II. ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND BY ADMIRAL KIMMEL—HIS  REORGANIZATION OF THE PACIFIC FLEET AND HIS STAFF

 

A. ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND

 

Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, USN, assumed duty as Commander‑in-Chief, United States Fleet, and Commander‑in‑Chief, Pacific Fleet, on February 1, 1941. He served as such until December 17, 1941, when he was retired on his own application (page 273).

It may be noted that Admiral Stark had recommended Admiral Kimmel for this assignment. In the fitness report on Admiral Kimmel (Exhibit 25), which Admiral Stark prepared after the issuance of the Robert's Report, and in which he stated that an adverse report had been made on Admiral Kimmel he also stated that he had always considered Admiral Kimmel to be an outstanding officer and still did (page 86).

It may also be noted that in his statement to the Court, Admiral Pye volunteered that he thought that the appointment of Admiral Kimmel as CincPac was excellent, and that he performed his duties as such in an excellent manner (page 446).

 

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B. THE REORGANIZATION OF THE PACIFIC FLEET

 

Admiral Kimmel testified that he reorganized the Pacific Fleet (page 274). The organization established by him existed, he testified, throughout the entire period of his command in substantially the same form as is set forth in Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 14CL‑41 of October 31, 1941 (Exhibit 52) as follows:

(a) Task Force One (Commander Battle Force) consisting of six battleships, Carrier Division One—less the LEXINGTON. Cruiser Division Nine, and part of Destroyer Flotilla One, etc;

(b) Task Force Two. (Commander Aircraft, Battle Force) consisting of three battleships, Carrier Division Two, Cruiser Division Five, Destroyer Flotilla, Two, etc;

(c) Task Force Three (Commander Scouting Force) consisting of Cruiser Division Four and Six, the LEXINGTON plus Marine Air Group Twenty‑one, and Destroyer Squadrons, etc;

(d) Task Force Four (Commandant 14th Naval District) which comprised that part of the 14th Naval District activities which involved the island bases, and Admiral Bloch, who was ComFOURTEEN, was also designated in other directives as Naval Base Defense Officer;

(e) Task Force Seven (Commander Submarine Scouting Force);

(f) Task Force Nine (Commander Patrol Wing Two); consisting of PatWings One and Two.

(g) Task Force Fifteen. (Commander Base Force).

It may be noted at this point that this directive also provided that current employment schedules for the task forces would remain in effect; that the Commanders of Task Forces Seven and Nine were to submit revised schedules for the period November 15th to December 31, 1941, at the earliest practicable date. It was indicated that those schedules were to contemplate various arrangements for further training.

 

C. ADMIRAL KIMMEL'S STAFF

 

Vice Admiral Pye was Admiral Kimmel's next senior in command, and was Commander of Task Force One;

 

Admiral Herbert F. Leary during 1941 was in command of Cruisers, Battle Force, and under the command of Admiral Pye. (p. 363)

During 1941, Admiral Walter S. Anderson was Commander Battleships, Battle Force, Pacific Fleet. His superior was Admiral Pye. He was Admiral Pye's most important subordinate commander. (p. 390

During 1941, Admiral Joel William Bunkley was Commanding Officer of the USS CALIFORNIA which was attached to the Pacific Fleet. Admiral Buckley's ship was Admiral Pye's Flagship. (p. 413)

 

Vice Admiral Halsey was Commander of Task Force Two; Vice Admiral Brown of Task Force Three;

 

Admiral John Henry Newton, during 1941, was in command of Cruisers Scouting Force. His superior was Admiral Brown. (p. 314)

 

Admiral Bloch of Task Force Four; Rear Admiral Withers of Task Force Seven; Rear Admiral Bellinger of Task Force Nine; and, Rear Admiral Calhoun of Task Force Fifteen.

Admiral Bloch testified that during 1941 he was ComFOURTEEN,

 

From March 15, 1941 until the end of the year, Captain Irving H. Mayfield was District Intelligence Officer of the Fourteenth Naval District. He had had no previous experience in Intelligence work except two weeks temporary duty in Washington and two years as a Naval attaché in Chile.

After July 1, 1941, Lieutenant William B. Stephenson, USNR, was designated as head of the Counter‑Espionage Desk of the District Intelligence Office of the Fourteenth Naval District (p. 323).

Until June 9, 1941, Captain J. B. Earle was in command of Destroyer Squadron Five, thereafter he was Chief of Staff, Fourteenth Naval District (p. 368).

Commander Wesley A. Wright was Assistant Communication Officer on Admiral Kimmel's staff and was on temporary duty with the Fourteenth Naval District Communication Intelligence Unit. He had had no experience in traffic analysis, which includes the location of forces by instruments, but had had about nine years' experience in other closely related branches of communication intelligence work (p. 379).

 

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Commander Local Defense Forces Commander Hawaiian Sea Frontier, Com­mandant Navy Yard Pearl Harbor, Commander Task Force Four, as Naval Base Defense Officer. He performed his duties in cooperation with the Army.

Admiral Bloch stated that he and Admiral Kimmel worked harmoniously together and conferred four to five times weekly. Admiral Kimmel, he said, made an honest effort to keep him fully informed. He was conscious that in 1941 Japanese‑United States relations were strained. He did not disagree with deci­sions made by the High Command of the Fleet. He was not called upon to make any independent decision (page 393).

According to Vice Admiral Bellinger his duties, in general, were as:

(a) Commander Task Force Nine. This comprised Patrol Wings One and Two, plus other units as assigned by CincPac for specific operations. His senior officer was CInCPaC.

(b) Commander Hawaiian Based Patrol Wings and Commander Patrol Wing Two. The larger command included the patrol squadrons, aircraft tenders, attached to Patrol Wings One and Two, His senior officer was Commander Aircraft Scouting Force based at San Diego.

(c) Commander Fleet Air Detachment Pearl Harbor. Administrative authority in local matters over all aircraft actually based on Naval Air Station.

(d) Liaison with ComFOURTEEN for aviation development with the district, including Midway, Wake, Palmyra, and Johnstown Island.

(e) Commander Naval Base Defense Air Force, and when performing such duties, his senior officer was Admiral Bloch (pages 60‑61).

Captain Logan C. Ramsey, who also testified, was Operations Officer to Admiral Bellinger between November 1 and December 7, 1941 (page 574).

Vice Admiral W. L. Calhoun said that he was Commander Base Force, United States Fleet, during 1941. His duties included logistic support of the Pacific Fleet assisting ComFOURTEEN with services in Pearl Harbor, command of fleet security measure until August or September when relieved by Admiral Bloch, and he was Senior Patrol Officer in charge of all naval shore patrol (page 931).

Rear Admiral W. W. Smith, during 1941, was Chief of Staff to CincPac

 

Vice Admiral Smith testified that he was Chief of Staff of the Pacific Fleet from February, 1941 to 7 December 1941 (page 335), and that his duties, as prescribed by Staff  Instructions, Pacific Fleet (Exhibit 34), issued 14 July 141, which he himself signed and issued with the approval of Admiral Kimmel, were:

"112. The Commander‑in‑Chief is available to the entire Staff for consulta­tion, but all questions for decision or action should pass through the Chief of Staff whenever such a procedure will not involve an undue delay."

"200. CHIEF OF STAFF‑01‑Personal Aide.

(See Navy Regulations Articles 785‑786.)

(a) Carries out policies prescribed by the Commander‑in‑Chief.

(b) Exercises general supervision over and coordinates work by members of the Staff.

(c) Advises the Commander‑in‑Chief on all matters concerning the war readi­ness and battle efficiency of the Fleet.

(d) Supervises the preparation of campaign orders and plans, as well as strategical and tactical problems of the Fleet.

(e) Signs correspondence as follows:

(1) Routine Matters.

(2) Minor recommendations, or minor forwarding endorsements on same, to material Bureaus regarding repairs and alterations concerning which a policy has been established.

(3) Orders to and requests from officers not in Command.

(4) Matters concerning which the policy is of long standing.

(5) Letters from the Navy Department noted for compliance, information, or guidance.

(6) The Commander‑in‑Chief personally will sign correspondence regarding questions of particular importance involving criticism, approval, or disapproval of previous recommendations; action on legal papers" (NCI Rec. p. 336).

 

(page 528).

 

Admiral Smith, on December 7, 1941, was Chief of Staff of the Pacific Fleet which position he assumed on February 1, 1941 Previously, he served a year and a half as Captain of one of Admiral Kimmel's cruisers while Admiral Kimmel was Commander Cruisers Pacific Fleet. As Chief of Staff, Admiral Smith supervised all divisions of the Staff (p. 32) and everything which transpired between the Staff members and the Commander‑in‑Chief was brought to Admiral Smith's attention. (p. 33)

 

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Admiral Smith said that he felt that entirely too much of his time was taken up with administrative matters; when the Commander‑in‑Chief and Staff moved ashore, Admiral Smith found it difficult to keep a day‑by‑day routine going; possibly he was to blame himself for this situation, but he attempted to reduce the paper work. However, the Commander‑in‑Chief kept him too long in the Commander‑in‑Chief's office, and he knew that because Admiral Smith told him so; Admiral Smith believes that they spent entirely too much time on staff discussions. (p. 60) Admiral Smith stated that because of his preoccupation with day‑to‑day matters he was not as free as the Commander in Chief to think of future events.

 

Rear Admiral DeLany was Chief of Staff for Operations for Admiral Kimmel from February 1 to December 7, 1941 (page 496). Rear Admiral C. H. McMorris was War Plans Officer during the last half of 1941 (page 887).

 

On December 7, Captain Vincent R. Murphy was on the staff of Admiral Kimmel as Assistant to the War Plans' Officer, and on that day was Staff Duty Officer (p. 195).

 

Vice Admiral McMorris testified that he was War Plans Officer for CincPac from February, 1941 until the end of 1941 (page ,293). He stated that his duties, as prescribed by "Staff Instructions, Staff  of 'CincPac, 1941" (Exhibit 34) were:

"207. War Plans Officer—16.

"(a) As head of the War Plans Section is responsible, under the Chief of Staff, for the preparation of War Plans for the Fleet and for all matters pertaining thereto.

"(b)      Has general custody of War Plans and secret letters relative thereto.

"(e)      Member of Schedule Board.

"(d) Maintains liaison with War Plans representatives of subordinate Com­manders.

"(e) Maintains liaison with U. S. Army in War Plans matters—via District Commandant if appropriate.

"(f) Makes recommendations on designs of new ships—general features—and on alterations of old ships that affect military characteristics.

"(g) Makes recommendations on matters pertaining to reserves of material, particularly ammunition, mines, bombs, torpedoes, fuel, provisions, etc., and their distribution.

"(h) Maintains liaison with Commandants of Naval Districts in War Plans matters.

"(i) Is responsible for the review of War Plans of subordinate commanders and of District Commandants and Coastal Frontier Commanders insofar as these Plans may affect the Fleet." (page 294)

 

Captain E. T. Layton testified that between October and December 7th, he was Fleet Intelligence Officer for CincPac (page 904).

 

Captain Layton testified that for one year prior to 7 December 1941, and subsequently, he had been Fleet Intelligence Officer, U. S. Pacific Fleet, (page 182) and that his duties, as prescribed by "Staff Instructions, Commander 2n Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, 1941" (Exhibit 34) were:

"214. Intelligence Officer—25.

"(a) Directs assembly of Enemy Information and evaluates same, disseminat­ing to various members of staff, indicating where action is required.

"(b) Provides Operation Officer and War Plans Officer information essential for current estimates (monograph material).

"(c) Maintains Section 11 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of Estimate of Situation (Enemy Forces). Maintains location plot of Fleets of possible enemy or allies.

"(d) Directs counter espionage and counter information.

"(e) Maintains Intelligence Records (See Naval Intelligence Manual.).

"(f) Prepares Fleet Intelligence Bulletins.

"(g) Evaluates Intelligence Information received of procedures or practices of other navies and prepares definite recommendations as to any action to be taken within own Fleet.

"(h) In charge of censorship.

"(i)  Internal Security of ships.

"(f)  Supervises reconnaissance photographic activities.

"215. Assistant Intelligence Officer—26.

In addition, to assisting "25" an all duties of the Intelligence section, performs the following additional assignments:

 (e) Maintains Merchant Marine plot and analysis.

 

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"(b) Prepares silhouettes of own and enemy ships and planes for dissemination to Fleet.

"(c) Assembly, evaluation and dissemination of Enemy information.

"(d) Maintenance of Current Estimate of Situation (Enemy Forces) and loca­tion plot of Fleets of possible enemy or allies" (page 188).

 

Rear Admiral Kitts was Fleet Gunnery Officer on Admiral Kimmel's staff and was in charge of training (pages 511‑12). (3)

 

On December 7, 1941, Admiral Arthur C. Davis was Fleet Aviation Officer of the Pacific Fleet. He had been performing these duties for about a year and a half (p. 96). His duties primarily were concerned with technical training and logistics matters (p. 97).

On December 7, 1941, M. E. Curts, Captain, U. S. N., was Pacific Fleet Communication Officer and had served in that capacity for about two years.

 

D. GENERAL ORDERS NOS. 142 AND 143

 

General Order No. 142, dated January 10, 1941, of which the Court took judicial notice, assigned a dual status to the Commandants of various Naval districts, including the Fourteenth, in that as Commandants they were to operate under orders of the Navy Department, and as officers of one of the fleets they were to operate under the orders of the Commander‑in‑Chief thereof, (1) with duties corresponding to those of the Senior Officer Present Afloat, when their relative rank made them such, and (2) in command of task groups of the fleet in question when and as directed by its Commander‑in‑Chief. It was further pro­vided that as Commandants they were to be governed by all instructions relating to, the duties of Commandants of Naval districts and the units under their com­mand would be those prescribed in existing regulations and instructions, and would include the local naval defense forces. Their duties as officers of a fleet were to be guided by such instructions as the Commander‑in‑Chief of that fleet might consider desirable.

General Order No. 143, dated February 3, 1941, which the Court also judicially noticed, provided for the organization of naval forces of the United States, which included the United States Fleet, composed of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic Fleets. These were described as administrative and task organizations normally operating under the instructions of the Navy Department. The United States Fleet was said to be an administrative organization for training purposes only and a task organization when two or more fleets were concentrated or operating in conjunction with each other. Under the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commander‑in‑Chief, United States Fleet, was to prescribe standards and methods of training. It was also stated that the Commandants of Naval districts had administrative responsibility direct to the Navy Department for naval local defense forces.