(Jewish Daily Bulletin)
Lieut. Commander Edward Ellsberg, U. S. N., who is a member of the Construction Corps stationed at the New York Navy Yard, has resigned, according to an announcement by Secretary Wilbur. He gave no reason for his desire to resign, but it was assumed at the Navy Department that he plans to enter private business.
Commander Ellsberg devised the plan under which the submarine S-51, which was rammed by the City of Rome off Block Island a year ago, was raised and towed to the navy yard at Brooklyn, N. Y.
Failure on the part of Secretary of the Navy Wilbur to promote Lieutenant Commander Edward Ellsberg to the rank of Commander in recognition of his heroism and leadership in the salvaging of the submarine S-51 was sharply criticized by Congressman Samanuel Celler of the Tenth Congressional District of Brooklyn, in a letter to the Secretary of the Navy made known on September 14 last.
The recommendation for the promotion of Lieutenant Commander Ellsberg and his comrades, Lieutenant Henry Hartley and Boatswain Richard Hawes, was made by the United States navy authorities and strongly approved by Admiral Plunkett, in charge of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the station of the above mentioned naval officers.
In his letter to Secretary Wilbur, Congressman Celler declared that unless the Secretary would advance the officers as recommended, he would introduce into Congress a resolution authorizing the president of the United States to advance Lieutenant Commander Ellsberg to the rank of Rear Admiral and to promote the other two.
“It seems that the reasons advanced for this failure properly to reward these heroes is the Department’s policy not to recommend the promotion of officers as a reward for service. It is difficult to understand this policy if any such exists. Already some twenty of the enlisted men engaged in salvaging the S-51 have been promoted. Furthermore the record of officers who have been promoted for meritorious service is not short,” Congressman Celler wrote.
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