U.S. PACIFIC FORCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 103, 14 February 1950, Page 3

U.S. PACIFIC FORCES

DISPOSITION IN EMERGENCY f • - - T GENERAL MACARTHUR IN COMMAND (N.Z.P. A—Copyright) (9.15) WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. The Military High Command announced to-day that it had given General MacArthur authority to assume control of American naval forces in Japanese waters in the event of an emergency. The" Joint Chiefs-of-Staff made known this unification move at a news conference , following their return from a 10-days’ tour of Pacific bases. General Omar Bradley, their chairman, said the chiefs had given their views,in a top-secret report to President Truman on the question of halting Communist expansion in Southeast Asia. He declined to elaborate this statement except to say that the policy to be followed on China and South-east Asia was a matter for the State Department. , Admiral Forrest 'Sherman, naval chief, said there was no evidence that Rusfeia, since the end of the war, had increased the proportion—about one quarter—maintained in the Pacific of her total naval forces. He added: “It

is our plan to keep the United States v Pacific Fleet as strong -as we can within the total forces we have. We made minor adjustments in that direction.”

Admiral Sherman believed that American naval forces in the Western Pacific were equipped and deployed to cope with any threat from Russian submarine strength. General Bradley was asked what

were the major threats in the Pacific, and what steps were being taken to meet them. He replied that he could

not answer without discussing war plans, but said the United States }vas maintaining its military bases in the area.

Full reference to General Mac

Arthur’s control was “when Western

Pacific naval forces are in Japanese waters,, and when there is an emergency, they are to be under General

MacArthur’s control. In peace time, when the Western Pacific-forces are not in Japanese waters, they will operate as units of the Pacific Fleet.” The Joint Chiefs reported that they found housing for military personnel very poor, especially on Okinawa, and General Bradley urged that they be improved.