893.30 Missions/1–2048
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Wooldridge) to the Deputy Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Penfield)
[Washington,] 20 January 1948.
Subject: Naval Advisory Group Survey Board, China
- 1.
- Apropos of your conversation with Captain Hummer19 on 15 January, the following information is submitted.
- 2.
- On 24 November 1945, the Chief of Naval Operations directed Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet to institute, under Commander, 7th Fleet, training of Chinese personnel on diesel driven amphibious ships and crafts, for the purpose of providing crews, including maintenance personnel, for ships employed for overall purpose of effecting the surrender terms against Japan. On 11 December 1945, Commander, 7th Fleet reported the establishment of the Chinese Amphibious Training Group at Tsingtao.
- 3.
- On 23 November 1945, the Chief of Naval Operations established the Naval Advisory Group Survey Board (NAGSB) to make a survey of the needs of the Chinese Navy and the requirements of a naval advisory group. This group was directed to report to Commander, 7th Fleet. In the spring of 1946, the NAGSB took over functions [Page 240] of 7th Fleet Chinese Amphibious Training Group and, on 3 June 1947, was directed to conduct training and to advise the Chinese Navy under Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet through Commander, Naval Forces Western Pacific.
- 4.
- Public Law 512, 79th Congress, approved 16 July 1946,20 and Executive Order 9843 of 25 April 194721 authorized the establishment of a Naval-Advisory Group, not to exceed 100 officers and 200 enlisted men to assist China in naval matters. This executive order authorizes the Secretary of the Navy inter alia, to train personnel “… for such other naval purposes as the Secretary of the Navy may deem proper.”
E. T. Wooldridge
Rear Admiral, U. S. N.