User:Hungrydog55/sandbox/military/pacificfront/1943-11 CapeTorokina

Naval Forces

Naval commanders for Cape Torokina

Adm. Chester W. Nimitz

William F. Halsey as a full admiral

Theodore S. Wilkinson as a vice admiral

Commodore Reifsnider's flagship attack transport Hunter Liggett

Hovey configured as a fast minesweeper

Fleet tug Apache

The roles of Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), were both exercised by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz from his headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Since the "Big Blue Fleet" was at this time under the command of Vice Admiral William F. Halsey from aboard his flagship, fast battleship New Jersey, the force was designated Third Fleet (it was designated Fifth Fleet when led by Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance as part of the "alternating command" system).

The ships and embarked troops for the invasion of Bougainville were under the overall command of Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson aboard transport George Clymer.

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III Amphibious Force
Admiral Wilkinson

Transport Group

Commodore Lawrence F. Reifsnider in transport Hunter Liggett

Transdiv A (Capt. A.B. Anderson)

4 attack transports: President Jackson, President Adams, President Hayes, George Clymer

Transdiv B (Capt. G.B. Ashe)

4 attack transports: American Legion, Hunter Liggett, Fuller, Crescent City

Transdiv C (Capt. H.E. Thornhill)

4 attack cargoes: Alchiba, Alhena, Libra, Titania

Screen

Commander Ralph Earle

11 destroyers

All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Anthony, Bennett, Braine, Conway, Fullam, Guest, Hudson, Renshaw, Sigourney, Terry, Wadsworth

Minecraft Group

Commander Wayne R. Loud

4 fast minesweepers (Cmdr. Loud)

1 ex-Wickes-class: Dorsey

3 ex-Clemson-class: Hopkins, Hovey, Southard

4 minesweepers (Lt. Cmdr. A.D. Curtis, USNR)

All Adroit-class: Adroit, Conflict, Daring, Advent

4 yard minesweepers (YMS)

Special Minelaying Group

Lt. Cmdr. J.A. Lark

3 fast minelayers

All ex-Wickes-class: Breese, Sicard, Gamble

Salvage Group

2 fleet tugs

Both Navajo-class: Apache, Sioux

Ground Forces

Ground force commanders at Cape Torokina

Alexander A. Vandegrift as a major general

Roy S. Geiger as a lieutenant general

Allen H. Turnage as a lieutenant general

Men of the 3rd Marine Regiment landing at Cape Torokina, 1 November 1943

LST unloading at Bougainville

I Marine Amphibious Corps
Lieutenant General Alexander A. Vandegrift (thru 9 Nov)
Major General Roy S. Geiger (from 9 Nov)

3rd Marine Division
Major General Allen H. Turnage

Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brigadier General Oscar R. Cauldwell

Chief of Staff: Colonel Robert Blake

D-1 (Personnel): Lt. Colonel Chevey S. White

D-2 (Intelligence): Lt. Colonel Howard J. Turton

D-3 (Operations): Lt. Colonel James Snedeker (to 11 Nov), Colonel Walter A. Wachtler (to 16 Dec), Lt. Colonel Alpha A. Bowser

D-4 (Logistics): Colonel William C. Hall

Landed D-Day

Left landing area

9th Marine Regiment

Colonel Edward A. Craig

Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. James A. Stuart

1st Battalion: Red Beach 3 (Lt Col. Jaime Sabater)

2nd Battalion: Red Beach 2 (Lt Col. Robert E. Cushman Jr.)

3rd Battalion: Red Beach 1 (Lt Col. Walter Asmuth Jr.)

Right landing area

3rd Marine Regiment

Colonel George W. McHenry (to 16 Dec), Colonel Walter A. Wachtler (to 27 Dec), Lt. Colonel George O. van Orden

Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. George O. van Orden (to 27 Dec)

1st Battalion: Blue Beach 1 (Lt. Col. Leonard M. Mason, then Maj. John P. Brody)

CMoH recipients: Sgt. Robert A. Owens (KIA 1 Nov), Sgt. Herbert J. Thomas (KIA 7 Nov)

2nd Battalion: Blue Beach 2 (Lt. Col. Hector de Zayas)

3rd Battalion: Blue Beach 3 (Lt. Col. Ralph M. King)

Green Beach 2

3rd Marine Raider Battalion (Lt. Col. Fred D. Beans)

CMoH recipient: PFC Henry Gurke (KIA 9 Nov)

Puruata Island

2nd Marine Raider Battalion (Lt. Col. Joseph P. McCaffrey (KIA 1 Nov), then Maj. Richard T. Washburn)

Multiple landing sites

3rd Defense Battalion

12th Marine Regiment (Artillery)

Colonel John B. Wilson

1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Raymond F. Crist Jr.)

2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Donald M. Weller)

3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Jack Tabor)

4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Bernard H. Cook)

Landed After D-Day

21st Marine Regiment

Colonel Evans O. Ames

Exec. Ofc.: Arthur H. Butler

1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Ernest W. Fry Jr.)

2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Eustace R. Smoak)

3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Archie V. Gerard)

27th Infantry Division (Army)

Brig. Gen. Robert S. Beightler, Jr.

148th Infantry Regiment