During this period another controversy arose. In June 1944 General Richardson disputed Marine General Holland Smith's removal of Army General Ralph C. Smith from command of the Army 27th Division during the Saipan campaign. General Richardson, as the administrative commander of all Pacific Army personnel, questioned whether Marine General Smith, as the operational commander, had the authority to relieve Army General Smith and whether the relief was justified by the facts. This minor inter-service controversy was fanned by the media into controversy over Pacific war strategy and led to a bitter inter-service relationship in the Pacific Theater. At the core, this was a difference of opinion between U.S. Navy/USMC and U.S. Army over command authority, pre-campaign planning, and operational tactics. Also fueling this was Gen Holland Smith's low opinion and poor treatment of the Army personnel under his control.