Evening star., 1951-07-24

Plane Leaves Naples
For U. 5. With Body
|0f Admiral Sherman
By John A. Giles
While a four engine Navy trans
port winged its way over the
Atlantic today with the body of
Admiral Forrest P. Sherman,
speculation continued as to who
will succeed him as Chief Of Naval
Operations.
A few minutes before the plane
took of at Naples, Italy. early to-
day, an Italian armed forces guard
and band rendered last honors to
the veteran officer whose 33-year
Navy career began and ended In
the Mediterranean. A plane bear
ing his body Is due at National
Airport at 3 pm. tomorrow and
the Navy tentatively was making
plans for q state funeral. The
services win be held in Arlington
Amphitheater at 8 pm. Friday.
Body TO Lie in State.
Tentative plans call for the
body to be taken directly from the
plane to Washington Cathedral to
lie in state until the time fer the
funeral at Arlington. The formal
military procession to Arlington
also was tentatively planned but
the exact route Of the procession
has not been determined.
The White House will issue an
order today directing that the
flags on public buildings be low
cred to half staff until after Ad-
miral Sherman's funeral.
This will not include the White
House flags. which customarily
go down only for Presidents, for
mer Presidents. Chief Justices or
former Chief Justices.
In recent years there have been
two exceptions. President Tru-
man directed that White House
flags be lowered for Gen. John j.
Pershing whose title was General
of the Armies and for James v.
Forrestal, as first Secretary of
Defense.
Fechteler Is Mentioned.
While President Truman is not
expected to name a successor until
after August !, the speculation
centered about Admiral William
M. Fechteler, commander of the
Atlantic Fleet, although Pentagon
sources also mentioned a number
Of other possibilities.
These were Admirals Lynde D.
McC Cormick, now acting chief and
Ia former submarine specialist:
Robert B. Carney. chief Of United
States naval forces in the East
lern Atlantic and Mediterranean,
and Arthur w. Radford, Pacific
Fleet commander.
By virtue of his command ex-
perience and seniority. Admiral
Radford normally would be the
logical successor but it is less than
two years ago that he led the
Nays interservice fight against
the Air Forces B-36 bomber. call
ing it a ''billion-dollar blunder."
New Air Squabble Seen.
And with a proposed major in
crease in the Air Force likely to
become the most controversial
interservice issue since the B-36
hearings, it appeared likely that
Mr.. Truman would not name him.
The President Is reported to be
determined to keep the fight
within the Pentagon, although
some top air officials already have
begun to speak openly Of plans
to increase the air arm to $50
groups.
Navy Secretary Matthews con-
ferred with Mr.. Truman yesterday
but afterward said that it would
be UP to his successor, Dan A..
Kimball, awaiting Senate con-
firmation, to recommend a new
naval operations chief. Mr.. KIM
ball now is Undersecretary.
The 54-year-old admiral Sher-
man, youngest to become opera
tions chief, died after two heart
attacks Sunday morning In a
Naples hotel suite. He had been
making q tour Of Atlantic pact
countries and had just finished
talks with Generalissimo Franco
about American sea and air bases
in Spain.
Flagship Rites Held.
A brief funeral service was held
this morning on the admiraIs
veranda of the Mount Olympus,
Admiral Carney's flagship. Ad-
miral Carney led his stan of off,
GERS and enlisted men in the
service. ~
-Four destroyers. just back from
Korea, formed a floating guard
|of honor around the ship.
A Navy chaplain. 1t. Comdr.
"a. j. Echard, conducted the H.
minute prayer service. A a.
piece Marine band played.
Mrs. Sherman landed at Ma
tional Airport from Naples yes
terday.
She was greeted by her daugh-
ter, Mrs. John p. Fitzpatrick,
and Marine Col. Paul Sherman,
the late admiral's brother.
Mrs. Sherman was accompanied
across the Atlantic by 1t. Comdr
Fitzpatrick, her son-in-law.
Brother Accompanying Body.
Accompanying Admiral Sher-
mans body on the fight here is
his brother. 1t. Comdr Ernest