US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

416 Arn@ibians Came To Conquer
PAC directed the establishment of a branch of the First Marine Division
Base Depot at Espiritu Sante, utilizing the services of the Quartermaster
of the 2nd Marine Regiment, that the Marines on Guadalcanal could begin
to plan on having at some long-distant date back-up logistical support only
500 to 600 miles away. It was not until LION One arrived on 10 February
1943 that major realistic steps were underway to make Espiritu Santo into a
full-fledged Advanced Base Supply Depot.
From May through July 1942, Noumea functioned as a logistical staging
area for Efate and Espiritu Santo after making a false start as a fuel depot
for an Advanced Naval Base in late June 1942. Beginning in mid-August,
it then grew like Topsy. On 11 November 1942 the Navy started major
construction of an Advanced Base Construction Depot at Noumea and the
necessary port development to permit the proper functioning of the nearly
all-inclusive logistic support facilities projected.
In summary it can be said that, in mid-August 1942, logistic support of
Guadalcanal from naval sources had to be provided through:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The established, but largely not built and not stocked, main Supply
Base at Auckland, New Zealand, 1,825 miles to the south.
A small Advanced Air Base without supply support facilities at
Efate in the New Hebrides, 700 miles southeast of Guadalcanal.
A considerably larger Advanced Naval Air Base at Espiritu Santo
560 miles southeast of Guadalcanal in the earliest throes of being
built and stocked.
Direct shipment from continental United States.
Shortly after inid-August, on 20 August 1942 to be exact, CTF 62 (Rear
Admiral Turner), an operational commander, acting with the oral authority
of COMSOPAC, directed the establishment of Marine Advanced Supply
Depots at Noumea and at Espiritu Santo even though this was an adminis-
trative act.’”
No one denied that the rear area logistic effort for support of the fighting
Marines was strenuous, not only by the amphibious command, but by all
the logistic support forces of both the Services. Yet despite this effort, the
tail tale carried back to the United States was that the Marines were hungry
and that:
For three months the Marines fought without substantial supplies or reinforcements
and cursed the Navy.31
wCTF 62 to TF 62, letter, FE 2j/NT6/A4–2/Ser 0056 of 20 Aug. 1942. Subj: Establishment
of Marine Advanced Supply Depots.
= Time Magazine, 7 February 19M.