Evening star., 1946-06-05
NimitzAssures
Annapo|isCIass
Of Navy Stability
But Tells Graduates
He Cunnot Forecast
Postwar Setup
By A. A. HoehIinq

1t 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 Sc 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 nc
matter what kind of an interna-
tional organization survives, the
United States will have leading
part in that organization and that
We will maintain a 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
I OF group of men-and women, too,
y II Congress approves our recon-
mendation to continue the WAVES
who will be alert to the changes
required by the development of new
weapons.
Forward Looking Navy.
"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
comlssions as ensigns in the Navy
or second ieutenants 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 office
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 feet ad-
mirals-with Admirals Ernest J..
King and William D. Leahy among
the guests. of honor. .. .
Academy Chaplain Everett Wueb-
bens opened the ceremony with a
brief invocation, after which Ad-
miral Fitch, introduced Admiral Nj
mitz.
Among the guests at the exercises
were Navy Secretary Forrestal, and
John L. Sullivan, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy for Air.
Six Full Admirals 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 Hargrove
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.
Il The colors were received by the
company commander, James B
Wilson, of Charlotte, N. c., who hao
chosen her as color girl after his
unit had won out in an intra-
academy competition.
Miss Hargrove, as required by ira
dltion, bestowed a kiss upon the
company commander, who also hap
pens to be her flance They will
be married tomorrow in the Little
Church Around the Corner, New
York.
Following the presentation Ad.
mlral Fitch, with Miss Hargrove by
his side, reviewed the entire brigade
OF 5000 midshipmen on the acad.
emy's Worden Field.
In the evening Admiral Fitch en-.
tertalned at dinner party mem.
sbers OF the Hop Committee of the
class OF 1948A, next years gradual.
ing class (the class graduating to.
day is the class of 1947, the next t,
last of the war-accelerated classes
Wedding Bells to Ring.
The Hop Committee arranged las
nights farewell ball, given annually
by members of the second class fo]
the graduates. Unlike other acad.
eri1y dances, this ball is attended b,
midshipmen of all classes.
This afternoon wedding bells will
start ringing in the academy chape
and churches of Annapolis as som,
OF the newly commissioned officer:
take their marriage VOWS.
The first marriage to be per
formed in the chapel, about
o'clock, is that of Ensign Wesley LIE,
Mcdonald, 1923 North Glebe road
Arlington, Va, and Miss Norma Ma,
Joy, 512 North Kenmore street, Arl
ington.
Later in the afternoon Ensigr
Richard Austin Savage of 351.
Thirty-fourth street NV, Wash.
ington, will be married to Miss Vir
ginia May Mauck, $50 High street
Chevy Chase. -..s
Also to be married today ar,
Warren r. Cobean, jr., Of Roswell
N. Mex, and Miss Jean Lindsa,
Beaumont, 1912 Butterworth plac
NV, Washington.
Slated for Aviation Training.
Before Friday afternoon, 8
graduates were to be married in tn,
chapel. However, the number i
20 below the record set in 1945
1t was only in 1912 that the Nav,
relaxed its ban on newly com
n1issioned officers marrying.
Although the academy has no lis
of graduates who are to be marriet
outside of the chapel, it has beer
estimated that probably a total o
400 will take the vows.
All the graduates will go on 80
Il