The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-09
THE SEA ISN'T
IMPORTANT THING
New Commander Has Diff
ferent Opinion Of
Training
Rx A. WHITNEY SHOEMAKER

When the admission comes from
one of the Navy's most richly
braided young officers - and su-
perintendent of the Naval academy,
at that - it sounds very far-fetched
indeed.
But Rear Admiral James L. Hol-
loway, Jr., who became boss OF the
academy Jan. IS, is quick to ex-
plain that to him the e Is incl
dental to the service.
"That is everything!" He ex-
claims. ''That is my vocation n
a~vocation."
As for the sea itself, the admiral
wryly confesses he loves 1t, but
cites n Of his favorite books, a
biography of Columbus, to illus
trate his viewpoint.
zone remark in the book has al
ways appealed to me. 1t advises
YOU to be suspicious whenever you
hear a fellow say he loves the
blustery ocean. A real sailor wants
only fair weather, smooth seas and
a good sum-"
At 48, Holloway has had a full
share of rough and calm seas, with
a varied record of important Navy
assignments.
He was entrusted with several
vital posts during World War II be-
fore his name became prominent
with the Nays study of practical
methods for training a larger, more
competent peacetime corps of Of
ficers than ever before in history.
He was picked by Secretary OF
the Navy Forrestal in August. 194o,
to head a departmental board,
which soon became known as the
Holloway board. Its findings envls-
q an active naval reserve Off
GERS training corps in 81 univer-
sites, a vigorous flight training
program and an orderly plan OF
graduate education-all in conjunc-
ton with the Naval Academy's ira
ditional key position in the SER
vice.
Holloway's achievements with
the board figured largely in For
restal's decision to assign him to
the academy. But were it not for
n Of those condolences which
guided the careers of other dis
tinguished wartime commanders.
Jim Holloway would not be turn
ing out future admirals.
In Dallas, Texas, as a boy of 16
Just out of suburban Oak Cliff high
school, Holloway told his dad he
had decided to follow the pa
ternal career and be a doctor.
The youth had a fine military and
naval heritage - his grandfathers
fought on opposite sides in the Civil
war and the service had caught
his fancy. But ne wanted to go to
West Point.
Had there been any vacancies
from his district that year, he
might have been a soldier. But
Congressman Jack Beall was able
to appoint the y%oungster to the
Naval Academy in 1915.
His record at the academy was
not especially one to foretell his
later career.
The yearbook of his class, 1919
mentions that he was most prof.
cient at sleeping through drills,
formations, in fact everything but
meals" Holloway contends that
the fact that his class vas put
through an accelerated world Va
schedule and graduated in 1918
helped him considerably in getting
past some of the courses.
Now the admiral bellies his
earlier description as a talented
sleeper. He's a hustler. and in his
office seldom sits at his desk.
While talking, he PAGES around the
room, ~gesturing to emphasize his
words.
His associates say he loves to
have people around him. To toss
out ideas and have them challen-
ged.
He is clearly air-minded, with no.
tons about the Nays function as
an air instrument c%oinciding with
those of Vice Admiral Aubrey W.
Fitch, his predecessor at the Acad-
envy. Recently he said officers of
the future will consider aviation as
fundamental to the navy as sea-
manship and naviation.
HoIoway's World War II service
combined combat, training and ad-
ministrative duties. He gets the
most professional satisfaction from
his job as commander of the de-
stroyer and destroyer escort shake
down group, from April to Novem-
Der. l943. His headquarters then
were at Bermuda, where he Great
ed and put into operation a sched-
ule for quickly developing effective
destroyer combat units.
He also commanded DESTROYER
Squadron 10, which participated in
the North African invasion, and
after a year as director of training
In the bureau of naval personnel,
commanded the battleship Iowa in
blows at Luzon and the japanese
home islands. After VI day he re.
turned to Washing ton and supervis-
ed the Navy's rehabilitation.
The youngest academy superin-
tendent since 1886, Holloway
always has been young in his posi-.
Nine months out of the academy,
still under 81, he commanded a de.
stroyer. He recalls wildly his 21st
birthday. Then in command of the
destroyer Monahan on Atlantic
fleet maneuvers, he laid down a
smokescreen that day so dense it
burned the paint Of the ships
stacks.
He considers his new assignment
a challenge, and declares the acad-
envy has a greater responsibility
than ever.
ut will serve as a binding ele.
ment on all naval officers, one that
Will eliminate suspicious, regard
less OF where an officer
comes from, and create a real
1rlendliness among all conpon-
ents."
With a chestful of ribbons of his
own, Holloway looks for the family
name to remain alive in the Navy.
His son, James L., Sd, is a lieuten.
ant with an air carrier group, and