Richmond
Turner
was born in Portland, Oregon, on
22nd May, 1885. He attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated
as a gunnery specialist in 1908.
Turner
continued to study and attended the Naval War College
where he eventually became head of the Strategy Section. However,
he later returned to sea as captain of the Astoria.
During this period he became known for his heavy drinking and abrasive
manner.
In October,
1940, Turner became director of war plans at the Chief of Naval Operations
(CNO). This involved the evaluation and dissemination of intelligence
about the enemy. Turner did not believe information that he received
that the Japanese intended to attack on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl
Harbor and did not pass on warnings to Admiral Husband
Kimmel.
In July
1942, Turner was placed in command of Amphibious
Forces in the
South Pacific. His first major operation was the Guadalcanal
campaign that started on 7th August. Over the next eight months there
were ten major land battles and seven major naval engagements in this
area.
General Douglas
MacArthur now developed what became known as his island hopping
tactics. This strategy involved amphibious
landings on vulnerable islands, therefore bypassing Japanese troop
concentrations on fortified islands. This had the advantage of avoiding
frontal assaults and thus reducing the number of American casualties.
In August, 1943, Turner was placed in charge of the 5th Amphibious
Forces in the Pacific with responsibility for this campaign.
Turner disagreed with Admiral
Chester Nimitz about the plan to capture
the Marshall Islands which he believed was "reckless and dangerous".
Threatened with dismissal, Turner agreed to carry out the attack and
as a result of the success of the campaign was promoted to the rank
of vice admiral.
As head
of the 5th Amphibious Forces Turner
directed all subsequent major amphibious operations in the central
Pacific. This included the assaults on Saipan
(June, 1944), Iwo Jima (February,
1945) and Okinawa (April, 1945). In June
he was promoted to admiral and was placed in charge of planning the
invasion of Japan. This was called off after
the Japanese surrender following the dropping of the atom
bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
After the
war Turner served as USN Representative on the UN Military Staff Committee.
He retired on 30th June, 1947, to his home at Carmel, California.
Now an alcoholic, Richmond Turner died on 12th February, 1961.
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