US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

CHAPTER XIV
Planning for Paring the
Japanese Toenails in New Georgia
NEW GEORGIA—TOENAILS
TOENAILS was the code name given to the New Georgia Operation.
The New Georgia landings in the Central Solomons commenced on
30 June 1943. Rear Admiral Turner was relieved of command of the Am-
phibious Forces, Third Fleet (South Pacific) by Rear Admiral Theodore S.
Wilkinson (1909), on 15 July 1943. The New Georgia operation was com-
pleted on 25 August 1943. This chapter will deal with the planning phase
and the chapter following will deal with the amphibious operations occurring
prior to 15 July 1943.
LONG RANGE PLANNING-BREAKING THE
BISMARCK BARRIER
The thinking of most planners in late 1942 was that in order to break the
Bismarck Barrier, Rabaul had to be seized. To seize Rabaul, the United States
had to have airfields within fighter plane range of Rabaul. To get such air-
fields, the United States must seize central, then northern islands in the
Solomon chain as well as a position at the western end of New Britain
Island, at whose eastern extremity Rabaul was located.
on 8 December 1942 the Chief of Staff COMSOPAC (Captain M. R.
Browning) sent a memorandum to Rear Admiral Turner and to the Com-
manding General Amphibious Corps directing:
Planning Sections initiate a preliminary examination of the possibility of our
seizing this area [Roviana Lagoon, New Georgia] in the near future.
On 16 January 1943, a large conference was held by COMSOPAC for:
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