Chuck Roots
20 March 2017
www.chuckroots.com
Brilliant Brute
If you are a frequent
reader of my column, then you know I love to read. In general, I love history. Further,
I am a big fan of military history. And in particular, I enjoy anything about
the Marine Corps.
Recently, my friend, Eddie Erdilatz,
suggested I read a book he had recently finished. It’s entitled, Brute: The
Life of Victor Krulak, U.S. Marine. This is my kind of book! History and the
Marine Corps. Can’t get enough of it. The moniker “Brute” was obtained on the
day he arrived at the Naval Academy. A rather imposing midshipman took one look
at the diminutive five-foot five Krulak, and said, “Well, Brute!”
So, who is this guy Victor “Brute” Krulak,
anyway? You may be asking yourself, “Why haven’t I heard of him before?” That
would be a good question.
Make no mistake, Vic Krulak was a
warrior. But he was also exceptionally cerebral. His mind was always pushing
against what is, and instead, asking the question, What if? From the time
Krulak was a 2nd Lieutenant he was pushing the envelope when it came
to what the Marine Corps could be, and what it ought to be. He loved the Corps
and always did what he believed to be in the best interests of the Corps. In so
doing, it would translate into what was best for the country.
Young Lieutenant Krulak caught the
eye of certain Marine generals who took him under their wing. They recognized
his brilliance and wanted to protect this young, cock-sure Marine officer. Many
other flag officers, both Marine generals and Navy admirals, were less than enamored
with this protégé who hobnobbed with three and four star generals both
professionally and socially. His defenders recognized his acumen, and took
every opportunity to seek his council, as unorthodox as that was in the Marine
Corps of the 1930s and ‘40s.
In 1936 Lt Krulak was sent to
Shanghai, China to serve with the legendary “China Marines.” The China Marines
were U.S. Marines serving a special post in the city of Shanghai, a city of no
small reputation internationally. While there, Krulak was aware of the growing
threat of the Imperial Japanese military, particularly, their navy. The
Japanese were constantly threatening and harassing the Chinese. Finally, in
1937, a flotilla of Japanese war ships anchored off Shanghai, showing every intention
of landing troops on Chinese soil. Krulak watched daily from the American
sector of Shanghai, waiting to see what might transpire. One morning the
Japanese navy began heavy shelling in preparation for troops landing in an
assault on the city. Krulak commandeered a tugboat from the U.S. Navy command
and sailed out to meet the invading force with a large American flag flapping
in the breeze. The United States and Japan were not at war yet, so this was not
perceived by the Japanese as a threatening move on Krulak’s part. Instead, he
wanted to study the amphibious landing craft the Japanese Marines were using to
get from ship-to-shore. One humorous incident occurred while Japanese warships
were firing their naval guns on Shanghai. “As the tug approached one of the
larger Japanese warships, there was a flurry on deck, and Japanese sailors
rushed to the rail. The shooting stopped. The sailors saluted. Other sailors
dipped the Japanese ensign (small flag), and a (ship’s) horn sounded. Then
Krulak, who was in the wheelhouse of the tugboat, came to attention, saluted,
and gave a blast on the horn.” You can’t make this stuff up!
Once the naval courtesies were over,
Krulak had the tug come right alongside of a Japanese landing craft. He took
pictures and made sketches of the craft, along with copious notes. Later he
formalized his observations and sent a package to the Navy Department for them
to see how the Japanese used these amphibious craft. In the years leading up to
the Second World War, the Marine Corps had not fully established a fully
functional policy for implementing amphibious warfare. Lt Krulak was certain
his information would revolutionize, as well as solidify, the Marine Corps’
policies regarding amphibious warfare. He would be sorely disappointed in a few
years when he discovered the Navy had no interest in his desire to create
amphibious landing craft.
Just prior to the war, Krulak would
be serving at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, known as “the Crossroads of
the Marine Corps,” where, under the protective hand of General Holland “Howlin’
Mad” Smith, he was allowed to pursue his interest in developing the much-needed
craft used to transport Marines to the beach. “Big Navy” continued to stiff-arm
him, believing opposing large fleets would be the naval battles in the future. This
was true as well for the army, using large army forces to clash with an enemy
force. Krulak was undaunted, showing brilliance of foresight by pressing the
need for such landing craft. So, he connected with a private boat builder by
the name of Andrew Jackson Higgins.
This union of Krulak and Higgins
would be fortuitous for both men, Higgins Industries, Krulak’s military career,
the Marine Corps, and the United States. The amphibious boat, known as Higgins
Boats, which Higgins built with Krulak’s oversight, revolutionized amphibious
warfare. These craft were contracted to be built by Higgins Industries in the
thousands. They were instrumental in both the D-Day Invasion of June 6, 1944,
and throughout the Pacific island campaigns by the Marines, not the least of
which was Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945.
I have more fascinating information
about this brilliant man, but that will have to wait till next week.
In closing, this quote from General
Dwight D. Eisenhower sums it up rather nicely. “[The Higgins’ Boats] won the
war for us.”
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