US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

450 Amphibians Came To Conquer
Turner. On 14 August Turner ordered Colonel Arthur to report for duty
with the Commanding General, Espiritu Sante. . . .
There seemed no question in Turner’s mind about his unrestricted claim
of ‘possession’ of the Marines in his area. . . .47
The fact of the matter, readily available to all in COMSOPAC’S War
Diary, was that COMSOPAC had directed CTF 62 late on 9 August after
the disastrous battle of Savo Island, to
Divert ,2nd Marines to Espiritu .Santo to land and reinforce the garrison
there.4X
COMSOPAC followed this up in a memo to COMPHIBFORSOPAC on
14 August which directed:
All Znd Marines now at Espiritu Santo to disembark and reinforce garrison.ig
Thus, Rear Admiral Turner ordered Colonel Arthur, Commanding the 2nd
Marines, to report for duty with the Commanding General Espiritu Sante,
because the boss man of the area had made that decision and told him to
do SO.
When Brigadier General Rupertus sent on Colonel J. M. Arthur’s request
for the urgent return of this part of his command—800” men of the 2nd
Marine Regiment—to Tulagi, Admiral Turner wrote on his Assistant Chief
of Staff’s memo:
Col. Linscott.
For the time being, this is out of our hands, as COMSC)PAC ordered these
units ashore in BUTTON. Keep in mind pending further developments.
The other matter which Admiral Turner thought needed a bit of ‘