Turner, Richmond Kelly, 1885-1961

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Richmond K. Turner (1885-1961) was born in Portland, Oregon. He attended high school in Stockton, California, before his appointment to the Naval Academy. Graduating with distinction in June 1908, fifth in a class of 201, he served the two years at sea then required by law, before being commissioned ensign in June 1910. After graduation in 1908, he served consecutively in Milwaukee (C-21), Preble (TB-12), and West Virginia (ACR-5) until June 1912, when he joined Stewart (DD-13), assuming command a year later. The World War I years found him on board the battleships Pennsylvania (BB-38), Michigan (BB-27), and Mississippi (BB-23). After serving as Commanding Officer of Mervine (DD-322), he reported for flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, where he was designated Naval Aviator on August 30, 1927. Upon completion of more than 4½ years of shore duty, Turner returned to sea as Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier Saratoga (CV-3) and subsequently Commanding Officer of Astoria (CA-34). In October 1940 he became Director of the War Plans Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and in December 1941, in the rank of rear admiral, assumed additional duty as Assistant Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet. On June 18, 1942, Turner became Commander, Amphibious Force, South Pacific, and from that time participated in most of the major amphibious engagements of the Pacific Theater. Among Admiral Turner's most noteworthy achievements during the Pacific campaign were the Guadalcanal-Tulagi invasion, the New Georgia campaign, the Tarawa assault, the occupation of the Marshall Islands, and the seizure and occupation of Saipan. So successful were Admiral Turner's amphibious operations throughout the Pacific theater that he came to be known to the Japanese as the "Alligator," the symbol of fast and inexorable amphibious striking power. Besides the Navy Cross, he received the Distinguished Service Medal with three gold stars, the Navy Commendation Ribbon, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. He was also made a Companion of the Order of the Bath by Great Britain. Admiral Turner was transferred to the retired list of the Navy in the rank of admiral on 1 July 1947. He died in Monterey, California, February 12, 1961, shortly after the death of his wife, the former Miss Harriet Sterling, whom he had married fifty-one years before.

From the description of Turner, Richmond Kelly, 1885-1961 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10576085

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Spurlock, Roy T., 1921-. Reminiscence, August 9, 1942. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. INVASION OF GUAM: CUs OF MARINES IN BATTLE FOR GUAM National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Weaver, Charles W., Jr. Speech, May 6, 1963. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn Libby, Rutheven E. Oral history typescript entitled "Reminiscences of VADM Rutheven E. Libby, USN (Ret.)" done by the U.S. Naval Institute. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of War Information. 1926 - 1951. Motion Picture Films from "United News" Newsreels. 1942 - 1945. SPEED PLANS FOR SAN FRANCISCO SECURITY MEETING [ETC.] National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. ADM. TOWERS GEN SMITH amp; GEN. SCHMIDT GIVE STATEMENTS ON IWO JIMA National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Theodore Stark Wilkinson Papers, 1893-1962, (bulk 1920-1945) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Samuel Eliot Morison Papers, 1939-1972, (bulk 1942-1956) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. ADM. TOWERS, GEN. SMITH amp; GEN. SCHMIDT GIVE STATEMENTS ON IWO JIMA National Archives at College Park
referencedIn David Goldin Collection. 1932 - 1952. Audio Recordings of Radio Broadcasts of Speeches, Interviews, Combat Reports, Special Events, Public Affairs, and Entertainment for U.S. Troops. 1932 - 1952. WOR NEWSREEL National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Biography clippings : "T" [surname] folder 1890-1990. Monterey Public Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. OPERATION quot;SANDYquot; National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Amberg, Richard H. 1912-1967. Papers, 1943-1945. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. INVASION OF SAIPAN: SCENES ABOARD COMMAND SHIP USS ROCKY MOUNT; ADMIRALS TURNER, DELANY amp; ROYAL National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. INVASION OF SAIPAN: SCENES ABOARD COMMAND SHIP USS ROCKY MOUNT; CASUALTIES; LOADED LCVPs National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. BRIEFING FLAG OFFICERS FOR IWO JIMA INVASION National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. Marines in action on Iwo Jima National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Morison, Samuel Eliot, 1887-1976. Papers, 1939-1972 (bulk 1942-1956). Library of Congress
referencedIn Kauffman, Draper L. Copy of oral history typescript of RADM Kauffman, by Naval Institute. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. INVASION OF SAIPAN: SCENES ABOARD USS ROCKY MOUNT (COMMAND SHIP) National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Pfeiffer, Omar Titus, 1895-. Omar T. Pfeiffer interview transcript, 1968. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. AWARDS BY ADM. R.K. TURNER National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Thomas, Frank Pugh, 1891-1953. Unpublished biography, 2001. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Special Film Reports. 1944 - 1945. RYUKYUS OPERATIONS [ETC.] National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. SCENES ON COMMAND SHIP OFF OKINAWA National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. SCENES ON COMMAND SHIP OFF OKINAWA National Archives at College Park
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. ADM. NIMITZ. GEN. RICHARDSON amp; OTHERS INSPECT USS LEONARD WOOD, P.H National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. ADM. SIR BRUCE FRASER (ROYAL NAVY) COMES ABOARD THE USS SOUTH DAKOTA National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. INVASION OF IWO JIMA: SECNAV, ADM. TURNER amp; LT. GEN. SMITH ABOARD AGC-11 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. BOMBARDMENT OF IWO JIMA: ADM. TURNER, SECNAV amp; GEN. SMITH ON FLAG BRIDGE National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. BOMBARDMENT OF IWO: ADM. TURNER, SECNAV, GEN SMITH ON FLAGBRIDGE National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. BOMBARDMENT OF IWO JIMA: ADM. TURNER, SECNAV amp; GEN. SMITH ON FLAG BRIDGE National Archives at College Park
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. INVASION OF SAIPAN: ADMIRALS KING, NIMITZ amp; TURNER National Archives at College Park
Relation Name
associatedWith Amberg, Richard H. 1912-1967. person
associatedWith Kauffman, Draper L. person
associatedWith Libby, Rutheven E. person
associatedWith Monterey Public Library. California History Room. corporateBody
associatedWith Morison, Samuel Eliot, 1887-1976. person
associatedWith Pfeiffer, Omar Titus, 1895- person
associatedWith Spurlock, Roy T., 1921- person
associatedWith Thomas, Frank Pugh, 1891-1953. person
associatedWith Weaver, Charles W., Jr. person
correspondedWith Wilkinson, Theodore Stark, 1888-1946. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1885-05-27

Death 1961-02

English

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SNAC ID: 24072013