US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

1941 Developments for Amphibious War 211
Rear Admiral Richard S. Edwards, Deputy Chief of Staff, in forwarding
Rear Admiral Turner’s memorandum wrote:
The amphibious problem is assuming large proportions. Control is badly
scattered in the Department. It should be centralized as Turner suggests. . . .
I concur that an Assistant Chief of Staff be appointed for this purpose. . . .
Rear Admiral Turner and Rear Admiral Edwards well knew that there
was no surer way to arouse Admiral King’s wrath than to recommend an
increase in officers on his staff or in those “attached to Headquarters.” He
had forcefully stated in early January 1942, that his staff would be “under
20” and the officers “attached to Headquarters,” not more than 200. His
personal approval of ail new male officer billets was required.” So it is not
surprising to find that Admiral King on 30 April 1942 vetoed the addition
of a Flag oficer and a new major subdivision for his staff and wrote on
the memorandum:
O.K. for section under a/CofS/Readiness, but first wish to get concurrence
of Gen. Marshall.
It evidently took weeks to get General Marshall’s concurrence, for the
section (F-26) to handle Amphibious Warfare was not established until
4 June 1942, and then with a complement of only six of%cers. Several
captains, who after detachment became Flag officers with advanced rank,
headed up this undermanned and overworked amphibious section in Fleet
Readiness (F-46). They included D. E. Barbey and I. N. Kiland. But
amphibious problems continued to be handled at a lower level than Rear
Admiral Turner considered desirable, or their mushrooming importance
warranted.
AFLOAT
On 1 October 1939, when World War II was getting underway in
Europe, the Navy had only two large transports (APs) in commission. They
operated directly under the Chief of Naval Operations in logistic support of
overseas commands, largely in the personnel area. By 15 October 1940, there
were two additional large amphibious transports (APs) in commission in
the Fleet, the Barnett (AP–11 ) and the McCawley (AP–1O), and four fast
destroyer-type transports.
“The number of officers on the Staff was 20 from 1 March 1942 until the end of the war.
The number of male officers attached to Headquarters reached 181 on 1 January 1943, and was
193 on 1 October 1945, having touched 226 on 1 January 1944. Furer, p. 25.