admiral in the
Navy Medical Corps. A routine pro-
cedure by the bureau in this instance
would be the application for, and nomi-
nation OF, board of rear admirals of
the corps to serve in the selection of a
naval medical officer of the grade of
captain to become a permanent rear ad-
miral. Admiral Stitt has been assigned
to special duty at the Naval Medical
School at Washington and he will leave
shortly after January l for duty as in
Spector of Medical Department activi-
ties on the West Coast
Army