Post by Diarist on Jul 18, 2014 11:58:07 GMT 1
We arrived just after 15:00 local time and were welcomed by the Secretary of War George Dem and Secretary of the Navy Claude Swanson. Present were also General Douglas MacArthur, Army CoS; Admiral William Standley, Chief of Naval Operations, (CNO); MG Benjamin Foulois, Cdr USAAC as well as BG Frank Andrews, CDR GHQ Air Force. As you can see, the US Armed Forces structure is a complicated. I was introduced as a member of General Gort's personal staff which sounds better than the Unit Historian of a unit that has no history. (I also shouldn't need to be an interpreter this time.) This was followed by an excellent reception/dinner after which we were informed that the 'civilians' and the CIGS will be travelling to Washington tomorrow while the rest of us will remain in Norfolk for talks. We have been instucted not to mention our deliberations concerning Abyssinia.