 In 1940, the Brooklyn Eagle carried numerous speeches of his in which Woodward warned not only of America's "third-place" status, but also that the United States Army lacked the strength to repel a potential attack on the Navy Yard if an enemy managed to break through the nation's naval defenses.Later, he would use the sinking of the SS Normandie (which he believed was sabotage and took as something of a personal affront) to underline his concerns.Promoted to Vice Admiral, Clark Howell Woodward left his positions in New York in March 1941.