BATTLE OF THE SEAS: Biggest Navy

The U.S. Navy, biggest in world history, had almost as many ships in commission last week as it had sailors in 1938. In that year its establishment numbered 109,065 officers & men. Last week the Navy announced that it had added 100,000 vessels (above the size of boats) to the 7,695 it had in commission on Dec. 7, 1941. The breakdown: 1,150 combatant ships; 557 auxiliaries; 82,266 landing ships and landing craft; the balance, patrol and mine craft.