Holland McTyeire Smith was born in 1882, and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1906. He had an extremely diverse career with experience in the Philippines, aboard the USS Galveston, the Dominican Republic, World War I in France and Germany, USS Wyoming, USS Arkansas, Haiti, and USS California all before World War II.
In August 1942, he commanded the Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, training the Second and Third Marines, and the Seventh Army Division for amphibious operations in the Aleutian Islands. The Amphibious Corps was redesignated V Amphibious Corps a year later and relocated to Pearl Harbor. In November 1943, he helped plan the invasion of Tarawa and Gilbert Islands. In February 1944, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and participated in the invasion of Kwajalein. That summer, he began preparing for the invasions of Saipan, Guam and Tinian. At this time, he was designated Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and subsequently commanded Task Force 56, planning the Marines for the Battle for Iwo Jima during February-March 1945.
This experience has led many to consider General Smith as the "father" of Modern U.S. Amphibious Warfare. His nickname, "Howlin' Mad" Smith, had been given to him by his troops in the Dominican Republic in 1916.
Camp H.M. Smith, in vicinity of this geocache, was named in his honor as the first commanding general of Marine Forces Pacific.
About the cache:
This is a five stage Multi-Cache on the Aiea Loop Trail, one of my favorite hiking trails in the area. Aiea Loop Trail is fortunately populated by numerous caches, but none along this particular stretch. Additionally, this cache is just off the main trail, which should provide plenty of privacy for the hunt and also a great view over the H-3. All of the stages are relatively close, however one of the stages requires some dexterity, hence the 4.5 terrain rating. The other stages are not nearly as physically challenging. If someone wants to find the cache but cannot or do not want to risk the physically challenging stage, please send me (or a friend who has completed the cache) an email with the grid coordinates for the stage in question, and I’ll provide the next stages coordinates and appropriate hints.
Each stage will have two hints. One hint for the next stage location, and a hint to solve the final stage challenge…so please keep track of the hints as they will be absolutely necessary for the final stage.
Congratulations to Unimogger!! FTF!!