Editing National Security Act of 1947 (section)

=== Congressional hearings ===
On March 18, 1947, then-[[Chairperson|Chairman]] Senator Gurney held [[United States congressional hearing|congressional hearings]] in the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Senate Committee on Armed Services]] on the bill that would become the National Security Act of 1947.<ref name=":4" /> The hearings were held in three parts: Part 1 hearings were held on March 18, March 20, March 25, March 26, and April 1–3, 1947;<ref name=":11">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 1: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0003&type=HEARING={{subscription required}}</ref> Part 2 hearings were held on April 8, April 9, April 15, April 18, April 22, April 24, and April 25, 1947;<ref name=":5">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 2: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0007&type=HEARING{{subscription required}}</ref> and Part 3 hearings were held on April 30, May 2, May 6, May 7, and May 9, 1947.<ref name=":6">''National Defense Establishment (Unification of the Armed Services) Part 3: Hearings before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services,'' 80th Cong. (1947). https://congressional.proquest.com/legisinsight?id=HRG-1947-SAS-0008&type=HEARING{{subscription required}}</ref>

The witnesses at the hearings largely spoke in support of the bill, either overall or with adjustments. Major witnesses of the bill who spoke in support were [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|United States Army Chief of Staff]] [[General officer|General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]] [[James Forrestal|James V. Forrestal]], [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] [[Robert P. Patterson]], [[Chief of Naval Operations]] [[Admiral]] [[Chester W. Nimitz]],<ref name=":4" /> Under Secretary of War [[Kenneth Claiborne Royall|Kenneth C. Royall]], Representative [[Walter G. Andrews]] (R-[[New York (state)|NY]]), Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.|Henry Cabot Lodge]] (R-[[Massachusetts|MA]]), two [[Colonel|colonels]] from the [[Reserve Officers Association of the United States]], [[Director of Central Intelligence]] [[Hoyt Vandenberg|Hoyt S. Vandenberg]], Director of the [[Office of Management and Budget|Bureau of the Budget]] [[James E. Webb]], and president of [[General Electric|General Electric Co.]] [[Charles Edward Wilson (businessman)|Charles E. Wilson]].<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> [[Assistant Secretary of the Navy]] [[W. John Kenney]] spoke in support but expressed concerns about appropriations, while [[Surgeon General of the United States Army|United States Army Surgeon General]] [[Norman T. Kirk]] expressed concern about the role of [[Army Medical Department (United States)|medical services]].<ref name=":5" /> Former senator [[Thomas C. Hart]] (R-[[Connecticut|CT]]) opposed the bill and proposed changes to the areas concerning the Navy and the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]].<ref name=":5" /> The president of the Marine Reserve Officers Association, [[Melvin Maas|Melvin J. Maas]], stated that 95% of the Association opposes the bill and requests adjustments as it comes to the Marine Corps' role.<ref name=":5" /> The president of the Reserve Officers of the Naval Services (RONS), John P. Bracken, stated that the organization opposed the bill due to the lack of input they were allowed to give.<ref name=":6" /> Representatives from the [[National Guard Association of the United States|National Guard Association]] opposed the bill as it stood and said that the role of the [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]] needed to be improved.<ref name=":6" />

On April 24th, Edson requested to retire in order to be permitted to present his personal views against the bill, but the Commandant denied his request.<ref name="EdsonOMPF" />

On May 6th, the second Marine Corps Board was dissolved.<ref name="EdsonOMPF">[[nara:40912374|Official Military Personnel File of Merritt A. Edson (NAID: 40912374)]]; Official Military Personnel Files, 1885 – 1998; Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1798–2007, Record Group 24; National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO.</ref>

The next day, at the invitation of a member of the committee, Merritt Edson testified in opposition to the bill. He was the only active duty military officer to do so.<ref name="EdsonOMPF" />

On June 7th, Edson submitted a second request to retire, and this one was accepted. On June 17th, Edson testified before the committee again.<ref name="EdsonOMPF" />