FMFRP 12-109-I The Amphibians Came to Conquer

625 Pages·2006·11.32 MB·English

FMFRP 12-109-I
The Amphibians
Came to Conquer
Volume I
U.S. Marine Corps
PCN 140 12991900
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Headquarters United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC 20380-0001
26 September 1991
FOREWORD
1. PURPOSE
Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-109-I, The Amphibians Came to Conquer, is pub-
lished to ensure the retention and dissemination of useful information which is not intended to become
doctrine or to be published in Fleet Marine Force manuals. FMFRPs in the 12 series are a special category
of publications: reprints of historical works which are not available elsewhere.
2. SCOPE
This reference publication is Volume I of the two-volume biography of Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly
Turner, the officer who commanded the Navy amphibious forces in the Pacific theater during World War
II. These publications reveal the development of the man as well as the development of the amphibious
doctrine, tactics, and techniques which defeated the Japanese forces in the Pacific. What was developed
in the Pacific theater was used successfully in the African and European theaters. The Amphibians Came
to Conquer and Coral and Brass (FMFRP 12-37) are companion publications which provide a unique in-
sight into how amphibious operations, the most difficult of operations, can be planned and executed suc-
cessfully.
3. CERTIFICATION
Reviewed and approved this date.
BY DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
—;
M. P. CAULLD
Major General, U.S. Marine Corps
Director, MAGTF Warfighting Center
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Quantico, Virginia
DISTRIBUTION: 14012991900

80—G—227738
Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner enroute to Kwajalein on board USS
Rocky Mount, January 1944.

The Amphibians
Came to Conquer
THE STORY OF
ADMIRAL
RICHMOND KELLY TURNER
I
VICE ADMIRAL
GEORGE CARROLL DYER
USN (Retired)
With an introduction by
Rnti ADMIRAL
ERNEST McNEILL ELLER
USN (Retired)
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 71—603853
Prologue
In a letter to the Director of Naval History, 9 November 1956, Admiral
Kelly Turner wrote as follows:
But the matter of my writing a book—and particularly a history of all
past amphibious warfare—is quite a different thing, and one which I would
not care to undertake. Before retiring in 1947, I did give serious thought to
writing an account of the amphibious operations in which I participated, but
decided against doing so for several reasons.
In the first place, writing history is quite a field in itself, and one with
which I am unfamiliar. I definitely would not attempt it by the use of a
'ghost'. Look at all the lousy books that ghosts have produced since the war!
Again, it would have meant living in Washington for several years, of
digging into many thousands of documents written by other officers as well
as by my staff and myself, and of which I do not have copies. Finally, I
scarcely could have avoided controversy, and giving myself 'breaks' that
perhaps would be undeserved.
So, Judge, the whole thing simply did not appeal to me then, and appeals
to me even less now. Future professional historians will write what they feel
like writing anyhow, whether truthful or not. So I'm willing to let them
disagree among themselves!
When I had my first interview about this book with Kelly Turner, he
told me with a grin:
When Judge told me that you were willing to undertake the task, I thought,
'Well, he's just enough of a son-of-a-bitch to do a good job.'
So, I told Judge 'all right'.
V

Acknowledgements
During the nine years that the author of this factual study of the life of
Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner worked on these volumes, hundreds of all
ranks and ratings in the Armed Forces have been interviewed. My very real
thanks go to each one of them for their contribution to this work, but
particularly to those who had the intestinal fortitude to permit themselves
to be quoted when they had something critical to say about the subject.
To the Director of Naval History, Rear Admiral E. M. Eller, who initiated
this factual study, who encouraged me to undertake it and then patiently,
very patiently, waited for the end product, more than thanks is due. My
warmest gratitude extends to him.
The long seige of my efforts was mostly carried through in the Navy's
Classified Operational Archives, whose physical location shifted frequently,
but the courtesy of Dean Allard who heads the Archives Division and of
Mrs. Mildred Mayeux, research assistant, who was a thousand times helpful,
never shifted. They are real gems in the naval historical research field.
To Mr. Paul A. Sweeney of the Office of Naval Operations, who took my
maps and diagrams and made them come alive with his cartographic art,
my deepest thanks.
To my friends of many years, Vice Admiral T. G. W. Settle and Captain
John E. Dingwell, who read the manuscript and pointed out my errors, thanks
again for their patience and real help.
To a former Ships Writer of mine, Chris A. Miller, who persisted through
his retirement years in the decipherment of my handwriting and the typing
(and then retyping) thanks ten times over. And to Mrs. Jean Ellinger who
typed the final smooth copy so well, an accolade.
Last, but not least, my wife of 48 years bore with me and my writing chore
with remarkable understanding, year after year after year, and my public
thanks to her.
GEORGE C. DYER
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