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).
PROCEEDINGS OF
HEWITT INQUIRY 371
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).
372 CONGRESSIONAL
INVESTIGATION PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
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)
PROCEEDINGS OF
HEWITT INQUIRY 373
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.
374 CONGRESSIONAL
INVESTIGATION PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
"(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.