UNIFICATION OF THE ARMED FORCES 92925 COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE SEVENTY-NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON S. 2044 A BILL TO PROMOTE THE COMMON DEFENSE BY TO THE COMMON DEFENSE APRIL 30, MAY 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, Printed for the use of the Committee on Naval Affairs UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1946 CONTENTS Austin, Hon. Warren R., United States Senator from Vermonta.. Carney, Vice Adm. Robert B., Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Colclough, Rear Adm. Oswald S., Judge Advocate General of the 28, 57 120 165, 239 335 Forrestal, Hon. James V., the Secretary of the Navy- 31, 348 Kenney, Hon. W. John, Assistant Secretary of the Navy- 188, 211, 250 127, 323 Mitscher, Admiral Marc A., commander, Eighth Fleet... 325 Moreell, Admiral Ben; Chief of the Material Division, office of the Nimitz, Fleet Adm. Chester W., Chief of Naval Operations. Robbins, Rear Adm. Thomas H., Assistant for Plans to the Deputy Sherman, Vice Adm. Forrest, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Spruance, Admiral Raymond A., president, Naval War College.. Thomas, Hon. Elbert D., chairman, Senate Committee on Military Turner, Admiral Richmond K., representative of the Chief of Naval Operations on the Military Staff Committee of the Security Council of the United Nations Organization___ Vandegrift, Gen. Alexander A., commandant, United States Marine Vest, Capt. J. P. W., Chief, Aviation Training Section, Office of the Text of S. 2044, a bill to promote the common defense by unifying the departments and agencies of the Government relating to the Statement of Hon. Elbert D. Thomas, United States Senator from Utah, chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee_. Statement of Hon. Warren R. Austin, United States Senator from May 1, 1946: Statement of Hon. James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy- May 2, 1946: Statement of Hon. Warren R. Austin, United States Senator Statement of Vice Adm. Forrest Sherman, Deputy Chief of Naval 89 Statement of Rear Adm. Thomas H. Robbins, Assistant for Plans to 102 Chart showing record of Marine Corps field service, 1896 to 1946_-- Statement of Rear Adm. Oswald S. Colclough, Judge Advocate General May 7, 1946: Statement of Fleet Adm. Ernest J. King, USN_ May 8, 1946: Statement of Charles E. Wilson, president, General Electric Insertion: Article from United States News of May 10, 1946, Decisive Role of United States Navy in Destroying Japanese Fleet__ Statement of Hon. W. John Kenney, Assistant Secretary of the Navy-- Statement of Admiral F. J. Horne, Special Assistant to the Chief of Insertion: Letter dated July 3, 1946, to the chairman of the Senate Statement of Admiral Richmond K. Turner, USN, representative of the Chief of Naval Operations on the Military Staff Committee of the Statement of Admiral Marc A. Mitcher, commander, Eighth Fleet- Statement of Vice Adm. Robert B. Carney, Deputy Chief of Naval Statement of Capt. J. P. W. Vest, Chief, Aviation Training Section, Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air). Insertion: Statistics on Japanese vessels sunk by United States UNIFICATION OF THE ARMED FORCES TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1946 UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:30 a. m., in room 212 Senate Office Building, Senator David I. Walsh (chairman), presiding. Present: Senators Walsh (chairman), Tydings, Russell, Byrd, Gerry, McClellan, Magnuson, Myers, Brooks, Robertson, and Saltonstall. Also present: Senator Hill. The CHAIRMAN. We have under consideration this morning S. 2044, a bill "To promote the common defense by unifying the departments and agencies of the Government relating to the common defense." I will ask the reporter to place the bill in the record at this point. (S. 2044 is as follows:) [S. 2044, 79th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To promote the common defense by unifying the departments and agencies of the Government relating to the common defense Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Common Defense Act of 1946." DECLARATION OF POLICY SEC. 2. In enacting this legislation, it is the intent of Congress to provide a comprehensive and continuous program for our future safety and for the peace and security of the world; to coordinate under civilian control the departments and agencies of the Government and their functions relating to the common defense; to provide permanent machinery for the establishment of integrated programs for the maximum use of the Nation's military, human, natural, and industrial resources in the interests of common defense; to realize the economies that can be achieved through unified control of supply and service functions; to prevent duplication and overlapping of functions; to establish the most advantageous framework for a unified system of training for combined operations by land, sea, and air forces; and, on the basis of past knowledge and experience, to integrate all elements of our Nation into an alert, smoothly working, and efficient organization for the protection of our national security. In time of peace it is essential that well-laid plans be formulated and kept up to date ready, at an instant's notice, to be put into effect in the event this Nation is again threatened with or forced into war. The maintenance of such an organization in a continuous state of full alert will be for (a) the security of the Nation, (b) the preservation of peace, (c) the removal of the causes of war, and (d) the suppression of aggression at its first appearance. TITLE I-UNIFIED ORGANIZATION FOR NATIONAL SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT SEC. 101. (a) There shall be at the seat of government an executive department to be known as the Department of Common Defense, which shall be 1 |