ALLIED COMMAND

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20859, 11 August 1942, Page 3

ALLIED COMMAND

SOLOMONS BATTLE ADMIRAL "GHORMLEY ✓ No. 1 NAVAL TACTICIAN It appears to be more than possible, states the Press Association correspondent at a South Pacific port, that when the complete story unfolds of the AUied attack on the Japanese positions in the Solomon Islands, it will be found that New Zealand has had an immediate, although indirect, personal interest in it. The first communique issued by Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour, stating that forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas, assisted

by units in the south-west Pacific area, had launched offensive operations, made it reasonable to conjecture that Vice-Admiral Robert Lee Ghormley, commanding the South Pacific area, is playing an important part in the operation. There are a number of reasons why this is more than probable. One is to be found in ViceAdmiral Ghormley’s own character. It has been clear ever since his arrival in New Zealand that this American is not a man to cherish the warmth of a comfortable arm chair ashore. In several actions taken by the United States and Allied task forces in the Pacific area in the last few months, he has, of necessity, had to watch events from a distance. To an officer who regards the simplest definition of war as being a matter of killing the greatest number of the enemy in the shortest possible time, this must have been irksome. Vice-Admiral Ghormley has been living for the day when carefully-laid preparations could be turned into an offensive. Working for Months The present action, although its immediate objectives may be limited, is of the type for which he and other Pacific area commanders have been working through several months of restrained impatience. Another reason is to be found in Vice-Admiral Ghormley’s professional capacity which is of the highest order. Such an action calls for planning of the greatest skill and Vice-Admiral Ghormley is the Allies’ No. 1 naval tactician in the whole of the South Pacific and south-west Pacific ocean area. It, therefore, seems reasonable to assume that Admiral Nimitz would place in Vice-Admiral Ghormley’s hands the responsibility for executing his own orders. Admiral Nimitz himself is a commander-in-chief whose duty makes it impossible for him to fly his flag at sea. He has to delegate his responsibility and wait for the result. Again, Vice-Admiral Ghormley is senior Allied naval commander in the same broad-flung area.# Here is another reason for the belief that an operation on the scale on which the Solomons attack appears to be would be placed in his care; indeed, everything points to the attack being under Vice-Admiral Ghormley’s direct control. At least, he probably has supreme tactical control of the action. He is commander-in-chief of the forces which may even include New Zealand naval units, although it is most improbable that any other New Zealand forces are taking part. The landing operations are more likely being carried out by American forces.