“;Back in the Day,”; appearing every Sunday, takes a look at articles that ran on this date in history in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Hawaii's oldest continuously published daily newspaper. The items appear verbatim, so don't blame us today for yesteryear's bad grammar.

Sub base on war footing

The submarine base at Pearl Harbor stands ready to meet an all-out national emergency.

That reassurance was given today by Capt. Joseph W. Williams, Jr., who turned over command of the base and its 1,000 personnel to Capt. Donald F. Weiss.

Questioned closer about the installation's readiness to fight a general war, Capt. Williams said he could not amplify his remark because of security restrictions.

He told some 700 of his men at the change of command ceremony that when he reported here nearly two years ago, the sub base was ready to cope with only a local emergency.

Since then, however, he said, a stepped-up training program that qualifies men in half the time formerly thought necessary has put the base on a war footing.

Although noting that “;naturally, we would have to expand”; in event of a general emergency, Capt. Williams said the base “;stands side by side with the forces afloat”; and is ready to send submarines anywhere they are needed.

As Capt. Williams turned over his command, approximately 700 enlisted men and officers, all in dress whites, lined three sides of Cromwell Circle in three ranks.

After reading his orders, Capt. Weiss commented: “;It is a pleasure to take over this outstanding base.”;

He was congratulated by Rear Adm. Charles B. Momsen, Pacific Fleet Submarine Force commander, and Capt. Creed C. Burlingame, chief of staff for the admiral.