Evening star., 1949-02-03
Navy Plans Cut
In Ships, Men
To Meet Budget
; Essex-Type Carriers
And 9 Light Cruisers
To Be Inoctivuted
By John A. Giles

secretary of the Navy Sullivan
today announced plans to start
an immediate reduction in the
number of active ships, men,
planes and air stations to con-
form with President Truman's
1850 budget.
In letters to the chairmen of the
House and Senate Appropriation
and Armed Services Committees. he
announced that:
Three Essex class carriers, nine
light cruisers and three anti-aircraft
cruisers will be laid UP.
The enlisted strength of the Navy
will be reduced from the present
37l.700 to 350,OO0 and that of the
Marine Corps from 76,5O0 to 1895.
The officer personnel of both will
be reduced by 1,195.
The number of operating aircraft
will be reduced from 8,183 planes
to 7765.
Nine air stations will be inacti-
waited and three others will be placed
In maintenance status.
4HCoS lCOuCl1OllS U6 IN
itiated at this time because, in so far
as practicable, the changes con-
templated must be accomplished
prior to June 30," he wrote. 1T is
imperative that the cost of this re-
duction be betrayed with fiscal year
l949 funds and that planned level
of operations be reached at the be-
gining of the fiscal year so that it
can be maintained constant
throughout the year
Some Vessels to Be Added.
The budget President Truman
submitted to Congress would allow
the Navy $4,000, 100000 as compared
with s5,095 100000 this year.
In addition to the major vessels
laid up. Mr.. Sullivan said the Navy
plans 10 inactivate 81 amphibious
types, five patrol craft, four de-
stroyer mine sweepers and II auxil-
tary and small amphibious vessels.
Thus total of 72 vessels will be
laid up.
However, no changes are contem-
plated in the planned addition of
seven newly commissioned vessels
during fiscal 1850, he said. Also 10
Reserve feet destroyers now being
converted to destroyer escorts and
one light carrier will be reactivated
along with IA small craft.
With respect to the principal
combatant types eight attack car
. ritrs will be active during fiscal 1850
instead of the IL now being oper-
ated. and ITO destroyer types will
be assigned to the active fleets COM I.
pared to the 146 now being operat-
ed" he reported. The number of /
submarines being commissioned will
be Increased by two. These changes |
Plus inactivations of other types re-
suit in net reduction from the
present active feet strength of 755
vessels to total strength of 73l"
Air Facilities Reduced.
He pointed out that the lower
levels of operating aircraft and
available personnel brought on a
corresponding reduction in air
facilities.
Air installations to be inactivated
Aleutian Islands; Eva, Oahu, T. H.;
Orote, Guam; Sangley Point, Philip
pine Islands; Honolulu, T. H.; Ell
Centro. Calf; Santa Ana, Calf
and Weymouth. Mass.
Those to be placed in maintenance
are at BARRIERS Point, Oahu, T. H.;
Pearl Harbor. T. H, and Glynco, Ga
In addition the air station at Seattle
will be converted into a naval Re-
serve air station.
The carriers to be laid up are
the Princeton. Antietam and Ia
raWa.
Light cruisers to be inactivated
are the Providence, Little Rock,
Huntington. Portsmouth, Dayton,
Astoria, Topeka, Duluth and At
lanta.
The antiaircraft cruisers which
will go into moth balls are the
Fresno. Oakland and Tucson.
OF these vessels the Fresno, Day.
ton and Duluth already have been
ordered to the reserve feet for in
Nctiyation