US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

WATCHTOWER 249
Becauseof the consequent urgency of the situation in the Pacific [the Japanese
had just invaded New Guinea and occupied Rangoon, Burma] I assume that
the War Department will give first priority to movement of troops and aircraft
to Australia and the islands in the strength approximately as shown in
the subject paper JCS 23 ‘Strategic Deployment of Land, Sea and Air Forces
of the United States’ as amended by action taken at the meeting held today.sz
On 26 March 1942, Rear Admiral Turner in an official memorandum to
COMINCH pointed out that the Army reply to Admiral King’s memo of
17 March:
. . . (1) made no commitments as to priority of the movement of Army
forces to the islands of the Pacific; (2) markedly lowered the Army Air
Corps strength to be supplied to the South Pacific Area islands (75 planes
versus 242 planes ) over that proposed by the approved JCS 23 as well as
the total aircraft for the area (532 planes versus 746 planes).
Rear Admiral Turner further stated:
It is a far different matter attempting to establish advance bases in the
Solomons than in the islands heretofore occupied by the United States and
New Zealand.”
This latter paragraph indicated that the Scdomons venture was beginning to
influence future planning—a landmark in the history of the Solomons
operation.
Rear Admiral Turner in the same memorandum further recommended
that the South Pacific Area be established “as soon as possible” and that
COMINCH
1. appoint a naval commander of the South Pacificarea. . . .
2. send amphibious troops, . . .
3. assign COMSOPAC tasks commensurate with his forces and require
him to carry on a campaign of operations within his power.
DEMARCATION OF AREAS
On 4 April 1942, after discussion and agreement at the highest political
and military levels, the whole Pacific Theater was divided into these areas:
Pacific Ocean Area (POA)
Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA)
Southeast Pacific Area (SEPA)
u Admiral King to General Marshall, memorandum M37/A16-3 (4 ) of 17 Mar. 1942. Memo
bears an ink note “General Eisenhower” with the initials GCM.
mDNP to COMINCH, memorandum, 26 Mar. 1942.