Includes over 110 maps, charts and illustrations. His nickname was “Terrible Turner.” He was, according to one ensign who served with him prior to World War II, “the meanest man I ever saw, and the most competent naval officer I ever served with.” He led the successful amphibious attacks on Guadalcanal, Makin, Kwajalein, Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. He was Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner, one of the key figures in America’s defeat of Japan. In this fascinating and comprehensive biography, Vice Admiral George C. Dyer documents the tough and fearless leadership of Admiral Turner, his astonishing success in meeting some of the toughest challenges in the history of amphibious warfare, and detailed descriptions of the ships and men who fought under him. More than just a biography, The Amphibians Came to Conquer is a carefully documented history, both strategic and tactical, of the major campaigns in the Pacific from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, providing a wealth of information on how Terrible Turner and the men he commanded conquered island after island against a tough and determined foe. In an astonishing tribute to the tenacity of Turner and his men, a February 21, 1945 Japanese broadcast said: “The true nature of an alligator is that once he bites into something, he will not let go. Turner’s nature is also like this.” This remarkable book belongs in the library of any serious student of the war in the Pacific.

Bloodstained Sands tells the untold story of the men who stormed beaches around the globe during World War II, from the Sword and Juno Beaches on D-Day to the sands of Iwo Jima. For the men who served in America's Amphibious Forces during World War II, the conflict was an unceasing series of D-Days. They were responsible for putting men ashore in more than 200 landings throughout the conflict, most against well-entrenched enemy positions. Bloodstained Sands: US Amphibious Operations in World War II tells the story of these forgotten men for the first time, tracing their operational history from Guadalcanal to Casablanca, Sicily, Normandy, Iwo Jima and finally Okinawa. The men's stories are told in their own voices, with fascinating accounts from Underwater Demolition Teams, Attack Transport crews and many other unsung heroes of World War II. First-hand interviews, entries from personal diaries and Action Reports create a unique history, perfectly complemented by historic illustrations and detailed maps. These are timeless tales of determination, sacrifice, and triumph of the human spirit - tales of US Amphibious Forces that for too long have gone forgotten and untold.

The title is derived from George Bernard Shaw’s comment that ‘England and America are two countries divided by a common language.’ It is not intended to imply that the two navies were seriously at odds with one another, but rather to suggest, as in the case of language, that common roots and usages varied significantly. And the Second World War is a pertinent moment for comparison. They fought on the same side against a common enemy for nearly four years, but Britain fought the war for the survival of itself and its empire, though in the long term it failed with the latter, while the American government fought to maintain its influence through the balance of power; its people fought for revenge for Pearl Harbor, and out of a sense of justice. In this new book, Brian Lavery describes and analyzes the differences and similarities between the two navies and in doing so sheds fascinating light on how the naval war was fought. For example, both navies had spectacular failures after entering the war – the Royal Navy off Norway, the USN at Pearl Harbor and Savo Island. Paradoxically, both commenced the war with quite amateur performances by professional navies and ended with highly skilled performances by largely amateur manned forces. The training systems for regular officers had flaws in both countries. In Britain, entry was largely dependent on family income, in America, on political influence. But American officers probably had a broader perspective by the time they entered active service. The book covers ships and weapons systems – for instance, the British used too many gun types in the 4 to 6in range, while the Americans concentrated on the well-designed 5in. And the author describes conditions onboard ships. British vessels were awash with alcohol, which had its attractions for Americans when alongside; the Americans offered ice cream in return. These examples represent only a tiny proportion of the subjects covered in this stimulating analysis. Aviation, the marines of both navies, anti-submarine and mine warfare, uniforms, propulsion systems, shipbuilding and building programs, commanders and national leaders, ratings and officers, ship design, geographical environments, naval bases, hammocks and bunks, the deployment of women – these are among the myriad big and small themes that will open the eyes of naval historians and enthusiasts, and show anyone with an interest in the Second World War how these two great allies came together to defeat the Axis forces.

William Halsey was the most famous naval officer of World War II. His fearlessness in carrier raids against Japan, his steely resolve at Guadalcanal, and his impulsive blunder at the Battle of Leyte Gulf made him the “Patton of the Pacific” and solidified his reputation as a decisive, aggressive fighter prone to impetuous errors of judgment in the heat of battle. In this definitive biography, Thomas Hughes punctures the popular caricature of the “fighting admiral” to reveal the truth of Halsey’s personal and professional life as it was lived in times of war and peace. Halsey, the son of a Navy officer whose alcoholism scuttled a promising career, committed himself wholeheartedly to naval life at an early age. An audacious and inspiring commander to his men, he met the operational challenges of the battle at sea against Japan with dramatically effective carrier strikes early in the war. Yet his greatest contribution to the Allied victory was as commander of the combined sea, air, and land forces in the South Pacific during the long slog up the Solomon Islands chain, one of the war’s most daunting battlegrounds. Halsey turned a bruising slugfest with the Japanese navy into a rout. Skillfully mediating the constant strategy disputes between the Army and the Navy—as well as the clashes of ego between General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz—Halsey was the linchpin of America’s Pacific war effort when its outcome was far from certain.

In May 1944, with American forces closing in on the Japanese mainland, the Fifth Fleet Amphibious Force was preparing to invade Saipan. Control of this island would put enemy cities squarely within range of the B-29 bomber. The navy had assembled a fleet of landing ship tanks (LSTs) in the West Loch section of Pearl Harbor. On May 21, an explosion tore through the calm afternoon sky, spreading fire and chaos through the ordnance-packed vessels. When the fires had been brought under control, six LSTs had been lost, many others were badly damaged, and more than 500 military personnel had been killed or injured. To ensure the success of those still able to depart for the invasion—miraculously, only one day late—the navy at once issued a censorship order, which has kept this disaster from public scrutiny for seventy years. The Second Pearl Harbor is the first book to tell the full story of what happened on that fateful day. Military historian Gene Salecker recounts the events and conditions leading up to the explosion, then re-creates the drama directly afterward: men swimming through flaming oil, small craft desperately trying to rescue the injured, and subsequent explosions throwing flaming debris everywhere. With meticulous attention to detail the author explains why he and other historians believe that the official explanation for the cause of the explosion, that a mortar shell was accidentally detonated, is wrong. This in-depth account of a little-known incident adds to our understanding of the dangers during World War II, even far from the front, and restores a missing chapter to history.

More so than any other operation, the Campaign to seize Okinawa in the closing days of World War II represents the greatest joint effort undertaken by the US Military. From its organization to the way it fought, Tenth Army incorporated every element of the service to a degree never before attempted and never since replicated. This study analyzes the Okinawa Campaign, Operation ICEBERG, using the operational operating systems as a framework for assessing how well the Tenth Army conducted the campaign and for determining what lessons are applicable to joint operations at the field army level. This study first traces the historical background of field armies in the twentieth century and shows that every major conflict has included combat operations at this level. It then outlines the operational operating systems as defined in TRADOC Pamphlet 11-9. Before actually analyzing the campaign, the study provides a battle summary of the Okinawa Campaign which provides the basis for analysis. The study then looks at the campaign through each of the six operational operating systems to determine how Tenth Army planned for the operation, how well it performed, and what lessons can be extracted and applied to today’s joint operational requirements. Although Okinawa was the largest joint operation of the war, it was not the largest planned joint operation. Operation DOWNFALL, the campaign to seize the Japanese islands, was the largest planned. So Okinawa was really a test of how joint operations at the large unit level could be conducted. Although the war ended prior to the invasion of Japan, the lessons the US Military learned in executing ICEBERG are still relevant and still provide insight into how joint operations should be conducted at the field army level.

AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE LETTER OF PROMULGATION This curriculum guide builds upon the work of many contributors. Intellectual rigor and academic standards demand that the full scope of amphibious warfare be encompassed rather than the tracing of Marine Corps History emphasizing the landings of the Great Pacific War which had forged our modern Corps. The present course structure and content reflect the determination that (1) the history of amphibious warfare remains a valid intellectual endeavor; (2) its scope greatly exceeds the study of the U.S. Marine Corps; and (3) a historical survey of amphibious warfare is best approached from a “Maneuver Warfare” perspective, exploring the various levels of war and their impact on each battle. The levels of war would include the political, strategic, operational, and tactical/technical. This construct of classes will also prepare students to become critical thinkers of warfare, and thus better prepare them for future commissioned service to the Marine Corps. Instructors are cautioned to observe that this manual contains lesson guides, not lesson plans. Instructors must devote time for serious background reading in recommended literature, course texts, and contemplation of a conceptual approach that will capture the imagination of their students. Another important objective of this course must be to stimulate original thought and persistent interest on the part of the student. PROFESSIONAL CORE COMPETENCY OBJECTIVES The primary objectives of this course are to provide prospective merchant marine officers a basic understanding of their role in our national security and to familiarize them with the basic principles and procedures for operating amerchant ship as a naval or military auxiliary in a wartime convoy or independent sailing situation.