Evening star., 1949-10-28
Admiral Delays
His Decision on
Accepting Job
fTert OF Letters on Page 49,
By John A. Giles

BY John A. GILES
Navy Secretary Matthews today
offered Admiral Denfeld a new
post and said a new chief of naval
operations would be announced
by President Truman, possibly
over the week end.
Mr.. Matthews and Admiral
Denfeld, ousted as naval opera
tions chief late yesterday as the
climax to the bitter interservice
fight, conferred for about 80 min
utes this morning at the Penta-
gon. Admiral Denfeld appeared
q bit downcast when he emerged
from the meeting.
Neither the Secretary nor the
admiral would discuss the pro-
posed new assignment. Mr..
Matthews said that the admiral
had. asked for additional time to
consider the offer and said he
would not identify the post until
Admiral Denfeld has made up his
mind.
Calls Interview pheasant"
Mr.. Truman late yesterday an
nounced that he had "authorized"
MIR. Matthews to transfer Admiral
Denfeld to "other important
duties" after the Secretary had
written him that he found "it in
creasingly difficult to work with
him."
Mr.. Matthews described the in
terview with Admiral Denfeld as
pleasant" and added that "our
mutual respect for each other was
not in the least bit lessened by 1t. "
He said he was trying to get
Admiral Denfeld an assignment
in the Navy where he could com
plete his outstanding Navy career
with distinction" and in which
his great abilities" can be Of con-
tinued service to the Nation.
Asked why he had not told Ad-
miral Denfeld In advance that he
was to be relieved Of the top Navy
post, the Secretary said he first
had "to get White House au-
thorization" for the transfer.
Mr.. Truman's official authorize
ton didn't arrive until this morn
ing, the Secretary said. and he
then Immediately called Admiral
Denfeld to his Office.
Earlier in the day. Secretary
Matthews had said he has mot
definitely decided who will be rec
commended as Admiral Denfeld's
successor.
Two Others Mentioned.
Mr.. Matthews said he placed no
Limitations" on the number OF
admirals under consideration.
While Vice Admiral Forrest P.
Sherman, Mediterranean Fleet
commander, led the list of posi-
bilities in Pentagon speculation,
two others also were being men
toned. They were Admiral Rich
ard Conolly, commander of the
Eastern Atlantic and Mediter-
ranean, and Admiral w. H. P.
Blandy, Atlantic Fleet commander.
Admiral Blandy was at the Pen
tagon today.
Mr.. Matthews refused to say
whether Admiral Sherman was
en- route to Washington. His
whereabouts became somewhat of
q mystery at the Pentagon. Sew
eral reports said he was headed
here, while Navy dispatches
showed him aboard the cruiser
Des Moines in the Mediterranean.
Those dispatches were addressed
to Admiral Denfeld as Chief of
Naval Operations. but it was
pointed out that the whole mat
ter was being handled on a much
higher level and that Admiral
Sherman could be headed here
without Admiral Denfeld being in
formed.
Admiral Denfeld did not get
prior warning that he was to be
relieved. The first word came to
him via news reports from the
Presidents conference.
Mr.. Matthews saw the admiral
early in the week but he ad-
mitted today that he did not dis
(See DENFEID Page All