Evening star., 1948-01-23

The brilliance of the Navy Ball
Washington seen more glittering @
in the Mayf1ower ballroom for the fl
has given since the war began. 1t W
at which hundreds of officers appear
with full array of miniature medals
The concentration of gold braid
cal decorations and the superb music
bands with Meyer Davis orchestra
outstanding affairs of the year.
Mrs. Truman and Miss Marga
o'clock but all during dinner, which
began at 8, eyes scanned the gala
scene for the top personalities
present. This was something OF a
lob as there were no less than 1925
cat the last count in the ballroom
and adjoining Chinese Room. Be
fore the evening was over all had
had chance to see Lit, USNR,
Robert Taylor, handsome film star,
who came all the way from the
West Coast to take part in this spe-
cial occasion.
Seated in the center and most
important box were the Secretary
of the Navy and Mrs. John L. Sulli-
van the latter in beautiful pink
taffeta ball gown handsomely
trimmed with vertical bands OF
black beading that went from the
TOP of the decollete fitted bodice to
the bottom of the very full skirt.
They had a number of well-known
guests with them, including the
Chief Of Naval Operations and Mrs.
Louis Denfeld, Gen. and Mrs. Omar
Bradley, the French Ambassador
and Nine. Bonnet, Senator and Mrs.
Leverett Saltonstall, Mr.. Taylor,
and, upon her arrival after dinner,
the First Lady.
Beautiful Evening Corn
In the nearest boxes were the
newly appointed Assistant Secretary
of the Navy, Mr. Mark Edwin An
drews, and the Assistant Secretary
of the Navy for Air and Mrs. John
Nicholas Brown, each with a group
of prominent guests. Tall, stunning
Mrs. Brown wore gorgeous Jacques
Balmain creation of shell pink
and gold lame brocade with a
draped bodice and full skirt, the
of the shoulder decolletage &C
cented by her diamond necklace.
The gay tempo of this party was
maintained from beginning to end.
AS guests arrived they were greeted
with the stirring airs Of a Marine
Band Orchestra in the lobby, while
inside the ballroom Navy Band
Orchestra played before and during
dinner. No sooner had the dessert
course been finished than Robert
Taylor took over midst much ap-
plause. He introduced famous naval
officers and the whole table of en-
listed heroes of World War II, and
announced the drawing for the gold
brooch and case of champagne out
of the mahogany -and-brass grog
bucket that was presented to our
Navy by the H. NJ S. Frobisher alter
the War of 1872.
When Mrs. Truman and her
daughter arrived, Miss Truman join
ing Mrs. George Mesta's table, the
entertainment began. First the Ma
rine Band-all 48 pieces, conducted
by Mai. William F. Santelmann-
performed their famous drill to the
@Purple Pageant Parade" Then
Anna Case, former Metropolitan
star who is now Mrs. Clarence Mac
kav, sang. She was followed by an
amusing act involving Comedians
Gene Sheldon and Loretta Fischer,
more songs by Miss Kay De Witt
and finally Harrison and Fisher,
popular dance team. After that
there was general dancing till l
o'clock.
Prominent Guests Present
Seated at the Browns table were
Nine. de Kaufman, Fleet Admiral
william D. Leahy, Admiral and
Mrs. Thomas C. Kinkaid, the Com
mandant of the Marine Corps and
Mrs. Clifton C. Gates, the Cover
nor of Maryland and Mrs. Preston
Lane, Admiral Sir Henry Ruthven
Moore, Admiral and Mrs. Henry K.
Hewitt, Admiral and Mrs. Arthur
Radford. Capt. c. E. Cortner, Mrs.
Hamilton Bryan, Senator Theodore
Green, Comdr. of the Royal Navy
and Mrs. Frank Hopkins. Mrs. 1ruX-
tun Beale and Mr.. and Mrs. Guy
Rutherfurd of New York.
With Mr.. Andrews were the AS
sistant Secretary of the Air Force
and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whit
ney, the Undersecretary Of Com
merce and Mrs. William c. Foster,
Mrs. Hume Wrong, Representative
Edith Nourse Rogers, Vice Admiral
Richard Conolly and Rear Admiral
Louis de F1orez. Mrs. w. Il. p.
Blandy. whose husband is away, had
sitting with her Mrs. Marc Mltschef
Rear Admiral and Mrs. Oswald S.
Colclough, Mrs. Richard Cowel, Mrs.
Mackay and Rear Admiral and Mrs.
r. o. Glover.
Vice Admiral and Mrs. George F.
Hussey were with Rear Admiral and
Mrs. Jerauld Wright and Mrs. Will
liam Wright, and Admiral and Mrs.
Aubrey, Fitch were guests OF the
Superintendent of the Naval Aca-
DENY and Mrs. James Holloway.
Rear Admiral and Mrs. John Roper
had the Argentine Ambassador and
Sonora de Ivanissevich with them,
and entertaining friends at other
tables were Rear Admiral and Mrs.
Ralph Jennings, Rear Admiral and
Mrs. T. B. Inglis and Senator and
Mrs. Sterling Cole. The famous
skipper of the Fighting Lady, Rear
Admiral j. J. Clark, was there with
his wife, and one could go on and
on naming prominent persons who
were there last night.
The decorations left no question
In any ones mind as to whose party
It was. A quick glance at the END
of the room made one feel that a
battleship had loomed into view.
The stage looked like the gangway
of a ship with stanchions rigged with
white nylon rope. Life preservers
were on the gangway and on all the
boxes, bearing names of the 13 origi-
nal ships of the American Navy and
famous ones of the two world wars
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