US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Naal Aviation, 1932–1 940 135
under you.’ His eyes crinkled, then his face became one huge grin. Well, do
I now?’ he asked. I then told him of my discovery and that I had destroyed
the requisition. I suppose I still had the undertaker look on my face, because
he laughed aloud. Then, suddenly, he became quite serious. ‘What made you
say what you did ?’ he asked. ‘Because I’m disgusted having muffed the first
job you gave me.’ He grinned again. ‘YOU outsmarted me. You said about
yourself exactly what I would have said about you, had I found out about this
before you told me.’ Needless to say, the Captain believed what I told him
after that.26
Turner had three Executive Officers during his two years in the Asto~&-——
a bad sign for any Commanding Officer. The first was Commander Paul S.
Theiss who reported to the A~tovia a couple of months prior to Turner’s
reporting on 10 September 1938. Theiss was a former shipmate and a good
friend. An alert and knowledgeable sailorman aboard the A.r~o~ia at the time
writes:
The other gentleman who might have much good to say about Turner
would be Paul S. Theiss, one of Turner’s XO’S in Astoriu. Conversely, it
would be my guess that Turner had genuine respect for Theiss. My reasons
for saying this is that Turner normally addressed Theiss as “Paul” when
talking to the latter (this was unusual for Turner). The other reason that
Turner might have been happy with Theiss is that Theiss was an insomniac
thereby able to devote most of 24 hours a day to his jobthis would fit
in well for Turner, and I believe it did. I know Theiss slept very little for as
a QM I had watches on the bridge every night underway. The normal path
going on and off watch was such that I could see into the Exec’s room. Regardless
of the time of night, the Exec was usually sitting at his desk, fully
clothed, either working or catnapping. I have never known Theiss to place a
call to be awakened in the night call book. No doubt Theiss did sleep in his
bunk but I venture to say that it was not very often. I recall also that sometimes
during WWII, Theiss was reconnected with Turner at sea, either on his
staff or Captain of Turner’s flagship. A good bet would be that Turner asked
for Theiss and, if so, because Theiss would work much longer than most
people’s physical capacity could endure on a continuous basis.27
Rear Admiral Theiss’s death in 1956 at a young 66 and long before work on
this book started, removed one who knew much about Richmond Kelly
Turner.
Unfortunately, after 26 years’ commissioned service, and without having
n CommanderRoy O. Stratton (SC), USN (a Chief Pay Clerk in 1939), to GCD, letter,
4 Aug. 1962. Hereafter Stratton.
= Lieutenant Commander Vicenzo Lopresti to GCD, letter, 12 Sep. 1963. Lopresti was a
seaman and quartermaster third class under Turner, having entered the Navy 6 January 1936.
Hereafter Lopresti.