Evening star., 1946-04-17
Letters to The, Star
Father Sheehy Gives His Opinion
OF Admirals Victorious

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To the Editor Of The Star:
A few months ago cities and States
to the men who had built up and
directed to victory the strongest Navy
in world history. Nimitz, King and
Halsey were hallowed terms. They had
hurled back the aggressor from our
coast lines and Ito engage in bit
of understatement) speeded the day to
victory. Now some would make the
term admiral" an epithet.
These men had been part of the
Navy and the system of military de-
fense constructed by the architect Of
our victory, Franklin Delano Roose-
welt. The admirals still think that
Mr.. Roosevelt's idea of keeping The
Navy's sea and air power under a
distinct command, while working in
closest cooperation with the Army,
the right idea.
During my ST months in the service
was much more interested in the
enlisted mems problems than In those
of the admirals. This is still a democ-
racy. In it we intend to ask about q
half-million young men freely to de-
vote their lives to the, security of their
country as members of the United
States Navy. And yet we are threat
ening to deprive them Of spokesman,
who, with cabinet status, can 20 to
the President, the Congress OF the
United States and the people as their
representative. And some are trying
to wreck confidence in their leader
ship by an insinuation OF "disloyalty"l
I happen to know how some enlisted
men feel about the proposed depart
ment of defense" 1t might be we'll If
our legislators would explore their feel
ings before taking any drastic action.
still think the war was won by what
was going on in the hearts and minds
by any bill in Congress.
And I do not like the probability
that any military leader should be
given sufficient power to put the Ma
it merely another division OF the Army!
But to return to the admirals, who
today are almost under offlcial in
terdict, the men of the Navy thought
rather kindly OF them. They respected
them and followed their leadership
just as men of the Army followed
Eisenhower and Macarthur The ad-
mirals had job to do and they did it.
They have job to do now in insuring
the future security OF their country.
II they are gagged" who will be re-
sponsible? II their testimony is "bi-
ased," is 1t not because they have
spent their lives in constructing the
outer defense Of our country-and they
do not want it to fall, like Jericho's
walls, at some ones word?
For 81 months I served in the Pa
ciic where never heard the faintest
rumor Of lack OF cooperation or i'm
perfect coordination between our
armed forces. It was not until 5000
Government-subsidized press agents de-
scended upon Washington that the
press created a war between the Army,
the Army Air Forces and the Navy.
The Navy happens to be a minority
group. There were, however, 3,7o0, 900
OF us civilians who served In 1t who
do not like to have its independence
or its prestige threatened by irresponsi-
BILE statements
Our Navy Is human entity, a con-
glomeration Of butchers and bakers
and candlestick makers, of lawyers and
farmers and saxophone players, who,
under the direction of the admirals
became such a cohesive and effective
fghting unit that they cleared the
seas Of the enemy and took our heroic
Army units and aviators to the fringe
Of victory.
When any one speaks disparagingly
OF admirals to me, I cannot but think
OF the score who died in the service
Of their country. They did not die in
swivel chairs in Washington. Two Of
them knew quite well, Dan Callaghan,
who has given the Navy a new ira
dition, and Henry Mullinnixx. I wish
that those who refer contemptuously
to Navy gold braid" could have been
with me on the flight deck of the
U. s. S. Saratoga when the word was
passed that Admiral Mullinnixx had
died In action. There was a hushed
silence, and with damp eyes the men
put themselves to the task Of rearming
planes -" this one for Henry" The
depth Of devotion OF the sailors could
not be measured.
Perhaps Admirals Callaghan and
Mulinnixx are having the laugh on
their old shipmates who committed
the great crime Of returning victori-
ously.
1t would be very interesting to have
the testimony of one man on whether
we should shoot the admirals or allow
them to continue to decorate our pa
rades. That man would be Franklin D.
Roosevelt. Until greater leader than
he appears on the horizon, it might
be well to keep the United States Navy
as a department of our Government
and, with q few admirals.
MAURICE S. SHEEHY, :
The Catholic University Of America.
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