Evening star., 1940-12-20
City Of Flint Skipper
Receives Navy Cross
For Cool Head in Crisi,
Tunney Is Commissioned
Lieutenant Commander
In Reserve Forces

Secretary of the Navy Knox, in
brief ceremonies before ranking
naval officials and members of Con-
gress, today awarded the Navy Cross
to 1t. Comdr. Joseph A. Gainard.
U. S. N. r., skipper of the famed
City of Flint, and commissioned
former Heavyweight Boxing Cham
pion James j. Tunney lieutenant
commander in the Naval Reserves.
The Navy Cross was presented
Capt. Gainard for duties while he
was master of the City of Flint "at
the time of its seizure upon the hign
seas and during its detention by
armed forces of belligerent Eu-
ropean power"
Capt. Gainard commanded the
vessel when it was captured by the
German pocket battleship Deutsch-
land last year. Earlier his vessel had
rescued 219 survivors of the liner
Athena, torpedoed September 8, 1899,
of the Irish coast.
Skill and Judgment Praised.
The Cross commentator stated
his skill, fine judgment and devotion
to duty were of the highest order
and In accordance with the best
traditions of the naval service
Capt. Gainard, after the ceremony
said he did not know when he would
get a new command or when he
once more would 60 to sea. He has
been ashore for some time. 1t was
presumed that Capt. Gainard short
ly would go on active duty with the
Navy. However, no time or station
was designated.
Capt. Gainard said he was unable
to get a command because the Ma
tional Maritime Union opposed him.
He referred to the time when, as
captain OF the Algic, he was forced
to put down a mutiny at Montevideo,
Uruguay, two years ago. Later, sew
eral members of the crew faced trial
in Baltimore.
Tunney to Go on Active Duty.
1t. Comdr. Tunney, when sworn
In, was told he would be ordered
Immediately to active duty as physi-
cal director and co-ordinator of
physical education for the three
aviation training stations at Pensa-
cola, Fla; Corpus Christi. Tex. and
Jacksonville, Fla. Aviation cadets
under the expanded naval aviation
program are being trained at these
stations.
Mr.. Knox, while presenting the
commission to Mr.. Tunney, said wars
are fought by young men and actual
combat is up to them. He then
added lit is up to us to lead them"
in referring to the maturity of him.
self and Mr.. Tunney
Rear Admiral John H. Towers,
chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics.
welcomed Mr.. Tunney into the serv-
ice, saying there was need for the
proper physical conditioning of the
flying personnel.
Rear Admiral Chester W. Nimitz,
chief of the Bureau of Navigation.
gave the oath to the former heavy
weight champion.
Former Service Recalled.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, Ma
rine Corps commandant, reminded
Mr.. Tunney of his former Marine
service during the World War He
commented, "Once a marine, al
ways a marine"
The heavyweight boxer enlisted In
1918 at New York in the Marine
Corps. and later was stationed at
Quantico, Va. In September, of that
year, he sailed for France, and was
assigned athletic duties with the
11th Marine Regiment.
In 1925 he received commits
sion as first lieutenant, Marine Corps
Reserve, and assigned In an inac-
tive status with the Eastern Re-
serve area. Three years later he
was promoted to captain in the VOL
unteers.
Gainard a Reserve First in II.
Capt. Gainard first joined the
Naval Reserves in 1917 as quarter
master, third class. The following
year he was promoted to ensign, and
in 1919 was made lieutenant,
junior grade. In 1929 he was named
lieutenant commander, though oper-
ating in a civilian status with the
civilian merchant marine.
During the World War he served
aboard the President Lincoln, the
Great Northern and the Charles
Subsequent to the war he also served
aboard the Vulcan and the Neptune
before going back to the merchant
marine.