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2    GENERALS OF THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE AND ADMIRALS OF THE NAVY

In July 1945, destroyers in the squadron skirted along the southern coast of Honshu and bombarded radio stations and airports ashore. After the occupation of Japan, Destroyer Squadron 53 sailed into Sagami Wan ahead of the battleship IOWA, and served as picket and harbor control ships in Tokyo Bay.

Returning to the West Coast in November 1945, he later reported to the Navy Department for temporary duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. On March 19, 1946 he became District Public Information Officer, Third Naval District and Eastern Sea Frontier, in New York City. The following June he was ordered as Special Assistant for Public Relations to James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy. He was relieved of that duty in July 1946, and was a student at the National War College, Washington, D. C., for a year. The next year he was a member of the Joint Staff of Admiral D. C. Ramsey, USN, Commander-in-Chief Pacific.

In the summer of 1949 he was ordered to duty in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D. C. Later that year he was assigned to the Standing Group of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. On August 18, 1951 he assumed command of Transport Division TWENTY ONE, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet. Upon completion of that duty in July 1952, he assumed command of the Naval Amphibious Training Unit, an element of the Amphibious Training Command, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. He also had additional duty as Chief of Staff and Aide to Rear Admiral Rufus E. Rose, USN, Commander Amphibious Training Command, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, at the U. S. Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia. In January 1954 he became Commander Middle East Force.

He became Chief of Information, Navy Department on July 1, 1954.

In addition to the Legion of Merit, Rear Admiral Beecher holds the Commendation Ribbon awarded by the Secretary of the Navy for "outstanding performance of duty" as Deputy Director and Acting Director of Public Relations, 1943-44; the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal; the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; the World War II Victory Medal; the Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia Clasp; and the National Defense Service Medal.

He was married in 1927 to Miss Carvilla Brian Benson of Halethorpe, Maryland. They are the parents of two children, Mrs. J. B. Scrygmeour and Gordon Lee Beecher. Rear Admiral Beecher's father resides at 4420 Roland Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland.

Rear Admiral Beecher's hobby for many years has been song writing. He is the composer of some 700 songs. Many of these have been published, and among them are "A Song of Old Hawaii," "Nimitz, Halsey and Me," and the musical score for "The Ramparts We Watch," a movie by The March of Time. He was technical advisor for the Warner Brothers' movie Shipmates Forever and contributed to the lyrics of the picture's theme song "Don't Give Up the Ship." He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Address:  Navy Department, Washington 25, D. C.


[[image - black & white photograph of Maj. Gen. Burnside]]
[[photo credit]] U. S. Air Force Photograph [[/photo credit]]

BURNSIDE, MERRILL D., MAJ. GEN. USAF (495A)

Born in Evanston, Illinois, October 28, 1905. He was graduated from high school at Washington, D. C., in 1923, and from Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1928.

Appointed a Flying Cadet in June 1928, General Burnside entered Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, and was graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, June 22, 1929, and commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Corps Reserve. On September 4, 1929, he received his regular commission as a second lieutenant of Air Corps. Assigned at Langley Field, Virginia, in February 1934 he was transferred to the Materiel Command at Wright Field, Ohio, as bombsight project officer in the Armament Branch. Entering the Air Corps Engineering School in August 1938, he was graduated the next June and assigned to the Production Engineering Section of the Materiel Command, becoming air inspector of the Materiel Command in November 1943.

Going to the Southwest Pacific in December, 1944, General Burnside joined the Fifth Bomber Command, becoming its acting chief of staff the following February, assistant chief of staff for plans in April 1945, and chief of staff that June. A year later he assumed command of the 49th Fighter Group in Japan, and in September 1946 he assumed command of the 385th Air Service Group in Japan.

The following January General Burnside entered the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia,

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FEBRUARY, 1955 ISSUE    3

was graduated that June, and assigned as chief of the Plans, Program, and Policy Division in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Supply at Air Force Headquarters, retaining that position when his division was transferred to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Materiel that September. Entering the National War College in October 1949, he was graduated the following June and assigned as Air Force member of the Committee Coordination Division, Research and Development Board, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In October 1951 he was named Air Force Secretary of the Research and Development Board.

Joining the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) at Tokyo, Japan, in April 1952, General Burnside was named Deputy for Materiel. On November 15, 1954, he was appointed Deputy Director, Maintenance and Engineering, of the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Air Medal. General Burnside is rated a command pilot.

General and Mrs. Burnside have a son and daughter.

He was promoted to first lieutenant April 30, 1935; to captain (permanent) September 4, 1939; to major (temporary) March 21, 1941; to lieutenant colonel (temporary) January 5, 1942; to colonel (temporary) July 12, 1944; to major (permanent) September 4, 1946; to colonel (permanent) April 2, 1948; to brigadier general (temporary) October 9,1951; to brigadier general (permanent) April 7, 1954; to major general (temporary) October 27, 1954.

Address:  Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.


CANTWELL, JAMES FRANCIS, MAJ. GEN. NGUS (O396657)

Major General James F. Cantwell is a native of Trenton, New Jersey. Born June 24, 1908, he attended Trenton High School and is a graduate architect of the University of Pennsylvania.

He enlisted in the New Jersey National Guard in 1939 and was commissioned and promoted to first lieutenant prior to entering active federal service for World War II with the 112th Field Artillery Regiment, on January 27, 1941. In 1945 he received a battlefield promotion to lieutenant colonel while commanding the 695th Armored Field Artillery Battalion.

Upon the reorganization of the post-World War II National Guard, General Cantwell was charged with the organization of the 50th Armored Division Artillery, which he commanded. He was promoted to colonel in 1947 and to brigadier general in 1953.

In World War II, General Cantwell served overseas with the 695th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, formerly the First Battalion of the 112th Field Artillery Regiment. He commanded the battalion at war's end and with it participated in combat operations in the Normandy, Central Europe, Northern France, Rhineland and Ardennes campaigns. The Battalion received the Presidential Unit Citation for action at Mazures-le-Metz.

General Cantwell has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal, Croix-de-Guerre (France) with Gold Star, Presidential Unit Citation and five battle stars for his European Theater Campaign Medal.

[[image - portrait photograph captioned MAJ. GEN. JAMES FRANCIS CANTWELL]]

For many years General Cantwell has been an architect and engineer. He formerly was with the firm of Hugh A. Kelly and Associates of Jersey City and Trenton. He is a member of the Engineers Club of Trenton, the Lions Club of Ewing and the American Legion.

General Cantwell was raised to cabinet rank when appointed the Chief of Staff, New Jersey Department of Defense by Governor Robert B. Meyner. He was confirmed by the State Senate on November 15, 1954 and took office the following day with the rank of Major General of the Line.

He lives at 622 Latona Avenue, Ewing Township, New Jersey, with his wife, Betty, and their two children, James F., Jr., and Betsy Jane, 6.

Address:  Department of Defense, State of New Jersey, Trenton 10, New Jersey.


CARNEY, ROBERT BOSTWICK, ADMIRAL U. S. NAVY (9612)

When Admiral Robert Bostwick Carney was appointed Chief of Naval Operations in 1953, he said:  "Nothing more wonderful could happen to a sailor." He added that he had "worked at being a sailor for 41 years."

Veteran of action in two world wars, having served in every type of ship from destroyer to battleship, and with virtually every uniform from