US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

28 Amphibians Came To Conquer
usually by civilian instructors. The over-all Academy ratio was roughly two
officers to one civilian instructor.78 According to the Naval Academy
Superintendent, due to the continual shortage of officers in the Navy, and
the continual shortage of money to hire civilian instructors, “it has been
necessary to avail ourselves of the services of the senior class as instructors
in Mathematics, in Applied Mathematics, and in English.” 79
During the period when Midshipman Turner was at the Naval Academy,
duty at that institution was considered highly desirable by the top flight
officers of the “Line of the Navy. ” Such duty offered an excellent opportunity
for the daily exercise of leadership qualities as well as providing an
opportunity for professional study and personal broadening of technical
competence. For example, during his three year duty at the Naval Academy,
Ernie King read military history and naval history voraciously.s”
More than a fair share of the heavy cream of the Line officers of the
Navy of the ranks from lieutenant to commander were to be found at the
Naval Academy. This is evidenced by the fact that during the period 1904-
1908 a total of six future Chiefs of Naval Operations and/or future Com-
manders in Chief of the United States Fleet were on duty at the Naval
Academy among the 58 to 65 Line officers instructing midshipmen in pro-
fessional and cultural subjects and in the Command and Discipline Depart-
ment.
Future Chiefs of Naval Operations were:
W. S. BENSON
W. V. PRATT
W. D. LEAHY
E. J. KING
Future Commanders in Chief, United States Fleet were:
H. A. WILEY
W. V. PRATT 8’
A. J. HEPBURN
E. J. KING 82
It also might be remarked that during this period there were from 58 to
m Naval Academ~ l?egister~, 1901-1908.
mCHBUNAV, Annual Report, p. 45 in SECNAV, AmrudlReport, 1904.
wKing’s Record, p. 74.
mHeld CNO Office subsequently to that of CINCUS.
= Held combined office and title, Commander in Chief United States Fleet and Chief of Naval
Operations.