Prior to Operation Galvanic and Tarawa, V Amphibious Corps had identified coral as an issue for future amphibious operations. Rear Admiral Kelly Turner, commander V Amphibious Corps had ordered a review to get a grip on the problem. VAC found that the only people having any applicable experience with the material were men in the Naval Construction Battalions. The Admiral tasked LT T.C. Crist (CEC) with developing a method for blasting coral under combat conditions and putting together a team to do it. LT Crist started by getting others he had blasted coral within CB 10. By the end of November 1943, he had close to 30 officers and 150 enlisted gathered at Waipio Amphibious Operating Base on Oahu.