US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Ten Ye~rs of Big Ship Gunnery 63
E. W. Eberle was the respected Commander in Chief. The skipper of the
Cdiforniu was Captain Lucius A. Bostwick, Class of 1890, in the near future
to be among those selected to Flag officer.
Commander William R. Furlong, later to become Chief of the Bureau
of Ordnance, was the Fleet Gunnery Officer, and Commander Willis W.
Bradley, Jr., Class of 1907, was the Gunnery Officer from whom Lieutenant
Commander Turner took over. One of Turner’s classmates, Henry Frederick
D. Davis, who had graduated but three numbers behind Turner, was the
Chief Engineer of the Califor}zia, and another, Ernest W. McKee, was Fleet
Athletic Officer.
Another of the Culif ornia officers was Paul S. Theiss of the Class of 1912,
who later was to be his Executive Officer in his cruiser command, and then
Chief of Staff to Turner during a major part of the Central Pacific Campaign
in World War II.
The California was moving along in her first full year in commission, a
very successful year during which she was awarded the Battle Efficiency
trophy for 1921–1922.
The 1922–23 Supply Officer of the California recalls:
It was unwise to cross Kelly unless one was fully cognizant of his own position
and believed in the correctness of his own stand.
He was a dynamic and forceful officer who was fully cognizant of what he
wished to accomplish, with due consideration of other Heads of Department
who equally desired to promote the best interests of the ship.
I found him far easier to get along with than his predecessor, Bradley. I do
not recall that Kelly overstepped his position, but was forceful in requiring
cooperation of other departments.24
Highly praiseworthy fitness reports from Captain—later Rear Admiral—
John H. Dayton, were to be anticipated at the Washington Navy Yard after
the very favorable relationship with Turner in the Michigan. However, when
Turner reported to the California, and Captain Bostwick picked up the
chore, there was a new fitness report form from the Bureau ot Navigation,
and a nudge from that Bureau to make the reports more realistic.
In the 19 qualities on which all officers were marked, Captain Bostwick
appraised Lieutenant Commander Turner superior in seven, above average
in eight and average in four—cooperative qualities, patience, education and
24Interview with Captain Walter D. Sharp (Supply Corps), 13 Mar. 1964, Sharp was a commander
when Turner, a lieutenant commander, reported to the California.