Evening star., 1943-11-28
Admiral Kirk, Head
OF Amphibious Force,
Thanks Luck in Sicily
BY the Associated Press.

NEW 1orbH, NOV. IL we were
damned lucky" said Rear Admiral
Alan Goodrich Kirk.
AS commander of the Atlantic
Amphibious Force, he had dis
charged his part of the Sicilian op-
Grafton in half the estimated time
without the loss of ship, and only
six dead.
Some day" he continued, some
body isn't going to be that lucky
Some of these invasions are going
to run into a mess"
When the time comes for the
Allies to tackle the mess" Amer
leans can expect to find this "croc-
odile commander dealing with a
big part of it.
For, in an amphibious INVASION
the dapper little admiral calls it
"a party"-the sea dogs are in
charge through the initial stages
of fighting. Then, after naval she'll
ing and air bombardment have COW
cred the landings, a little scene of
protocol is enacted on the quarter
deck.
General Takes Over.
The commanding general of the
division or divisions being landed,
smartly salutes the admiral who has
put his men ashore and say: "The
beachhead is established, sir. am
taking over. Thank you"
From then on, the tide of battle
Honnn6C thn 1e
the "crocodileS" or gators" (Which
include the Army, Navy, both their
air arms, the Marines and Coast
Guard is well-knit unit, the ad-
mirals may be called upon for fur
ther Shelling; they may be asked
to land other units in a by-passing
action. but it will be at the direc-
ton OF the men who are plotting
the battles course on land. The
admirals are left with the one big
responsibility of supply.
Admiral Kirk. responsible for the
training. maintenance and eventual
testing in battle of the Atlantic's
amphlbians, is a short, slight sailor
who loves Keats and Shelly.
20 In There Shooting"
He was called home from London
where he had studied commando
methods to train the amphibians.
He told them: IF you go in there
shooting and shooting hard, you'll
get where you want to be-
About that quotation and about
many of the admiral's orders, there
is "coach-talking- to his team"
quality
Off Sicily when his ships were
temporarily without air cover and
enemy tanks on shore were direct
ing their artillery toward him, the
admiral coached his men; cant
wait for the planes. Move in close
to those boys and get them your
self"
So the deStroyers moved in and
put out Of commission five tiger
tanks Of the Hermann Goering di-
vision in the first tank versus de-
stroyer fight
Also Studied History.
The man who gives these uneX-
cited orders in combat is a specialist
in naval gunnery. He knows
Macaulay and Gihbon as we'll as he
knows the naval doctrine of Mahan
He stands with hand on hip and
head cooked to one side. and his
slightly prancing walk is not the
gait usually adapted to rolling decks
But the admiral'S face in repose is
as serene with almost a parsons
calm) as his gait is roiSterouS. He
loves q good party, a good book, a
good shooting match.
The admiral's family consists of
his wife, who works in the chief
cable censor's Office in Washington,
his 12-year-old son, and his WAVE
daughter, pretty Deborah Kirk.
Ashore, Admiral Kirk is fond of
distinguished company. Aboard ship
he is one of the few admirals known
to go down to crew quarters and
talk to his seamen.
Reports on Progress.
A practical democracy is his per-
sonal philosophy and some think his
character is best explained by an
order instituting battle progress re-
ports to men below deck. In COM
hat only one man in 10 can see what
is going on. After ALL" said Ad-
miral Kirk, this is democratic
war, and 1 believe that men who
are willing to give their lives for
democracy have the right to know
what's going on
Admiral Kirk does not get any
personal enjoyment from slaughter
but if it's necessary he orders it.
When Sicilian town had to be
razed by naval shelling because it
obstructed the line of fire, Admiral
Kirk unhesitatingly ordered it. Later
when asked why the peaceful village
had to go, he replied simply. 1T
was in our way" Then, in eXplana-
ton of any necessary action, Re
member, they started this war. We
didn't"
Admiral Kirk prepared for war in
a green canoe on the Delaware
River. His father won the canoe
in a church raf1e, and throughout
his boyhcod in Philadelphia, Alan
Kirk planned to be-not merely a
sailor-but an admiral like his uncle,
Rear Admiral c. F. Goodrich.
Called "Hoh0ken Bill"
He was appointed to Annapolis,
where he graduated with high
scholastic average and the uneX-
planned nickname of Hoboken Bill.
His peacetime tours of duty in
cluded service on a gunboat in the
Orient, naval ordnance work on the
big guns he loved, sea duty with
destroyers, cruisers, and divisions of
transports.
In 1920 he became executive Off
Ger of the presidential yacht. Here,
under Presidents Wilson and Hard
ing, he saw at close hand the work
inos Of diplomacy End took away
with him some of the lessons OF
craftsmanship.
Ee became attache for the Navy
and naval air in London. 1t was
1889. and Alan Kirk had need of
all the diplomacy he had mastered.
Headed Intelligence.
American refugees had to be
brought home from Furope The