Command of the Seasis a series of

in the vast expanse of the pacific stretching to the shores of asia the united states navy maintains command of the seas the menace of a potential enemy may be greater here than elsewhere because of the numerous warm water ports from which an underwater war might be waged part of the mission of the navy is to combat such a possibility the record of our submarines during world war ii leaves no doubt of their ability to handle any enemy upon or below the surface to ensure peace and protect our outer perimeter in case of war in the pacific the navy's work battalions the seabees constructed bases and airfields from which our planes could operate a chain of these was laid across the pacific in hawaii on midway in the marshall and the mariana islands in the philippines in japan the navy has constructed airfields in many parts of the pacific and kept them ready for operation naval aviators are trained in both land-based and carrier-based operations the pacific area might hold the key to the peace of the world for years to come and so the navy remained its watchdog the navy remained in this past pacific command following world war ii here she brought modern civilization to the island natives the navy built water towers to provide a steady supply of pure water the navy aided in bringing many kinds of protection in a long-range plan prepared with our interior department and other government agencies agriculture was modernized insect control provided new methods of farming were introduced by the navy to assure more certain sources of food for the natives navy dental and medical officers were provided to establish higher standards of health and to lower the rate of infant mortality self-government was introduced and the development of a system of law and order was encouraged to strengthen the rights of the individual acting under the auspices of the united nations the navy built schools and introduced educational methods fitted to the needs of the natives for based on the charter of the united nations the navy was committed to establishing and maintaining democracy in the pacific the days of the navy and marine assaults upon the beaches of the enemy were ended we were told never again would this country ever have to exert its mighty armed force in another war these men had fought for peace and had won it and then it happened and the marines loaded their combat troops and planes and equipment aboard navy ships on the west coast and headed for trouble out in the pacific true to their great tradition the navy and the marines were ready the navy gave its marines the fastest crossing the pacific had ever witnessed and with other countries of the united nations our ships headed for the combat zone in korea to transport and supply our troops to engage the enemy where he could be found and to patrol nearby trouble zones the peace in the pacific had been shattered our underwater fleet was on patrol too our shipping and supply lanes had to be kept clear and safe the possibility of intervention had to be blocked and our own and the u.n ships protected the task force carriers were never far away from the battlefront ashore in korea shifting from one combat zone to another along the coast their planes were armed with everything we had including rockets search and rescue patrol was also carried on by our submarines maintaining a lookout for flyers who might have to ditch their planes the navy's fighting ships were backed up by her own refueling and re-arming and supply ships permitting the fleet to go anywhere at any time and take its own replenishment requirements along repair ships also accompanies the fleet mine sweepers moved ahead of the fleet intercepting the floating mines that the enemy released in coastal waters new equipment and new techniques were being tried out to provide maximum protection for our own and the un ships operating the lifeline for the combined forces the navy's military sea transportation service the msts transported over 1 million military personnel more than 15 million tons of food ammunition and supplies and over 50 million barrels of fuels across the pacific during the first year of the war in korea navy ships offshore many of them recently out of mothballs supported the marine amphibious assaults softening up the areas ahead of them upon and beyond the beaches from general ridgeway came the report that navy ships and planes were keeping the enemy off balance disrupting his lines of communication and relieving pressure on the u.n front the navy was displaying the finest kind of inter-service cooperation foreign navy and marine planes operating from their mobile landing fields the carriers provided close air support where and when it was most needed so so the marines pushed on inland the refugees sought security behind the lines navy chaplains serving ashore with marines in combat areas gave their spiritual support to the men near the front navy chaplains also aided the navy medical officers and corpsmen in caring for the wounded in the field the navy's hospital ships were never very far away bringing the solace of home the navy takes care of its own bombing and strafing missions were carried out by navy and marine planes in steady support of marine and army ground troops the targets railroad yards trains highways bridges anything that moved in enemy territory the navy hit them hard so so so wherever the navy may be its mission is command of the seas you