Evening star., 1934-06-15
REEVES ON NAVAL
CHANGE SCHEDULE.
Admiral to Succeed Sellers
in Command of Fleet This
Morning.

"a
known in Washington figure in to-
days changes of high command in the
United States Fleet. Admiral Joseph
Mason Reeves, who becomes the new
commander in chief of the fleet,
served here as a member of the Cen
eraI Board in 1929 and 1880 at the
Navy Department. He is the first ma
val aviation observer to command the
feet, although his predecessor has
flown many times.
At New York this morning, aboard
the battleship Pennsylvania, Admiral
Reeves assumes command of the
fleet, succeeding Admiral David Foote
Sellers, who has been commander in
chief since June 10, 1888. Sellers will
revert to the rank of rear admiral
when he hauls down his four-starred
flag from the mainmaSt. He will be-
come the new superintendent of the
Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. Ad-
mtral Sellers served in Washington as
Judge advocate general Of the Navy
from June, 1929, to September, 1881.
He was aide to the Secretary of the
Navy from September, 1921, to Feb
ruary, 1922.
Flagship Commanders.
Two naval officers now on duty in
Washington have been ordered to
command flagships. Capt. Leigh
Noyes, who is acting budget officer Of
the department and in charge of the
training division in the Bureau of
Navigation, will become commander
about December l, of the U. S. S.
Richmond, flagship of the Special
Service Squadron. Capt. William S.
McClintic will be detached in No.
vember from the Office of the chief of
naval operations to command the In
dianapolis, flagship Of the Scouting
Force
Capt. McClintic will relieve Capt.
John Smeallie, whose future assign
ment has not been announced. Capt.
Noyes will relieve Capt. William o.
Spears, who will be attached 70 the
Bureau of Navigation.
Vice Admiral Frank H. Brumby,
commander of the Scouting Force, will
take over Admiral Reeves present duty
as commander of the Battle Force,
aboard the battleship California, be-
ing commissioned an admiral In 1921
Admiral Brumby was captain of the
yard at the Washington Navy Yard.
He served again in Washington from
May, 1928, to June, 1929, as president
of the Board of Inspection and Survey
at the Navy Department.
Rear Admiral Edward H. Campbell,
commandant of the thirteenth naval
district at Seattle, is to succeed Vice
Admiral Brumby as commander of the
Scouting Force, with the rank of vice
admiral. This ceremony will take
place aboard the U. S. S. Indianapolis,
aboard which President Roosevelt wit
messed the reviewsof the fleet off New
York Harbor the end of last month.
Admiral Campbell served in Washing
ton from May. 1925, to May, 1929, as
Judge advocate general of the Navy.
Change for Admiral Craven.
Rear Admiral Thomas Tingey
Craven, commander of Battleship Di-
vision !, who relieves Vice Admiral
Walton r. Sexton as commander of
the battleships of the Battle Force on
the battleship West Virginia as flag
ship, is another high-ranking naval
officer well known in the National
Capital. Admiral Craven served here
in 1927 as director of naval cornmuni-
cations at the Navy Department
After commanding the Yangtze patrol
of the ASiatic Fleet, he returned to
Washington in May, 1881, as the chief
co-ordinator, in which post he had
close contact with all the Government
departments.
Admiral Sexton is coming to Wash
ington to serve on the General Board.
He was on duty in the Navy Depart
ment from 1922 to 1925, first in the
Office of naval operations and then
as assistant budget officer. From 1927
to 1929, following tour Of sea duty,
he returned to Washington to the
office of naval operations. In June,
1881, Admiral Sexton again came to
the National Capital, this time as
assistant chief of naval operations,
serving here until 1888.
Rear Admiral George T. Pettengill
will hoist his flag in the U. S. S.
Argonne as commander of the Base
Force of the fleet, relieving Rear
Admiral Thomas j. Sem, who becomes
commandant of the 18th Naval Dis
trict at San Francisco, Calf. Admiral
Pettengill served at the Naval De-
partment, first In the Bureau of Ord
nance from 1918 to 1915 and then in
1923, when he was on duty in the
Bureau of Navigation. He again
served In the Bureau of Ordnance in
193o-32.
AS his chief of staff Admiral Reeves
will have Rear Admiral Adolphus
Andrews, who used to command the
presidential yacht U. S. S. Mayfiower.
Capt. w. A. Glassford, jr., his oper-
ations officer, has served here. Comdr.
Robert M Griffin, gunnery officer, has
his home here at 2003 Kalorama road.
Lieut.. Comdr. Frank D. Wagner, the
aviation officer on the staff of the
new commander in chief, is another
Washingtonian.
Admiral Reeves aide and flag sec
retary will be Lieut.. Comdr. Francis G.
Denebrink, who used to be in charge
of the Navy press room at the depart
nent. He is we'll known to WASH
ington's newspaper fraternity
Ensign Charles Keene, jr., who Will
be on communication duty on the
admiral's staff, lives at the Highlands
here.