DECLASSHNED Authority FOR BX A ah MR HEN 3 I A PLEASE SEE THAT THE FOLLONING MESSAGE IS DELIVERED TO ADMIRAL KING OR HIS SECRETARY AT ONCE ADMIRAL ERNEST J KING NAVY DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON D 6 I ONLY HEARD OF THE NEHSPAPER STORY AT 7 TONIGHT I HAD NOT READ THE STORY BEFORE THAT THE NENS OF THE BATTLE COMING IN AT NIGHT SHORTLY AFTER I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT HE COULD NOT HOLD ALASKA FILLED MY DAY I THINK IT ALSO AFFECTED OUR MANAGING JUDGMENT AS A FORMER STAFF - A OFFICER OF COURSE I FULLY APPRECIATE THE IMPROPRIETY OF ATTRIBUTING 7 THE SOURCE OF NENS TO ANY ANONYMOUS STAFF OFFICER BUT MALONEY HAVING BEEN A PURSUIT PILOT IN SOUADRON SEE IT THAT MAY -THAT HAS THE ONLY BLUNDER I SEE IN THE NHICH MAS CREDITABLE TO THE NAVY DISCLOSED NO INFORMATION NHATEVER TO THE ENEMY AND HAS MOST HELPFUL To PUBLIC MORALE HAVING BEEN THRU AND BATTLE AS YOU HAVE I AM SURE YOU KNOW THE INTIMACY THEY ENGENDER AMONG COMRADES IT IS QUITE NATURAL THAT OUR CORRESPONDENT STANLEY JOHNSTONE KNEN ALL THAT HAS GOING ON HIS ENTIRE BONA FIDES HAS SHOWN BY HIS SENDING HIS STORY AND HIS PICTURES TO WASHINGTON OF COURSE NOT BREATHING A NORD OF THE JAPANESE MOVEMENT UNTIL AFTER THE VICTORY HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT AS SOON As I HAD HEARD OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING I ORDERED THAT FULL INFORMATION BE FURNISHED TO YOU OF COURSE I HAVE SENT STAEELY JOHNSTONE TO WASHINGTON NITH ORDERS TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NISH TO RNOT I HOPE-THE MATTER IS SATISFACTORILY IF SUCH IS NOT THE CASE I VISH YOU COMMUNICATE EITHER WITH ME DIRECTLY OR NITH ARTHUR SEARS HENNING HEAD OF OUR VASHINGTON BUREAU ROBERT R                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu