New Navy Secretary Sworn In
President Reagan today attended the swearing-in of Will Ball, his former congressional lobbyist, as secretary of the Navy and reaffirmed a commitment to a 600-ship Navy.
At the oath-taking in the Old Executive Office Building, Reagan said Ball “takes hold of the Navy at a critical time when the defense budget has been cut four times. A 600-ship Navy remains our goal.” Ball succeeds James H. Webb, who resigned Feb. 22 in protest against Defense Secretary Frank C. Carlucci’s budget cuts. Webb charged that the Administration had abandoned the goal of a 600-ship Navy.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
