US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

124 Amphibians Came To Conquer
the political, economic, and psychological problems of the world and a
keener knowledge of the strategical military aspects of any future wodd
conflicts, whether between Blue (United States ) and Black (Germany) or
even Orange (Japan ) and Bize. Despite the Bureau of Navigation’s frequent
circular letters that no request for the War College was necessary, or desired,
these eager beavers requested such duty.
NAVAL AVIATION AND THE NAVAL WAR COLLEGE
In the five years, June 1930-1935, before Commander Turner became a
student at the Naval War College, there had been only one naval aviator on
the staff of more than 20 officers of that institution. In the Line student body
of 70 to 90 officers there was only one naval aviator in three out of these five
years. Throughout this period, there were over 800 naval aviators in the
Navy, out of a total averaging 5,5oo officers in the Line of the Navy. The
number of students at the Naval War College during each of these five years
was approximately one out of 60 to one out of 80 of the Line of the Navy,
but the number of naval aviator students during three of these five years was
only one out of 800 naval aviators, and always less than one out of 160.
Bearing in mind the reluctance of the Bureau of Aeronautics to designate
any of its charges for a detail outside the Naval Aeronautics Organization, it
was a minor miracle that Commander Turner was so designated.
This divergence between the Naval War College and the Naval Aeronautical
Organization had a large part of its basis in the slowness with which
the “Damage Rules” of the Naval War College, used in all Fleet Problems
and tactical exercises, came to recognize the potency of the air bomb and the
accuracy with which carrier aircraft delivered it. Thus, one aviator wrote:
I had the old Saru Air Group as we headed for Pearl on the annual cruise.
We were ordered to attack the ‘enemy,’ three Culifornia’s and three Idaho’s.
We came in from 22,000 feet, effected complete surprise with 74 a/c and
roughly 54 half ton bombs. Squadrons of the group had won all the gunnery
trophies that year. The Chief Umpire, going by War College rules, slowed one
BATDIV two knots!!!
So you can see the thinking at that time at the Naval War College.”
Admiral Turner recalled that duty at the Naval War College was “much
to his liking.” ‘5 The President of the Naval War College was Rear Admiral
‘4Admiral Austin K. Doyle, USN (Ret.), to GCD, letter, 28 Mar. 1964.
= Turner,