Evening star., 1949-09-16
Navy
(Continued From First Page

responsible officers of your COM
mand:
"Ths recent series OF public
statements beginning with and re-
,sulting from Capt. Crommelin's S
statement, all of which appear to
have been inspired largely about
apprehensions the future Of naval
aviation have from the standpoint
of successful unification and
maintenance of harmony among
, the service been a source Of en-
barrassment to the Navy departl
ment.
while there is no intent to i'm
pair your right of free expression
OF views, believe a more appro-
, pirate and effective procedure
would be to transmit them to me
, through channels in accordance
with article 124, Navy Regulations.
This Is particularly pertinent
bearing In mind the announced
Intention Of the House Armed
8ervices Committee to examine
next month many Of the issues
now receiving attention in public
print. The views so transmitted
will, assure you, be used in sup
port of the integrity and efficiency
Of the naval service. The CO.
operation of all personnel az
fected by the foregoing will be
greatly appreciated"
= Capt. Crommelin last Sunday
issued . blast in which he de-
elared the Nays offensive power
: was being "nibbled away" by the
Army and Air Force.
The 46-year -old flyer and former
carrier commander said he helped
start the row over the Air Force
: B-36 bomber in an effort to focus
Congress attention on danger
Gus and growing concentration OF
power" in the unified Defense De-
partment. He said the Navy's
representative on the powerful
Joint Chiefs is outvoted by his
Army and Air Force opposites who
may, he said, have q 'land-locked''
defense outlook.
: Similar to Air Force Warning.
Mr.. Matthews general instruc-
ton to naval personnel are some
what similar in purpose, although
not in wording, to 4 warning issued
earlier by the Air Force to its
commands. The A. F. statement
said:
"You are reminded that 1t is the
policy Of the Air Force to refrain
from any public discussion and to
avoid taking any action which
might be construed as rejecting
opinions of the Air Force or its
personnel concerning statements
OF naval officers in criticism .ef
unification and interservice rela-
; tionships."
Among those who have come to
the defense Of Capt. Crommelin
have been Admiral William F.
Halsey. wartime Pacific naval
hero; Rear Admiral Hugh H.
Goodwin, chief Of staff for the
Atlantic Fleet, and Rear Admiral
Austin K. Doyle, who head the
Navy air training program with
headquarters at Glenview. III.
Declaring that Capt. Cromme-
Inns public statement obviously
disqualified" him from continuing
work for the high-level Joint
Chiefs Of STAT, Mr.. Matthews
reassigped Capt. Crommelin before
the captain had q chance to take
over the job assigned to him by
an admiral.
So today Capt. Crommelin
Is on duty with the Navy's air
warfare division. which is an i'm
portant. cog in the services op-
Grating organization-but doesn't
deal in high policy-making like
the Joint Chiefs.
Here's a play-by-play on the
"Transfer Crommelin Operation
yesterday:
Noon-Navy press officers re-
-vealed that Capt. Crommelin had
been transferred from the Joint
Chiefs to the Office of the Chief o1
Naval Operations, Admiral Louis
e. Denfeld, but insisted the reas-
signment was not to be viewed as
disciplinary action" for the wal
hero's charges.
=. Capt. Cromfnelin was
going to work for the Deputy Chief
of Naval Operations for Air. Vice
Admiral Calvin T. Durgin, the
same sources said. The admiral
himself had signed the orders
few hours before and they were
affective Immediately. they added
pm.-Admiral Durgin had as
signed Capt. Crommelin as di-
rector Of naval aviation personnel
IL L.