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Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Ghormley, Robert Lee, VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Last Address Annapolis, MD
Date of Passing Jun 21, 1958
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Was relieved by Admiral Halsey as COMSOPAC in 1942.
In the spring of 1942 Ghormley was appointed Commander of the South Pacific Area (COMSOPAC), arriving in New Zealand on 19 June 1942. Only ten days later Admiral King suggested that the time was right for the first American offensive of the war, an attack into the lower Solomon Islands. Both Ghormley and MacArthur declared that their forces were not ready for this, but on 4 July 1942 reconnaissance aircraft discovered that the Japanese were building an airbase on Guadalcanal. If this base had been completed, then it would have covered the flanks of a Japanese advance towards Port Moresby and even for an attack on Australia. Ghormley and MacArthur had no choice but to go along with King's plans, and prepare to attack Guadalcanal.
Ghormley worked fast, issuing his plans on 16 July, and the attack itself was made on 7 August 1942. The Marines landed unopposed, and quickly captured the Japanese airfield, soon renamed Henderson Field, but after that things began to go wrong. The basic problem was the poor command structure. Although Ghormley was the overall US naval commander in the area, direct command over the fleet at Guadalcanal was held by Admiral "Black Jack" Fletcher, while the amphibious forces were commanded by R.K. Turner. Fletcher and Turner both took part in the actual campaign, while Ghormley remained in New Zealand (eventually moving to Noumea on New Caladonia). A radio blackout during the early days of the campaign meant that Ghormley had no effective control over the course of the fighting, and could do nothing to stop Fletcher from removing his carriers on 9 August. This forced Turner to withdraw his transport ships, and left the marines isolated.
Two months into the campaign, Ghormley had still not visited Guadalcanal, and on 18 October 1942 he was replaced as COMSOPAC by Admiral Halsey.
Nevada Class Battleship: Displacement 27,500 Tons, Dimensions, 583' (oa) x 95' 3" x 29' 7" (Max). Armament 10 x 14"/45 21 x 5"/51, 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 13 1/2" Belt, 18" Triple Turrets, 16" Dual turrets, 3" Second (armor) Deck, 2 1/2" Third (splinter) Deck 16" Conning Tower. Machinery, 26,500 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws. Speed, 20.5 Knots, Crew 864.
Operational and Building Data: Laid down by Fore River, Shipbuilding, Quincy, MA., November 4, 1912. Launched July 11, 1914. Commissioned March 11, 1916. Decommissioned August 29, 1946. Stricken August 12, 1948.
Fate: Target During Atomic Bomb Tests, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands. Sunk, off Oahu, July 31 1948, by Gunfire from Iowa BB-61 and 3 Heavy Cruisers.