CONTENTS Statement of— Hon. James V. Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy Page 57 Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations. 74 Vice Adm. Forrest P. Sherman, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Operations). 79 Capt. George W. Anderson, Jr., Strategic Plans, Operations Division, 95 Vice Adm. Louis E. Denfeld, Chief of Naval Personnel. 102 Brig. Gen. Merritt A. Edson, United States Marine Corps- 115 117 124 Rear Adm. J. L. Holloway, Jr., Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel.. 128 AUTHORIZING PERMANENT OFFICER AND ENLISTED STRENGTH OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY AND THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1946 UNITED STATES SENATE, 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), Gerry, and Saltonstall. NOMINATION OF WILLIAM JOHN KENNEY TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY The CHAIRMAN. Before we proceed with H. R. 4421, I would like to have Mr. Kenney stand up at the other end of table. Mr. KENNEY. Yes, sir." The CHAIRMAN. I have asked Mr. William John Kenney, who has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, to appear this morning so that the members of the committee who are present could see him and look him over. Mr. Kenney has been serving in various capacities in the Navy since January 1941. He was appointed special assistant to Under Secretary of the Navy-then Under Secretary of the Navy-Forrestal. He has served in the capacities of general counsel, Vice Chairman of the Office of Procurement and Material, and Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He resigned as Deputy on December 29, 1945. Mr. Kenney, where is your home? Mr. KENNEY. My home is in California, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. We are getting quite familiar with California. Mr. KENNEY. That is what I read in the papers. The CHAIRMAN. What part of California? Mr. KENNEY. Los Angeles, San Marino, to be exact. The CHAIRMAN. Are you in the oil business? Mr. KENNEY. In the oil business? No. The CHAIRMAN. I have notified the members of the committee that unless objection is made, Mr. Kenney's name would be submitted by the chairman of this committee tomorrow to the Senate, as approved. I do not know of any objection, Mr. Kenney, and I just asked you to come down this morning so that those members of the committee who were here could see you. Mr. KENNEY. Thank you very much. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. AUTHORIZING PERMANENT OFFICER AND ENLISTED STRENGTH OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY AND THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 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), Gerry, and Saltonstall. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will now please consider H. R. 4421, Docket No. 162, a bill to increase the permanent authorized enlisted strength of the active list of the Regular Navy and Marine Corps, to increase the permanent authorized number of commissioned officers of the active list of the line of the Regular Navy, and to authorize permanent appointments in the Regular Navy and Marine Corps, and for other purposes. This bill has passed the House and the Navy Department is desirous of presenting its views to the committee and on getting some action on the part of the committee as soon as possible. Secretary of the Navy Forrestal will first present to the committee the views of the Navy Department on this legislation. Secretary Forrestal, you may proceed. STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES V. FORRESTAL, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY Secretary FORRESTAL. Mr. Chairman, and the members of the committee, we have been asked to appear before this committee today in order to outline the plans for the Navy of the United States in the years just ahead and to tell you why we consider it essential to secure passage, as early as possible, of legislation now being considered by your committee. The Navy Department has formulated plans for its immediate strength in ships, in aircraft, in shore installations, and in men. These four aspects of our naval strength are intimately related. I would like to interject at this point. When I say "immediate strength" of the Navy, I attach some significance to that qualification. In our presentation today we propose to describe this relationship. The bill under consideration relates to the key element of personnela force of 500,000 enlisted men and 58,000 officers. This is the figure which the best professional opinion considers necessary to meet the present demands of the national security. In order to insure this |