Evening star., 1946-06-05
79O Midshipmen Get
Commissions Today al
Annapolis Ceremony
By A. A. HoehIina
Stos StoH Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, June Admiral
Chester w. Nimitz told the Naval
Academy's graduating class of near
ly 800 today that although he, was
unable to forecast the form and
organization" of the postwar Navy
it would have stability and per-
manence."
Studiously avoiding any mention
Of the controversial armed forces
merger, the fleet commander, how
ever. made illusions to the necessity
of keeping what he termed civilian
contacts" BY so doing, both you
and the Navy will profit" he added.
"As to the stability and perma-
nence Of the Navy ITSELF" Admiral
Nimitz said. "you can be sure that
never since the early days of our
country's history have our citizens
been so conscious of the part played
by sea power as in the winning of
the last war-and the Navy with Its
aviation and submarines was the
cutting edge Of that sea power.
Leading Part for America.
''It is reasonable to expect that no
matter what kind OF an interna-
tional organization survives, the
United States will have a leading
part in that organization and that
we will maintain strong Navy to
insure not only our own protection
but also to aid in the cause of world
peace"
Explaining that he could not give
an accurate forecast Of the future
Navy, he said:
You can be sure that so long as
our commerce moves on the seas our
Navy will have ships-but that the
design and characteristics of the
ships will be determined largely by
the results Of experimentation and
scientific research.
Your Navy will consist primarily
OF group of men-and women, too,
II Congress approves our recon-
mendation to continue the WAVES
who will be alert to the changes
required by the development of new
weapons.
Ours must be a forward looking
Navy, ever alert to project with
maximum effect and at maximum
distances from our shores-our sea
power
A total Of 100 young men received
comission$ as ensigns in the NAVY
or second neutenants in the Marine
Corps at the graduation exercises
in the Naval Academy's historic
Dahlgren Hall.
Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey
administered the oath of ONCE
while Vice Admiral Aubrey w. Fitch
superintendent of the academy
made the Introductory address.
An unprecedented gathering OF
top officers were guests.
Among them were four fleet ad-
mirals-with Admirals Ernest j.
King and William D. Leahy among
the guests Of honor.
Among the guests at the exercises
were Navy Secretary Forrestal, and
John L. Sullivan, Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Navy for Air.
Six Full AdmiraIs Attend.
Also attending were six full ad-
mirals, eleven vice admirals, and
eight rear admirals. The Marine
Corps commandant, General A. A.
Vandegrift, also witnessed the exer-
cises.
Yesterday afternoon under sunny
skies approximately 5000 persons
watched Miss Dorothy Hargroye
blond University of Maryland coed
present the colors to the oath Com
pany Of Midshipmen at one of the
closing ceremonies of the academy's
June Week.
The colors were received by the
company commander, James B
Wilson, Of Charlotte, N. c., who had
chosen her as color girl after his
unit had won out in an intra-
academy competition.
This afternoon wedding bells will
start ringing in the academy chape
and churches of Annapolis as some
of the newly commissioned officers
take their marriage vows.
The first marriage to be per.
formed in the chapel, about
O'Clock, Is that of Ensign Wesley Lee
Mcdonald, 1928 North Glebe road
Arlington, Va, and Miss Norma Mas
Joy, 512 North Kenmore street. Arl-
ington.
Later in the afternoon Ensign