Naval War College

Command and Control LITTLE BEAVERS Style Naval War College

World War II command and control systems were more rudimentary than those we have today. Additionally, operational naval commanders as late as 1943 based their doctrine on pre-war perceptions of war at sea. The result was a series of defeats in the waters around Guadalcanal and in the Slot. As commanders tried to reassess their tactics and operations, attempting to shift the tide of battle in the Solomon Islands, Commodore Arleigh A. Burke assumed his first wartime command. As a commander of destroyer divisions and squadrons, Burke developed and implemented an aggressive fighting doctrine that changed the operational employment of destroyers in battle. Stressing unity of command, surprise, and delegation of authority, Burke's doctrine lead to significant successes in surface engagements in the South Pacific. Arleigh Burke is not only a great historical sea story, but provides an example of successful command and control in combat situations while utilizing minimal technological systems.