US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

WATCHTOWER 269
phibious groups or forces. It was not licked in a month or even in the first
year of World War II. Theprime billets forthe BUPERS “hot shots” were
the big carriers, and the new battleships, and Rear Admiral Turner’s efforts to
draft some of these “hot shot” officers into the amphibious ship commands
were futile, even after he had acquired three stars on his shoulders. He was
forever grateful to those officers in our Navy who had acquired less than
an ultra plus ultra rating in the peacetime Navy, but who turned in a
superb and winning performance in battling through to the beaches with
their troops and long tons of logistic support.”
Rear Admiral Turner faced the following situation in July-August 1942.
In the three transport divisions of transports and cargo ships (APs and AKs)
in Amphibious Force South Pacific Force, on the day of its formal organiza-
tion, 18 July 1942, there were nine captains and 10 commanders of the
United States Navy either commanding one of the ships or having a division
or squadron command.97 At this time, the most recent rear admiral selection
list extended down through the Class of 1915, and actual promotion to rear
admiral had taken place recently down into the Class of 1913. The captain
selection list extended down through the Class of 1920, and actual promotion
had taken place recently down through three quarters of the Class of 1918.
Of the 19 naval officers in command in these transport divisions, only four
were on station and had not missed either the recent selection to the next
higher rank, or a previous one at some time in their naval career. Neverthe-
less, performance of duty of the very highest order in WATCHTOWER and
in subsequent combat operations in the Pacific brought promotion to the
great majority of these 19 oflicers. Three became commodores, one a rear
admiral, and one a vice admiral on the active list of the Navy. Nine of the
10 commanders won promotion to captain on the active list during the war.
Despite Rear Admiral Turner’s strong and repeated recommendations to the
Navy Department, supported by his seniors in the chain of command, he
was unable to obtain promotion to rear admiral of several of the commo-
dores who so ably served him, the Navy, and the nation.es
WHEN, WHERE, WITH WHAT?
Admiral King was pressing his naval subordinates to get on the counter-
MTurner.
m(a) N.R., 1938-43; (b) N.D., 1 Mar. 1942; (c) Establishment letter, 1942.
w (a) Turner; (b) N.R., 1942-45, 1947; (c) COMPHIBFORSOPAC to COMSOPAC 192350
Jul. 1942; COMSOPAC to CINCPAC 210050 Ju1. 1942.