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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Gen. Roy S. Geiger served in Marine aviation from its infancy to its fruition into a battle-changing force. His role in applying aircraft to tactical situations helped develop close air support doctrines in use today.
Geiger’s flying career began in 1916 as the Marine Corps’ fifth aviator after serving nine years prior. According to Dr. Fred H. Allison, an oral historian for the Marine Corps University, his actions led to the creation of a Marine airfield in Miami, Fla., which would train pilots for World War I. In France, he commanded a squadron from the 1st Marine Aviation Force and received the Navy Cross for leading bombing raids against the enemy.
Having learned how to apply tactical air forces in France and the campaigns of the Banana Wars, Geiger encouraged using aviation as a support arm for the infantry. As the director of Marine aviation, he advanced this doctrine between the world wars. These concepts parted with the traditional thinking of the Army, which stated that strategic bombing instead of tactical bombing would win wars. Geiger’s concepts would be implemented in the Pacific during World War II.
In August of 1941, he commanded the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and in 1942 led the “Cactus Air Force” on Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. Based aboard Henderson Field, it was an isolated and disorganized force operating from an airfield so riddled by enemy bombardment the aircraft would have to dodge craters when taking off or landing. Geiger immediately acted to remedy the situation and set up his headquarters only 200 yards away from the runway, the enemy’s primary target.
The Cactus Air Force’s two main objectives were to protect the airfield and to stop the “Tokyo Express,” convoys of ships dropping thousands of troops off to retake the airfield. Geiger whipped the force into shape and carried out this mission, earning a second Navy Cross. His forces downed 268 Japanese aircraft, sank six enemy vessels and damaged numerous other ships. One of the primary factors in accomplishing this was Geiger’s attitude. His was about getting things done.
“He was a square shooter,” said Gen. Christian F. Schilt, one of Geiger’s colleagues. “He’d get you in his office and sort of look at you like he was going to give you hell. He was peculiar that way. If they wouldn’t do what he told them to do, he’d give them hell.”
After a brief stint in Washington, D.C., as the director of Marine aviation, Geiger returned to the Pacific with an amphibious corps under his command. He led these ground troops with the same determination as he had led aviation forces. This corps fought in the battles of Guam, Bougainville, Peleliu and Okinawa. On Guam and Okinawa, Geiger coordinated with the 2nd MAW for his close air support on the same doctrines he had developed during and after World War I.
During the battle of Okinawa, Gen. Simon B. Buckner, commanding general of the 10th Army, was killed in action. Geiger took the reigns of the army and became the only Marine and only aviator ever to command an army sized force. Three days later, organized Japanese resistance ended. After Okinawa, he became the commander of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
“He was, to my mind, the greatest aviator we ever had,” said Gen. William O. Brice, another Marine aviator. “He was the commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and was the first air officer we ever had to exercise command of both air and ground. He did everything well and didn’t ask anyone to do anything he wouldn’t do. He was just a brave, fine leader.”
A special thanks to the Headquarters Marine Corps Historical Branch for their help in gathering the information for this article. Information was also collected from History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II by Robert Sherrod.
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.04.2011 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 79575 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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