The Wilmington morning star., 1946-05-23
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ADMIRAL
FROM PAGE N

Some 900 men were lost by the
Franklin and the devotion to duty
of the ships chaplain, who admin
istered to the spiritual needs OF
wounded and dying of all faiths,
proved, he said, one of the epic
highlights of heroism of the entire
Pacific war.
One of his classmates at Annap-
oils, he said, took off scores OF
wounded from the Franklin, while
the Pittsburgh took the crippled
ship in tow and stayed with her
for 20 hours, or until such time as
her gallant crew could get her I'M
der steam again.
Describes Operations
The speaker described the meth
cd of operation by Task Force So,
with three carriers Of each group
operating at once, while the fourth
went back for refueling and re-
arming. He recalled how Admiral
Mitscher had two ships shot from
under him, the Bunker Hill and
Enterprise and before taking over
the Randolph, he let it be known
to his command that he would
board her 'if officers and men
were willing to take a chance on
Under the equality code in use
at the time, Admiral Mitscher was
known as "Flashy," a name which
he used to good advantage on
many occasions in contracting the
many groups of his command.
Innate End
KiWanians also heard from Rear
Admiral Johnson, a terse, but VI
vid story of the end ct the Jananese
battleship Imato-7O0 planes went
at err tit went down along with
two cruisers and three destroyers
shortly after it steamed out OF the
western entrance to the Inland Sea
presumably to attack U. S. troop
ships.
A native of Aberdeen, Admiral
Johnson took occasion to pay trl-
butte to the leadership of Admiral
Halsey and his staff after pointing
out again, that kamikaze planes
we're always the biggest danger and
that despite the great work OF the
radar picket patrol, probably one
out of one hundred would get
through to attack a carrier. Many
detroyers, too, he said were hit by
these suicidal Jap filters; n re-
ceived five hits in is minutes
while another was hit four times
in IL minutes, the latter command
In concluding his interesting talk.
Rear Admiral johnson said that
he hoped that just as soon as de-
mobilization is complete, the great
United States naval machine which
functioned so we'll during the clos
ing years of the war, but now bad
ly crippled, will again be built up
to potential strength.
Introduced by R. M. Williams,
president of the Propeller club,
Rear Admiral Johnson recalled
with pleasure a number OF Will
mington men who were classmates
of his at the University of North
Carolina, including Hargrove Bel
lamy and Col. John Bright Hill.
He attended the university he said,
for almost a year before entering
the Naval Academy at Annapolis
from which he was commissioned
an ensign in 1919. Subsequently he
served in South America and in
World War II he served as chief OF
staff to Admiral Halsey. He was
promoted to Rear Admiral Novem-
Der 10, 1913.
President Elmsley Laney appoint
ed David S. Harriss as club repre-
sentative on the All-American Soap
Box Derby Advisory committee
which will supervise the derby
here which is being sponsored
jointly by the Wilmington Star
News and the Raney Chevrolet
company.
Guests of the club in addition
to the guest speaker and president
of the Propeller club were r. W.
Cantwell, secretary of the Propel-
Ter club; 1t. Pat Finlayson, of the
Sixth Naval district public rela-
tons office, Charleston, and A. R..
Blake.