Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-08-28
v. A. M0FFETT, JR.,
REDUCED BY NAVY.
IN LOSS OF PAPERS.
Son of Admiral Held Guilty in
i Disappearance of Secret
! Documents.
RESTORED TO DUTY
AFTER COURT MARTIAL
Data Taken for Examination
Study Missing From Car.
Mystery to Young Officer.

News that Lieut.. q. g. William
4. Moffett. jr., son of the late
chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics,
Rear Admiral William A. Moffett,
killed in the airship Akron disaster.
has been reduced SO numbers in
grade after a general court-martial
found him guilty of losing confiden-
tial papers was the main topic OF
conversation in Navy circles today.
The 26-year-old flyer, stationed at
the Naval Air Station at Anacostia,
has been restored to duty. Admiral
William H. Standby, chief Of Naval
Operations and Acting Secretary of
the Navy, announced late yesterday
he had approved the findings OF the
court martial, which was held at the
Washington Navy Yard May Is.
Officer Gin Boston.
The sentence-loss OF 50 num-
bers"-means Moffett hereafter will
rank as 4,731 instead of 1881 on the
Navy seniority list. In general,
although Admiral Standby only holds
No. 10, GllC SllidAlNA t2AC AAaAiA1SA oAAS
higher the rank.
Meantime the Navy Department to-
day formally placed in commission the
100000, 1,850-ton destroyer Moffett
at the Boston Navy Yard. The de-
stroyer is named for the late Admiral
Moffett.
Lieut.. Moffett was present in civilian
clothes for the ceremonies, and was
warmly greeted by Admiral Walter r.
Gherardi, commandant of the first
naval district, and other officers.
Moffett will not come up for pro-
motion until next year or later.
Whether the court martial would
count against him when his service
record is examined by the Selection
Board was matter of conjecture.
The officer drew the confidential
documents from the Navy Depart
ment some months ago to study for
promotion to the rank of full lieu
tenant. He is not on the selection
list IS yet, but anticipating that he
would be recommended for promotion
by an early board, he desired to
"bone up" for his examinations, OFF,
eials said. The subject matter Of
asthe confidential documents is q basis
: FOR the examination questions.
Disappear Mysteriously.
In some manner that cannot be
explained to the satisfaction of Lieut..
Moffett himself or the naval authori-
ties concerned the papers disappeared
from his automobile, which was used
by other members Of his family. Just
when and where they vanished is
Z not known, apparently. Nor is their
present whereabouts known to the
authorities.
The utmost secrecy prevailed at
the Navy Department over the affair,
for even the fact of the holding of
the court-martial was not announced
to the press. Officials of the Bureau
Of Aeronautics asserted that they did
not even know that Lieut.. Moffett
was under investigation.
While the Navy Department late
yesterday announced the young lieu
tenant has been restored to duty"
some airmen said that he has been
flying regularly since official accusa-
tions were made against him.
Lieut. Moffett declined comment,
saying the whole matter was con-
6dential.
High Officers Study Case.
Rear Admiral Gilbert j. Rowcliff,
fudge advocate general of the Navy,
and Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews,
chief of the Bureau of Navigation,
and other high-ranking naval au-
thorities have been studying the Moi
felt case recently with a view to the
legality of the proceedings of the
court-martial and the measure Of
disciplinary action to be meted out.
The lieutenant's home address is
20l9 Massachusetts, avenue. A ma
tive of San Francisco, where he
was born April 16, 1910, Lieut. Moffett
before attending the Naval Academy
was q student at Gunston Farm, Md,
Culver Military Academy and Column
bian Preparatory School. He became
an ensign in June, 1880, and followed
his famous fathers footsteps by TAX
ing up aviation. He is a member of
the Army and Navy Club here. At
the academy he was boxer.