US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

WATCHTOWER 267
Lieutenant Commander John S. Lewis Aide and Flag
Lieutenant’3
Lieutenant Robert A. Williams (SC) Supply Officer”
Captain R. A. Nicholson, USMCR Assistant Communications
Officer’5
This unmethodical and straggling forming up of the new PHIBFOR-
SOPAC staff stretched over 10 weeks and 10,000 miles of ocean. Only the
marked capabilities of the individual regular officers of that period, their
resourcefulness and acceptance of the principle of doing the best they could
with what was at hand provided a basis for the hope that our first large
scale amphibious invasion of Japanese held positions would go off reasonably
well.
AMPHIBIOUS PERSONNEL PROBLEMS
This is as good a time as any to discuss the officer personnel problem
which lay like a heavy soaking blanket over the amphibious forces during the
1942 and 1943 period.
As a result of the 1938 Personnel Bill, which the old Bureau of Navigation
urged the Congress to inflict on the Navy, the seagoing officers of the Navy,
upon completing the required years of service in grade, became eligible for
selection to commander and captain. The yearly selection board then divided
them into four main categories:
1. Selected as best fitted for promotion.
2. Selected as fitted for promotion and retained on active duty.
3. Selected as fitted for promotion, but not retained on active duty.
4. Not qualified and not selected for promotion.
MLEWIS (Rear Admiral) (1932); battleships and destroyer duty 1932-1936; postgraduate
general line, then heavy cruiser Pordund; 23 months Turner’s staff; then distinguished service
command destroyer Soley; After World War II, duty on Turner’s staff at United Nations; command
light cruiser Astoriu, duty with NATO, and Staff, Commander Amphibious Force, Pacific
Fleet.
WWILLIAMS (Captain Supply Corps); Harvard, 1937; Supply School, shore assignments;
five months Turner>s staff; 23 months supply officer heavy cruiser Vincemre~ during Marianas,
Philippine, and Okinawa Campaigns; post.World War II command Naval SUpply Depot Guantanamo,
duty w~th Bureau Supplia and Accounts and Defense Supply Agency.
mNICHOLSON (Marine Corps Reserve) ; Washington and Lee, 1939, Phi Beta Kappa; Marine
Corps Schools; then 18 months Turner’s staff.
Rank upon retirement and year of Naval Academy or other college graduation shown in brief
summary of service.