Evening star., 1941-10-27


wounded. Successful sea-raider at
tacks on five American-owned mer-
chantment also have been reported
in the North and South Atlantic,
despite all the precautions taken
by the Navy
In a preliminary Navy Day state
ment-sent as a letter to Secretary
Knox-Mr. Roosevelt praised the
Nations sea force for its readiness
to assume the role Of t-line de-
fender, and at the same time he
called on all Americans to
pledge to their Navy support in
volving willing sacrifice of personal,
sectional and group interests in or
der that We may remain united and
unconquerable'
Navy Day greetings from Secre-
tary of War Stimson and Gen. Mar
shall were received at the Navy
by Secretary Knox and Admiral
Harold r. Stark, chief of naval
operations. Both greetings stressed
the cooperation of the two services.
StimSOn'S Letter.
Secretary StlmSOn wrote.
With the approach of another
Navy Day. I am glad to send you
the War Departments Congratula-
tions on the great accomplishments
which the Navy has made in the
past year. We share the affection
and the confidence which all Amerl-
cans feel for the United States Navy.
The close and efficient cooperation
of the two services has been one of
the most gratifying features OF the
national defense effort"
Gen. Marshall wrote TO Admiral
Stark as follows:
ON the occasion of Navy Day,
I wish to extend to the officers and
men of the Navy the sincere con-
gratulations and best wishes of the
Army.
The joint training program dur
ing the present emergency has
brought the two services closer to-
gether than ever before and great
contributing factor TO the progress
which the Army has made has been
the splendid corporations furnished
by the Navy and yourself person.
ally
Text of President Roosevelt's let
ter follows:
For the past l9 years our country
has on october 81 honored the Navy
on the birthday of one of its great
est champions-Theodore Roose-
welt. This year we go further and
expand that observance to Navy
and Total Defense Day, a change
whose significance will be clear to
all right thinking Americans.
You know and l know that such
modification implies no change in
spirit from past anniversaries.
Rather it strengthens that spirit in
Identifying it with the responsibility
of all our people for national de-
fense. I want to state my deep ap-
probation as commander in chief
of the thoroughness with which the
Navy has already measured up to its
large share in that burden. AS it is
our first line of defense, so is its
duty primary in any approach to
total defense. Ship for ship, man
for man. l am proud and confident
in knowing the Navy is ready to
prove to the Nation and to the
forces of evil its fitness to assume
that responsibility.
LAS today l add my own salute to
that of our fellow Americans l know
1 can count on our Navy to recognize
the necessity for its close co-ordina-
ton with the Army and our mil
lions of civilian defenders. In that
spirit let the Navy today return
the Nations salute.
Our fleets far out in the Atlantic
and Pacific, yes. the naval forces
that support them in our far-flung
bases, the magnificent air arm of
the service, and the night and day
shifts working in the Navy Yards to
keep our tWo-ocean building pro-
gram ahead of Schedule-all these
various agencies are now highly in
tegrated.
And so, on this Navy Day of 1941,
merged with day consecrated to
total defense, l ask all Americans
to salute the Navy, their Navy, in
spirit of self discipline in line with
the historic traditions of the service
itself and to peldge to their Navy
a support involving willing sacrifice
of personal, sectional and group in
terests in order that we may re-
main united and unconquerable."
.