National Affairs: Open Letter

When Admiral Louis Denfeld, who also took his stand against Defense Secretary Johnson and the workings of the unification act, was summarily fired as Chief of Naval Operations last October, he was offered another post: command of U.S. naval forces in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Last week, in a blistering letter, mild “Uncle Louie” Denfeld told Navy Secretary Francis Matthews he was turning down the job and announced he was considering retirement from the Navy. Wrote Denfeld:

“You requested my removal from duty as Chief of Naval Operations, giving among the reasons therefor that I was, in your opinion, not loyal to my superiors and did not have the ‘respect for authority’ that should exist ‘between various official ranks.’

“While there are assignments in which I could serve inside the Navy without fear that my loyalty to the best interests of this nation would be questioned, it could conceivably happen that other nations, having read of this public accusation, would not have the necessary respect for, and confidence in me, which the commander in chief of the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean forces should enjoy in his relations with officials of other governments … I would be under an undesirable restraint on the vital matter of frank discussion with the military representatives of other North Atlantic pact nations. My views on combined strategy, and particularly on naval participation . . . might re-open the recent controversy to the embarrassment of my colleagues, my superiors and our Government.”

By next month, 58-year-old Admiral Denfeld added, he would advise the Pentagon whether he chose to retire (after 41 years in a Navy uniform) or stay on active duty, “in any assignment … in which the handicaps imposed by recent events will not be present.”

In a terse postscript, he concluded: “I most respectfully urge that the text of this letter … be made public.”