US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Tevr Years of Big SbZp Gannery 71
Recognition of the need for cohesiveness of the seagoing personnel
marked this era.
The importance of the association of the personnel of the Fleet during
Fleet concentration periods, not only for the training of the various subordinate
units in cooperative action for the effective use of the Fleet as a whole,
but also for the exchange of ideas, for the coordination of opinion, and, for
the rectification and reduction to writing of Fleet Instructions and indoctrination
has been clearly demonstrated .30
These were also the years when the groundwork for the successes of the
Navy during World War 11were being laid. Admiral Coontz noted:
date:
The early completion and addition to the Fleet of aircraft carriers, cruisers,
and submarines is recommended. 3I
An increase of ten thousand ( 10,000) men is required now if the advance in
Fleet training is to continue. Without this training material preparedness is
futile and belief in our readiness to perform our missions a delusion.32
The logistical problems of a war with Japan were recognized at this early
Fleet logistics as bearing upon mobility have been developed, and underway
fueling exercises for cruisers and destroyers were included in the 1925 Fleet
problems for the second time.3:’
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After a study of Fleet operations extending over many years, and after
executing numerous operations in simulation of war conditions, the Commander
in Chief is impressed with the complete dependence of the combatant
vessels of the United States Fleet upon the service rendered by auxiliaries. . . .
The slow speed of the auxiliaries . . is the greatest single element of
weakness in the United St~tes Fleet today. . Whatever may be the number
and characteristics of the combatant vessels, they cannot be used to the full
extent of their speed, radius of action, and offensive power, unless they can
be accompanied by auxiliaries.”
One of the three main objectives of the Commander in Chief, Admiral
Robert E. Coontz, was stated to be:
Development of the Train to the end that it may refuel, re-victual, re-stock
and repair combatant units on the high seas.3g
* Ibid., 1925, para. 59.
= Ibid.j 1924, para. 164(f).
‘Ibid., 1925, para. 192(a).
= Ibid., 1924, para. 24; Ibid,, 1925, para. 44
‘Ibid., 1925, para. 171(i).
= Ibid., 1924, para. 16.