US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

WATCHTOWER
operations should take precedence over units being
[EFATE, NEW HEBRIDES] and other localities.
As a forerunner of later difficulties with some of
Rear Admiral Turner added this view:
assembled for ROSES
his logistic subordinates
that with respect to captured islands, we should set a date of one week for
the establishment of an airfield.104
It is also worth pointing out that Rear Admiral Turner picked Guadalcanal
Island before it was known by the Navy or reported to the Navy by the Army
Air Force that the Japanese had actually started construction of an airfield
in its north central plain area. Thii was the reason for the parenthetical “or
airfield site” in the plan submitted to CIINCPAC and COMINCH in San
Francisco. Definite information that an airfield had actually been started by
the Japanese on Guadalcanal Island did not reach Rear Admiral Turner until
after his arrival in New Zealand.105
As early as 22 May 1942, Army forces on New Caledonia had reported to
the War Department a Japanese photo reconnaissance plane observed over
Guadalcanal and suggested that the Japanese were “planning aerodrome
construction there.” This prophetic G-2 despatch was not given the normal
routing to the Navy or special COMINCH routing which so many incoming
Army informatory dispatches were given.’””
The following despatch from New Caledonia to the War Department’s
General Staff (Intelligence) on 25 June 1942 was circulated by G-2 to the
Navy Department on 26 June 1942:
There is no construction at Guadalcanal although the plain is burned off as if
for an airdrome. There are tents and sea activity, and construction of a wharf
at Lunga, but not cargo unloaded.lo?
A group of General Headquarters Southwest Pacific Area dispatches origi-
nating from 22 through 26 June were handled similarly.’”’ These dispatches
reported Japanese naval activity around Guadalcanal and, in bits and pieces,
supplied the information summarized by G-2 in New Caledonia in their
25 June despatch. Several of the CINCSWPA dispatches bear a K indicating
Admiral King saw them and others bear a C indicating Rear Admiral
Turner’s relief, Rear Admiral Cooke, saw them.
‘wNotes on conversations between COMINCH and CINCPAC, 4 Jul. 1942.
‘KTurner.
1~CM_1N_6593 5/23/&, This and &e following Army intelligence dispatches are located
in the Archives Branch of the Washington National Records Center, Srritland, Maryland.
‘mCM-IN-7326, 2/25/42.
‘w (a) CM-IN-7283, 6/22/42; (b) CM-IN-7850; 6/24/42; (.) CM-IN-8307, 6/25/42;
(d) CM-IN-8416, 6/26/42; (e) CM-IN-8607, 6/26/42.
273