Evening star., 1959-10-29
BY RUTH DEAN
star stan Writer

South Pacific Destroyer
Squadron %, all Of them
admirals now, attended the
party at the Army-Navy
Town Club.
AS guests arrived the first
sight that greeted them was
a large slowly revolving "a
inch globe, around which a
miniature destroyer rotated
at a fast clip. A neatly printed
card beneath read: "31-Knot
was pinned on Arleigh Burke
by Admiral william F.
Halsey in the South Pacific.
Today Admiral Burke makes
81 knots on a global basis"
The quotation was from
the latest published book on
Admiral Burke's wartime ex-
ploits, Destroyer Squadron
%" by former war corre-
spondent Ken Jones, which
was placed on the table be-
side the globe.
Flagship Silhouette
At either side of the room
the decorations carried out
the "31-knot" theme, past
and present.
Naturally attracting the
most and nostalgia attention
was a large cutout silhouette
of the USS Charles Ausburne
ODD 570), Admiral Burke's
flagship in Destroyer Squad
ron %. Underneath it were
arranged SIN all authentic
scale models of the other
eight ships in the squadron.
Over the display was a quo
, tation from Mr.. Jones book:
"No squadron in any Navy
has won so many battle
honors in less time than the
fighting, chasing 23."
AS Admiral Burke admired
the arrangement, he was
Joined by Vice Admiral Roy
A. Gano, commander Of the
Military Sea Transportation
Service, who commanded the
USS Dyson CDD STD in
Admiral Burke's squadron.
Spotting the familiar "572"
on the scale model, Admiral
Gano playfully expressed the
wish he could have it.
Responding in the same play
full vein, Admiral Burke said,
mo, you can't. That belongs
to PABLO" PABLO was
Admiral Gano's wartime
code name.
incidentally, Admiral Gano
got his wish. Mrs. Bennett
presented him the ship model
as he left the party, adding
that she intended to send the
other models to the officers
who commanded them under
Admiral Burke.
Other Commanders There
The two other former
Squadron % commanders
present were Rear Admiral
De Witt C. E. Hamburger,
and Vice Admiral Bernard L.
("Count" to his longtime
Navy friends) Austin, now
Deputy CNO for Plans and
Policy.
The decorations on the
other side of the room brought
guests up to date on the
"global 31-knot Burke" On a
typical Navy-type press room
bulletin board were fictitious
press bulletins. One read:
Usually reliable sources
stated today in Washington,
Burke to be named eighth
astronaut."
Another datelined "Podunk,
U.S.A., October 80, 1885,"
quoted the admiral in a
speech before the United
Space Society. IF the ma
tional interest demands the
Navy will put a destroyer in
orbit to cope with Russian
space stations" it read. II am
confident that destroyer
sailors will press home the
attack with torpedo-like mis-
siles and eliminate the
threat"
Asked later how he liked
being thus quoted" Admiral
Burke grinned. "It's not a
real quote but I won't disown
it," he quipped.
Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy and Mrs. Cecil P. Milne.
Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy and Mrs. James H.
Wakelin, jr. and the Vice
Chief of Naval Operations
and Mrs. James s. Russell
were among those at the
party.
General Decorated
Other events on yesterdays
military scene included a buf-
fet supper and a medal
decoration ceremony at the
Pentagon.
The supper was given by
the Canadian Assistant Mill
tary Attache and Mrs. John
B. Allan in their home.
The decoration was con-
ferred by Secretary Of the
Army WILDER M. Brucker on
Gen. Benito Miranda, chief
of the Permanent Spanish
Military Mission in the United
. States. AS he bestowed the
Medal Of Merit on Gen.
Miranda, Mr.. Brucker cited
him for his wonderful Job
during his term Of Office as
; Spanish Military Attache