US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Planning for Paring the ]apanese Toenails 501
the United States to Noumea. For many of them, this long cruise was also
their first.
The LSTS in the South Pacific wore no halos. But, because these large
and ungainly ships overcame dozens of engine and electrical casualties, and
even ended up by towing their escorts and a coastal transport part way
across the Pacific, they engendered a certain respect from the older units
of the Fleet in that area.
Due to the almost complete absence of war &aries, the exact date of the
arrival of the various units of LCI Flotilla Five in the South Pacific is
unknown. LC1-328 arrived in Noumea from Panama on 2 April 1943.
LCI-63 arrived in Noumea also from Panama on 14 April and went along-
side LCI-64. On 14 April 1943 the TF 63 War Diary reported seven LCIS
at Noumea. On 15 April it was noted that 23 LCIS of Flotilla Five (all
except LC1-329 ) were present in SOPAC in an upkeep status.25
Both the LSTS and the LCIS, upon arrival in the South Pacific, were given
a two-week period of upkeep and maintenance by Rear Admiral Turner to
correct the many ailments arising during their arduous passage across the
wide Pacific.
It can be observed that the written records located of LCTS and LCI (L)s
of this period are few. The memories of the few seasoned officers who are
still above ground and who made the passage aboard these landing craft
are faint. Despite these handicaps, it can be written with certainty that the
LCI’S had less than eight weeks and the LSTS fewer than four weeks for
the multiple tasks of operational amphibious training, movement to the
staging areas 800 miles away, and then specific preparation and rehearsal
loadings for TOENAILS.
ORGANIZATIC)N-THIRD FLEET AMPHIBIOUS FORCE
On D-Day for TOENAILS Rear Admiral Turner, COMPHIBFOR, Third
Fleet, still using his SOPAC title, issued an administrative organization chart,
which showed that a considerable number of the more senior wATCH-
TOWER Commanding officers were available to carry their acquired skills,
burdens and satisfactions into the TOENAILS Operation. At long last their
5 (a) CTF 32 V.@, Diury, Apr. 1943; (b) Captain Chester L. Walton, U. S. Navy (Ret.) to
GCD, letter, Apr. 1965; (c) LCI-63 and LCI–328 WUYDiaries, Apr. 1943.