I have today received notice from the Commandant, Twelfth Navel District that, under date of September 11, 1944, the Commandant addressed communication to the Interstate Commerce Commission and to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy concerning continuance of operation of the Yosemite Valley Railroad.

        The communication to the Interstate Commerce Commission registered protest against the granting of the application of the Yosemite Valley Railroad Co. to discontinue operations from the City of Merced, California to El Portal, California and requested that if the applicant pursued such application to discontinue its operation, that the Commandant, Twelfth Naval District, or the Navy Department, be granted a hearing before the Interstate Commerce Commission. The grounds for such protest were the fact that the U. S. Naval Convalescent Hospital, Yosemite, California has been located in the Yosemite Valley for 14 months, is necessary for the recuperation of navy personnel who have served overseas in the present war and other navy convalescent personnel and, briefly, that discountenance of the railroad would involve considerable service by trucks or vans between Merced and the Naval Hospital, Yosemite, Calif. for the transportation of refrigerated and other supplies to the hospital.

        The Interstate Commerce Commission acknowledged receipt of this protest and stated that as soon as practicable after the receipt from the applicant of the return to the Commission’s questionnaire, arrangements would be made to assign the case for hearing at some point convenient to the protesting parties. The Commandant will be duly advised of the time and place designated.

        The communication to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy requested that he take appropriate action before the Interstate Commerce Commission to prevent the subject railroad from discontinuing operations from the City of Merced to El Portal in accordance with the subject railroad’s application, Docket No. 14688. Copy of the Commandant’s detailed protest to Interstate Commerce Commission giving facts showing the importance of the continuance of operation of this railroad was forwarded to the Judge Advocate General.