On May 23, 1940 he was assigned to the office of the Secretary of the Navy for duty in airship evaluations, and was promoted to the rank of captain on July 13. In September he became the senior member of the Board created to investigate sites for new airship stations. On February 25, 1941 he was detached from that duty to serve in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and then on April 23, 1942 to the office of Chief of Naval Operations, under the Director of Fleet Training, for airship training and base selection.