Evening star., 1942-01-04

Aboue, left to right: admiral
Thomas c. Hart, commanding the
Allied Asidtic Fleet; Admiral Err
nest J. King, commander in chief,
United States Fleet; Admiral
Chester w. Ninaitz, commanding
the Pacific. Fleet.
At right: Vice Admiral Royal E.
IngerSoll, commanding the At
ldntic Fleet.
"A. P. and Wide World Photos.
"CoURT beauty No. 2. with laugh
~ as rosy as his cheeks. Temper
don't fool with INSTRUMENTATION
"The Lucky Bag" United States Naval
Academy, Glass Of 1901.
He is still very handsome, with cropped
gray hair, eyes of cold blue fire and six
lean feet Of vhipcord-this midshipman
of 40 years ago whose blooming COM
plexion led classmates at Annapolis to
give him the nickname Of Dolly" He
no longer suggests palace belle. The
cheeks, tanned to mahogany, are
scanned with trenches cut by wind and
salt spray. The laugh has grown in
frequent and harsh. But the temper Of
dynamite persists+as may become an
officer vested with authority unequaled
in the history OF the United States
Navy.
On Tuesday Of last week Admiral
Ernest j. King formally assumed duty
as top fighting man Of American sea
power BY an Executive Order Of De-
cember ID, he was named commander in
chief Of the United States Fleet, with
supreme command Of the operating
forces comprising the several fleets Of
the United States and Of the operating
forces of the naval coastal frontier COM
Of Admiral Harold r. Stark, Chief Of
Naval, operations. he was made directly
answerable, under the general direction
Of the Secretary Of the Navy. to Presi-
dent Roosevelt himself.
Westernefs Rule Navy.
This, the Nays second shake-up In II
months, placed its destiny as q battle
instrument in the hands of four men, all
Of whom, curiously enough, are West
erners. Three are natives respectively
of Ohio, Texas and Michigan. The
other, born in the District of Columbia,
was appointed to Annapolis from In
diana and maintains his residence there.
| The Big Four" two Of them newcomers
| to highest combatant rank in the Navy,
| are as follows:
Admiral Ernest Joseph King, COM
mander In chief of the United States
! Fleet.
| Admiral Thomas Charles Hart COM
mander in chief Of the Asiatic Fleet and,
as Of yesterday, commander OF united
nations naval forces in the Southwest
Pacific.
Admiral Chester William Nimitz, COM
mander in chief Of the Pacific Fleet.
Vice Admiral Royal Eason Ingersoll,
commander In chief of the Atlantic
Fleet.
| The rank Of commander in chief of
the Fleet has been utilized at intervals
since December %, ITS, when Esek
Hopkins, thus commissioned by the Con-
tinental Congress, took command of the
first American Navy Of two small YES
sells. Last February the sea arm was
reorganized on a three-feet basis. Ad-
miral Husband E. Kimmel, now relieved
| Of duty in consequence Of the surprise
japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was
appointed commander in chief of both
the Pacific and United States Fleets.
The second post was merely nominal.
Beyond such matters as uniformity Of
training and regulations, the Atlantic
and Asiatic Fleets remained Independent
commands.
| stark's Status Affected.
Turmoil following the Pearl Harbof
reverse obscured an important circum-
stance-that the Presidents order OF
December 1s in effect stripped Admiral
Stark Of his function as senior combat
officer Of the Navy and transferred 1t to
Admiral King. Except for vague man
date as to preparation Of long-range
strategic plans, the former was reduced
to administrative tasks.
The latter was instructed to organize
q staff which has charge, among other
things, Of devising and executing all cur
rent war operations. Admiral King was
directed to establish his principal ofdce
at the Navy Department in washington
But he was left wholly free, in his owl
discretion, to exercise personal command
at sea. .-s
| Admiral King became chief Of ths
countrys first line Of defense at one b
the most desperate moments In tn
Nays annals. When the first bomb
rained on Pearl Harbor in the Sabbath
dawn Of December Z. nightmare burs
into reality. The Navy was involved u
two-ocean warfare, although . two
ocean feet was three or four years frpn
consummation. Against all strategy
principles, its units were scattered from
Reykjavik to Manila. AS bitter fruits
q protracted national policy of timidit,
and complacence, Of indecision and ap
peasement, Q series Of incredible dis
asters thronged the Pacific.
Vanished was the dream Of the "Ad
miral Blimps" that they would devot
some fine week end 4 polishing Of ''p''