Show ADMIRAl PRATT lA a D M RAl 1 u r V FORCE fORC w is By BRAYTON U United Press Staff Correspondent SAN CAN PEDRO Cal April 12 The 12 Th 11 11 command of or Americas America's first firs of or defense will be transferred e on May ilay 21 when Admiral Wl WI Liam V V. Pratt succeeds Admiral Admin lI ry A. A Wiley as as as' commander 1 in hT t of ot the tho entire United States State fleet a a. recent interview on the th qu quarterdeck of his flagship the U U.S. U. U S S. Sj Sr California the incoming incoming- se sea chief Admiral Pratt spoke earnestly earnest 1 ly of of t the huge sea power of or America over over r which he Is to be placed In command It It is true trite that hat we have reached at satisfactory stale state of ot efficiency in gunnery engineering aviation am and communications he said and this situation has been attained only by byth byth th steady development of or many 3 years ears MORALE VERY HIGH The The morale of ot the officers and mep of or the navy today is very something that in Itself has been l largely responsible for tor attainment cf ot Amany many important goals Briefly he sketched his views ot of o oth th S 1 destiny of or a a. fighting fleet that tha at at he be end of or nearly a half hall century of staunch endeavor perhaps stands Unsurpassed by that of or any other J nation Uon I Vo i are trying now just as the navy has since Its inception to build a n. well balanced fleet he ex ex- pl Our ability to do that de depends de- de 1 ends on whether the people see i to give us money to build the proper ships and to maintain sufficient sum sum- dent clent personnel l' l 1 Constant training over a period of fo four fogy ly years ears of service stands ba back l lof of the man who will guide the 1 fictions of or this tremendous weapon weapon i the next two years pears I After graduating from the United I Jt States tes naval academy he saw se service service ser ser- 1 vice ree as a a. lieutenant aboard the thetIS U. U US U.S. S. S S. S Mayflower later the presidents president's presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's yacht in the Cuban blockading blockading in ing squadron during the war with Spain As one of ot the worlds world's foremost n naval val strategists he lie held the tho distinguished distinguished distinguished dis dis- position of or president of or the naval war college from 1926 1925 to 1327 1927 1127 III His service as assistant chief of naval l operations under Admiral William S. S Benson during the World war Avar won for r him hint the distinguished fer service medals of of both the war and andna na navy y departments After ter completing his work worle its ets I rt n al adviser to President Wilson the latter's laUer's trip to Europe in inD D December ember 1918 Admiral l Pratt I served in the capacity of na natal al expert expert expert ex ex- ex- ex pert with the American commission at at the Washington disarmament ir ame ll c conference Admiral Pratt Platt first came came to the r Pacific fleet in 1920 as commander destroyer squadrons After fter termination ol ot his appointments appointments appoint appoint- ments at Washington and Annapolis lis lishe he he again returned to the division to take command of or the battleship squadron In September S pt 1927 y Ten months later he became comma com com- ma in chief of or the Pacific fleet neet in which v. position he will be suc- suc ce ded when he lie ascends to the command of all United d States sea t fores Res by Vice Admiral Louis Lo ls McC l Nulton AIM J |