I reported to Headquarters Army Ground Forces on June 21, 1945.
I found that I had been ordered there to prepare plans for the organization of a new Headquarters to command all the Coast Artillery (in effect a replacement for the old Chief of Coast Artillery), and that I was to be the Commanding General.
I spent several weeks organizing a staff, preparing the necessary orders, for issue at the proper time, and selecting the location for the new Headquarters (at Fort Monroe). All of these steps were approved by the Acting Commander of the Ground Forces, and the papers involved were forwarded to the office of the Chief of Staff for final approval. No action was taken for some time, and then I was informed that the matter had been referred to General Marshall, (who was abroad at the time) for his personal consideration, and that he had finally disapproved the whole plan.
This definitely marked the end of the Coast Artillery Corps. It and the Battleship had become obsolete.
Pending my reassignment I was on leave awaiting orders at Summerville.
I was eventually assigned as Commanding General, 12th Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 2nd Army, at Camp Jackson (at Columbia), South Carolina.