Evening star., 1948-10-03
Air Force Expected
To Get Few Graduates
OF Naval Academy
By John A. Giles


The Air Force probably will get
a certain number of future grad
yates of the Naval Academy at
Annapolis, Md, beginning next
June, although "it seems unlikely
the percentage will be very
large" a defense official predict
ed yesterday.
Officials of the Air Force-which
originally requested a third of all
Annapolis graduates to. fill it's
expanding needs-and the Navy
reached an agreement last May that
7 per cent of the 1948 class would
60 to the air arm but this plan was
not consummated.
Now, the whole problem, including
proposals and counterproposals of
the two services and a voluminous
file on the lengthy conferences, has
been forwarded to Secretary of De-
tense Forrestal. A special assistant
will begin a review of the matter
this week.
army YleloS 4OTo.
The Air Force has been assigned
40 per cent of all West Point grad
yates by the Army which is the same
percentage the Army Air Forces re-
ceived before the air arm became
independent year ago.
Secretary Of the Air Force SYM
ington said recently that under all
the circumstances we believe that
it is advisable to have an air acad
emy" and several members of Con-
gress have announced that they
would introduce bills in January to
authorize the construction of a third
large service school.
Until the air academy gets under
way, Mr.. Symington said, the Air
Force believes that it should re-
ceive approximately the same num-
ber of Annapolis men that it gets
from West Point. He added that
Mr.. Forrestal has always stressed
the fact that policy Of proper
percentage of Naval Academy grad
yates for the Air Force would pro-
mote unification as rapidly as any
other single development under con-
sideration."
He said that the Air Force had
been motivated by desire to pro-
mote unification when 1t suggested
that it obtained a third of its reg
ular second heutenants from West
Point, a third from Annapolis and
a third from college Reserve Officer
Training Corps units and from the
ranks.
Because there seemed to be in
surmountable difficulties to any
such program. however, the Air
Force then decided it would be ad-
visable to have its own air acad-
emy.' he added.
Mr.. Forrestal's Office said that no
decision had been reached on plan
for an air academy.
Since it is anticipated that the
Naval Academy will be filled to
capacity in the future, the ques-
ton of whether an expansion Of
that institution, as we'll as West
Point, would be preferable to con-
struction of the air school will be
taken into consideration in any
recommendations Mr.. Forrestal
might make to Congress, officials
added
Another proposal which will be
studied by Mr. Forrestal's Office
is one calling tor--the.- training OF
all Army, Navy~and Air Force ca
diets and midshipmen together for
the first two years and then as
signing them to three separate serv-
ice schools for the final two years
Of training.
Not All Will Be Flyers.
Not all the West Point gradu-
ateS assigned to the Air Force will
become pilots and Air Force officers
said that it would not be expected
that all Annapolis men would be
fliers. A number would be assigned
administrative duties.
Navy representatives in talks with
the Air Force have pointed out that
only 35 to 40 per cent of each
Annapolis class is physically quail
fed to become pilots and that they
need all of them to flll the require
ments of the expanded Naval Avia-
tion program.
| The whole question Of curricula
at the Naval Academy also has been
studied in the lengthy Air Force
Navy conversations over the past
several months. The course at An
napolis is geared closely to Naval
operations and technical require
ments from the beginning of the
| four-year term. Some changes
might be necessary to train men
for the Air Force, officers state.