The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-07-06
ADMIRAL KING WAS
A FREQUENT VISITOR
ON CAPE HATTERAS
Late Navy Chief Often Hunted
With Capt. Bernice Balance
at Buxton

Buxton on Cape Hatteras, July
5.-When the nations flags drop
ped to half-staff last week in Off
cial sorrow at the passing of Fleet
Admiral Ernest j. King, it is
rather more than likely that there
was more genuine sorrow on this
island than anywhere else in
America and among the Islanders
Capt. Bernice B. Balance was
without doubt the most deeply
hurt.
Not long before he left Wash
ington for his summer in Maine
Captain Balance had note from
the Fleet Admiral. 1t was written
in his own hand but Captain Bal
lance, who has and treasures many
letters signed simply Ernie, was
scarcely able to recognize it. The
writing was shaky and uncertain
and the words that it spelled out
painstakingly had no cheer in
them. The great sea-dog knew and
said that the end was not far off
and he could not again hope to
come to Cape Hatteras.
Very likely there was no other
man, living who addressed the aus
tere Fleet Admiral by a diminu-
tive of his first name. When they
sat together in a duck blind it was
Ernie" and Bernie" a form of
address that for them dated back
to their first hunting expedition
together here more than 80 years
ago. 1t continued so up to and
including the last time that Cap
tain Balance visited the Fleet Ad-
miral in Washington.
There was an earlier visit that
has left a strata of establishment
in the U. S. Navy, a visit that
came during the war when King
had become the commander of 16
fleets. Captain Balance went to
the Pentagon to see his friend and
he was having a pretty tough time
of getting anywhere within hol-
lering distance. People kept stop
ping him and saying that it was
impossible. Finally the veteran
Coast Guardsman asked for just a
pencil and paper. A Captain de-
parted with the pencilled note.
Within a minute or so the Fleet
Admiral himself was coming
down the hall, scattering aides and
orderlies in his wake and the two
men addressed each other as if
they were in goose blind on the
reef off here. Navy business
throughout the world and Coast
Guard business in Cape Hatteras
Group was forgotten for spell
and the ears OF aides and orderlies
tingled with the big boss astrin-
gent invective.
The acquaintance between the
Coast Guardsman and the Fleet
Admiral-to-be began at the Naval
Air Station in Norfolk. King had
just learned to fly and was a
junior officer at the Station. He
inquired about shooting down here
and Balance invited him down to
try his luck. He came. He returned,
year after year, staying always
with Captain and Mrs. Balance at
their home here. He was genial
and affable with the islanders
/ and a most impressive hand with
a goose gun.
These last years have been a
little confusing to many islanders
who knew him, these years and
their stories of how grim a man
King was, how rugged a disciple
marian. There was nothing around
here to be grim about and nothing
to discipline except an occasional
goose. Nobody ever heard him
raise his voice or chew-out any
body. He was, around here, gentle
! and kindly and his death has
brought island-wide regret. = Ben