Evening star., 1944-06-06
Supplies for Invasion
Arrive on Schedule,
|ngersoI| Declares
BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY.


Most Of the supplies for the
support Of the invasion forces now
entering Fortress Europe have been
delivered. Admiral Royal E. In
gersoll, commander of the Atlantic
Fleet. told press conference to-
day.
Admiral Ingersoll was introduced
at Secretary of the Navy For
restafs press conference by Ad-
miral Ernest j. King, commander
in chief Of the feet.
Admiral King left the gathering
early to attend a conference with
President Roosevelt.
Besides the supplies which have
been moving across the Atlantic for
many months, deliveries of all YES
self required for the invasion, in
cluding battleships. cruisers and de-
stroyers, have been made by the
Atlantic Fleet, Admiral Ingersoll
revealed. He said all arrived on
dates specified in the plans.
Escorted 1000 Ships.
Telling the story of the vast op-
erations of the Atlantic squadrons
the admiral said that since 1912 his
force had escorted more than 7,00C
ships across the Atlantic and had
lost only 10. Not a single troopshir
has been lost in q trans Atlantic
voyage, he added.
Although the Germans have given
the Atlantic Fleet forces some pretty
bad knocks, Admiral Ingersoll said
the transportation Of supplies, mu-
nitions and fuel has not been in.
terrupted.
The greatest enemy to the opera.
tions, he added, has been the SUBJ
marine.
Even within the last two or three
weeks, however, one of our convoys
of 100 ships was attacked in the
Mediterranean by an air force Of
40 planes. Eighteen enemy plane.
were shot down and the convo,
escaped under a smoke screen, Ad-
miral Ingersoll said.
One Of the biggest tasks now con
fronting the Atlantic Fleet is thu
training OF men for the great mum.
Der of vessels being built on the
Atlantic Coast and providing re-
fresher courses for the vessels re-
turning from operations, he de.
clared..
Four Phases Of Training.
This training is divided into four
phases. The first is the Air Force
where officers and men must be
trained for operating the carriers
and the air squadrons which they
support. The second and third
phases, the training of officers and
men and the amphibious force, will
involve $4,000 officers and 10000
men and 5000 landing craft, not
including the smaller types.
The fourth phase is an overall
operational training. activity which
includes everything from battleships
to subchasers.
Our success depends largely on
the amount of training which we
can give our people" Admiral Inger-
soil asserted. More than so Der
cent Of the commanding officers of
ships in the Atlantic Fleet are re-
serve officers and I take my hat off
to them.
1T is astounding what they have
done-both officers and men"
King Praises Ingersoll.
Admiral Ingersoll said he had no
information concerning the num-
Der of submarines which the Ger
mans have available. He said they
were not in evidence now and he
would not worry about them until
they appear in operation against
the American surface squadrons.
Admiral King paid high tribute to
Admiral Ingersoll as "a great sea
officer and sea commander" He
said that when he selected him to
command the Atlantic Fleet forces
he told him to do the best he could
with what he had. But, Admiral
King added, Admiral Ingersoll
never once said that he did not
have enough to do the job.