The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-21

and predecessor of Admiral Husband E. Kimmel in the Pacific, resumed testimony
 Committee Counsel William Nit chell cited a memorandum from Richardson, dated Oct 9, 1940, one day after he had lunch with the late President Roosevelt on visit from his Pacific headquarters to Washington.
 Conversation Outlined
 Richardson explained that he wrote the memorandum to the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Harold R. Stark outlining the con- versation.
 @. The first item is: Go ahead with the assembly of train. What does that mean? A. There had been some question of assembly supply ships and auxiliary ships. I had urged it as evidence that we were prepared. The President had stated that we would go ahead with train. o. Item 2 Is: Have we fuel oil in Samoa adequate to fill four old cruisers. Did the President ask that? A. Yes. l knew we did not have it, so I wanted the Chief of Naval Operations to find out how it could be gotten.
 Mitchell asked if Richardson was quoting the President when he said in the memorandum that the Brit ish admiralty wanted officers pre- pared for staff conferences.
 T was" Richardson replied.
 @. Going back to July, 1940, you made visit to Washington then, did you? A. I arrived in Washington on July and departed for Hono- lulu on July Il.
 Saw Other Officials
 Richardson said he also saw Sec retary of State Cordell Hull and Undersecretary Sumner wells, Sen. James F. Byrnes, and Gen. George O. Marshall.
 Mitchell then asked Richard son to refer to a letter he wrote Stark dated July 9, 1940. Richardson said It. General B. Heron, Army commander at Pearl Harbor, had received dls- patch telling him to alert for a transPacif1c raid without exciting the curiosity of public and press. (Herron preceded Maj. Gen. Walter O. Short at HawaiiO
 Mitchell asked if any alert was ordered for the Navy. Richardson said Heron visited Admiral Claude c. Bloch, com mandant of the 14th Naval District at Hawaii on June IT and asked the Navy to establish a distant re- connaissance, he said.
 He added that Bloch asked wee Admiral Adolphus Andrews to establish the reconnaissance.
 Established Patrol
 Richardson said he had a l8O- mile patrol established around Hawaii Andrews changed the patrol to cover the south west-north area to a distance of 300 miles and estab- lished a dawn to dusk patrol.
 He told the committee that the reconnaissance was conducted With unarmed sea planes.
 He said he also established the lonR-range reconnaissance because of the freouent warnings from Stark and because of orders to remain m the Hawaiian area flor reasons un- known to me" he continues tne patrol land gradually the purpose for which it was maintained was somewhat modified
 It was continued for several pur- poses, he said, first for training second. "because of my knowledge of the Japs in the Panay incident.
 q felt there was possibility tna' some fanatical, ill-advised Japanese officer in command of ship or sur might attack he added.
 Token Patrol
 Richardson said thus if anything happened" it could not be said noun inc had been done. It was a "toKeT patrol he added.
 1t was in a reply from Stark or Dec. 20, 1940 that Stark guessed that war could come "at any tiln' after the next 90 days Richard son said. .;,, stark wrote Dec. g that while defense needs were increasing tht Navy was not yet on a run tllii' basis. He suggested occasiohal re connaissance flights.
 Richardson said he later dlscon' tinued long range reconnaissance except for sweeping the fleets oper' ating areas. He also ordered Una "ships. except submarines, shall no anchor in unprotected harbors.
 The order said Pearl Haroor Wa protected. o;ss.ros
 Pichardson testified that he Wal enoaged in revising the recon naissance order when he recelVe' word that he would be relieved D! Kimmel. He had his staff conleI with Kimmels so the oroer Wa finally signed by Kimmel. |,
 Kinnmel relieved hi mon Feb. 1941 he added.
 Had I remained, the order Woui' have borne my signature and Woult have been substantially the saiiie' Richardson said. .,o, He said that before he returhe' to Pearl Harbor Stark sent a Ie. ter to Bloch requesting iniormatlo,, m inc Pearl Harbor situation. Bloci was commandant of the dlstric, he added, and "extremely busy "''i construction work.
 On Dec. l9, accompanied by Gen eral Heron, he reviewed the Arii' equipment. .o Adroira Bloch and told him that lnasmucl as he represented the fleet m re re lation to the Army in the aeieiiS of Hawaii, wanted nm to or p,t mare a letter to the Navy depart nent setting forth his views an to forward it through me"
 Bloch sent the letter Dec; sO; an !, richardson forwarded 1t to Star Jan. 4, l94l. .,..
 Explained Attack Defense
 In his letter, Bloch asserted Iiia a if aircraft attacked Pearl Harpo they undoubtedly" would p brought by carriers .o u,ov
 "Therefore, there are two way of repelling attack FirSt, .arr;sr ply 'puao nrio ing 'ncS;ag and GeSsSOy,nis nisnes; sse second, D ,,,',.S ofg ettacking bombers Wlt