Query Regarding Marine Generals During Japanese Surrender

[w***@hotmail.com]

A recent topic on this NG dealt with marine generals,
and the awarding of the Medal of Honor. From one of
my postings, I brought up the name of Major General
Roy Geiger, who finished out the war in the Pacific
as the commander of the U.S. 10th Army on Okinawa.

In reading the book "Iwo Jima - Legacy of Valor" by
Bill D. Ross, he mentions that there were 3 marine
generals aboard the Missouri on 2 September 1945,
although he does not give the names of the generals.

One of the marine generals was Roy Geiger, as he is
plainly visible in one of the official photographs
taken during the surrender ceremony, and is listed
in the U.S. Marines Heritage Foundation history
book as the only marine general aboard the Missouri.

On the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial Website, another
marine general is mentioned being in attendance
during the surrender, Brigadier General Joseph
Fellows. What part, if any, did General Fellows
play in WW 2? Was he in the Pacific Theater, or
perhaps back in the Pentagon or Washington, DC?

And who was the third marine general in attendance,
if indeed there was more than 2 generals on the
surrender deck of the Missouri?

Tim Watkins

[Bill Shatzer]

Post by w***@hotmail.com
A recent topic on this NG dealt with marine generals,
and the awarding of the Medal of Honor. From one of
my postings, I brought up the name of Major General
Roy Geiger, who finished out the war in the Pacific
as the commander of the U.S. 10th Army on Okinawa.
In reading the book "Iwo Jima - Legacy of Valor" by
Bill D. Ross, he mentions that there were 3 marine
generals aboard the Missouri on 2 September 1945,
although he does not give the names of the generals.
One of the marine generals was Roy Geiger, as he is
plainly visible in one of the official photographs
taken during the surrender ceremony, and is listed
in the U.S. Marines Heritage Foundation history
book as the only marine general aboard the Missouri.
On the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial Website, another
marine general is mentioned being in attendance
during the surrender, Brigadier General Joseph
Fellows. What part, if any, did General Fellows
play in WW 2? Was he in the Pacific Theater, or
perhaps back in the Pentagon or Washington, DC?
And who was the third marine general in attendance,
if indeed there was more than 2 generals on the
surrender deck of the Missouri?

Fellows was part of Nimitz's staff in Hawaii from 1943 on.

The other Marine Corps general at the surrender ceremony was BGen.
William T. Clement.

[w***@hotmail.com]

On Monday, August 19, 2013 5:56:04 AM UTC-7, ***@hotmail.com wrote:

(snip)

Post by Bill Shatzer

Post by w***@hotmail.com
And who was the third marine general in attendance,
if indeed there was more than 2 generals on the
surrender deck of the Missouri?
Tim Watkins

Fellows was part of Nimitz's staff in Hawaii from
1943 on.
The other Marine Corps general at the surrender
ceremony was BGen. William T. Clement.

First, my thanks to Bill Shatzer for filling in the
blank with the name of the 3rd marine general on board
the Missouri during the Japanese surrender.

In that there were 50 high-ranking Army personnel, and
50 high-ranking Navy personnel on board the Mo (apart
from ship's company, the Marine Corps Detachment, other
Allied personnel, photographers and press)to witness the
proceedings, one has to wonder why there were only 3
marine generals on board.

I have a suspicion as to why, as I opined earlier in this
thread. The anger directed toward Holland M. "Howlin' Mad"
Smith was severe, not only on the part of Chester Nimitz,
but MacArthur himself. Possibly it was Mac who had the
final say in who the dignitaries on board the Mo were to
be. And it was Mac who read the surrender proclamation
and directed the Japanese to sign the surrender document.

But to slight the Marine Corps, as it appears happened
because of some deep-seated resentment, in my mind is
petty and small, when one considers that almost 20,000
Marines died in the Pacific, some of them on islands that
did not need to be seized (example Peleliu).

I'm sure that BGeneral Joseph Fellows was an important
team member with Nimitz's staff, but if he was "in the
rear with the gear", I can think of some other guys that
were more deserving to be on the Mo on 2 September 1945.

My choices, with all due respect to "Chocko Doug" and
Nimitz: 1) General Alexander Vandegrift, Commandant of the
Marine Corps at that time; 2)MajGen Harry Schmidt, Fifth
Amphibious Corps Commander (on-shore commander at Iwo);
3) aforementioned Lt.Gen Holland M. Smith, the highest
ranking marine general in the Pacific; and 4) a general
who was there, and deservedly so, MajGen Roy Geiger. And
I take nothing away from BGen William Clement, who had
been Assistant Division Commander of the Marine 6th Div.
at Okinawa, but in lieu of Clement, I would have chosen
MajGen Lemuel Shepherd, who commanded the 6th Division,
later accepted a Japanese surrender in China, and later
became Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1952. And if
you pick Shepherd, then why not Rockey, Cates, and Erskine?

"Howlin' Mad" Smith, admittedly, was very outspoken, and
constantly berated the navy for not providing enough pre-
invasion shore bombardment before marine landings. And
many had felt that Smith should have commanded the 3rd
Amphibious Marine Corps at Okinawa, instead of Geiger
(although Geiger was an excellent choice), and had shown
his grits when he told Rupertus to pull Chesty Puller and
the 1st Marines (70% casualty rate) out of Bloody Nose Ridge
at Peleliu, and put in 2 RCT's from the 81st U.S. Army
Division after they secured Angaur.

And Smith had his good points. Perhaps he is best known
for his foresight in the introduction of new amphibious
doctrines, tactics, training, and techniques to get combat
troops ashore in assaults. Smith put pressure on all 3
branches of the service to streamline and develop better
amphibious ships and landing craft. He got with Andrew
Higgins, who in turn developed the LCVP, commonly called
the "Higgins Boat". And even as early as 1942 Smith had
the foresight to think about LVT "Alligators" as assault
craft.

So, in my mind, there were some good decisions made by
Nimitz and Mac as to attendees on the Mo, and there were
some marines back at Pearl and Guam having to listen to
the ceremonies on shortwave radio that should have been
on board the Mo.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Tim Watkins