Evening star., 1945-10-11
NotedGraduates
Join Celebration
AT Annapolis
Nimitz, King, Leohy
And Others Attend
Centennial Banquet
BY NORMAN A. KAHL,
Star STAFF Correspondent.

night to help their alma mater cele-
brate its Tooth birthday.
Probably never in the history of
the Navy was more gold braid con-
gregated within the area of a single
room than was on hand for the
centennial banquet in Memorial
Hall.
Fleet Admiral Chester w. Nimitz
just returned from enthusiastic re-
ceptions In Washington and New
York, delayed his hard-earned leave
to pay his respects to the school
which launched him on his brilliant
naval career in 1905.
Also present were Fleet Admirals
Ernest j. King, commander in chief
OF the Navy. and William D. Leahy
chief OF staff to the President. The
three flve-star admirals led a con-
tingent of high-ranking naval Off
GERS who were the guests of Vice
Admiral Aubrey w. Fitch, academy
superintendent, for the birthday
celebration.
Gen. Marshall on Hand.
Others at the dinner included
General of the Army George c.
Marshall, Army chief of staff; Gen
Alexander A. Vandegrift, command
ant of the Marine Corps; Lord Hall
fax, British Ambassador; Secretary
of the Navy Forrestal, Undersecre-
tary Artemus L. Gates and Assistant
Secretaries H. Struve Hensel and
John L. Sullivan; Gov. O'Conor OF
Maryland, Chairman Walsh of the
Senate Military Affairs Committee
and Capt. Harold H. Stassen, former
Governor of Minnesota.
The banquet climaxed a day OF
colorful ceremonies commemorative
the first century of the academy's
development. Most picturesque
event was the midafternoon dress
parade of the 5000 midshipmen now
at the academy. The middies, in
white trousers and dark-blue
blouses, passed by the reviewing
stand in precision drill, the swords
OF the platoon leaders flashing in
tne Drlgnt sun.
West Point Honor Guard.
An honor guard of West Point
cadets, brought personally by Maj
Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, superin-
tendent of the Military Academy
stood at rigid attention next to the
reviewing stand during the As
minute spectacle. Included in the
parade were three platoons of &c
midshipmen each, dressed in the
uniforms worn by their predeces-
sors in 1845, 1870 and 1900.
The parade was reviewed by Ad-
mirals King, Leahy and Fitch.
Admiral Nimitz arrived at the
academy about an hour before the
dinner and he spent the time re-
newing old friendships. He did not
address the banquet. His visit to
the school, he said, was "a labor of
love-" The last time he had visited
the academy was in 194l, just be-
fore the war that lifted him to
fame.
Admiral Ninitz graduated sev-
enth in his class in 1905. The
Lucky Bay" academy yearbook
that year, records three nicknames
the admiral had In those days
"Natchew," "Nonnie" and "Nim-i-
tiz."
Year Book Recollections.
The year book also recalled that
Admiral NimitZ had spent two hours
at his first hop picking up some
lady's beads and that he was "a
mixer of famous punches"
He possesses that calm and steady
going Dutch way that gets at the
bottom of things" the book added.
Mr.. Forrestal warned the naval
officers last night that he fears a
tendency, the same as after the
World War, ito derogate the men
who led our democratic Army and
Navy to victory"
"All waves of derogation against
the President, Congress, the func-
tions of state, or the Army and
Navy" he said, ARE derogations
against ourselves.
i do not share the view of some
that Congressmen are morons who
couldn't get a job anywhere else.
hold them in high regard"
Admiral Leahy, representing Pres
ident Truman, who had planned to
attend the centennial celebration.
said the framework of experience
and enlightened leadership" in the
war were provided by academy
graduates. At the same time, Ad-
miral Leahy paid high tribute to the
vast citizen Army and Navy which
gave loyal and devoted service"
Midshipmen Hold Hop.
While the officers were finishing
their dinner, midsfipmen collected
in Dahlgren Hall with their young
lady guests for a hop at which the
attraction was Kay Kyser
and his orchestra. The weekly
Kyser radio show was broadcast
from the academy last night.
Earlier in the day, Cadet Amos A.
JoTudIi, llISb captain OF the corps OF
cadets at West Point, had presented
to the academy the helm of the bat
tleship Maine. This relic of the
American War was recov-
cred by Army Engineers from the
bottom of Havana Bay in 1912 and
has been in the museum of the Mill
tary Academy since that time. The
gift was received by ]. c. Flanagan,
jr., captain of midshipmen.
Also during the day, the corner
stone of the proposed new memorial
in honor of academy grad
yates who gave their lives in World
War II was dedicated by Admiral
Fitch.
The days celebration ended with
the striking of eight bells on the
Okinwa Bell.
Final event on the weeks BIRTH
day program will be the Penn State
football game here Saturday, to be
preceded by a demonstration of
naval aviation.
Foirfox Civic League
Formed From pTA