Reprimand

When he released the confidential letters which precipitated last month's revolt of the admirals, Captain John G. Crommelin broke a whole lockerful of Navy rules & regulations, was duly suspended from duty. Both Defense Secretary Louis Johnson and Navy Secretary Francis Matthews were hot for court-martialing him. Last week Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, the new Chief of Naval Operations, decided on a smarter, less severe move.

He argued that Airman Crommelin was famous as a flyer and fighting man, and that Crommelin's impetuous and reckless revolt against civilian control had made him the darling of half the officers in the service. It seemed quite possible that a court-martial might make him both a hero and a martyr. It was certain to stir up new publicity (Lieut. Commander Walter Winchell, U.S.N.R., had rushed a New York lawyer to Washington to defend Crommelin).

Airman Sherman called in Crommelin and announced his verdict. Crommelin was to get a stiff letter of reprimand, and would be transferred away forthwith from the pitfalls of Washington to San Francisco to serve as aviation officer on the staff of Vice Admiral George D. Murray, Commander of the Western Sea Frontier. That was all. But in the letter of reprimand, Crommelin was sternly told that his defiance of his superiors had "brought into question your fitness to exercise command or to occupy a position of trust and confidence."

That statement in Crommelin's personnel file made it almost certain that he would not be promoted to rear admiral (he was the second ranking airman in line) by the selection board which meets this week. It also greatly diminished his chances of ever attaining flag rank.

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