The Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China, 1942-1945 : a case study in special operations, 1996: Finding Aid

Biography of William P. McLaughlin

William Preston McLaughlin entered The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in 1979. Following graduation from The Citadel in 1983, and having completed Officer Candidate School the year prior, he joined the United States Marine Corps. Completing The Basic School later that year, McLaughlin went on to serve as an officer in the Marine Corps for over 27 years, serving tours as an Amphibian Tractor Platoon Commander, a Company and Battalion Commander for an Assault Amphibian Battalion, United Nations Military Observer, and Current Operations Officer for Marine Forces Pacific. His final tour was as Chief of Staff of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. While serving in the Marine Corps, McLaughlin earned master's degrees from Marine Corps University, the U.S. Army War College, and George Mason University.

After retiring from the Marine Corps, McLaughlin held a number of corporate, consulting, and educational positions, including Director of Cadet Professional Development at The Citadel and adjunct professorships at Marine Corps University and the Daniel Morgan Graduate School.

Description of Contents

William P. McLaughlin's "The Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China, 1942-1945: A Case Study in Special Operations," comprising a single typescript was submitted by McLaughlin in 1996 in fulfillment of the Master of Military Studies degree at Marine Corps University. The thesis analyzes the effectiveness of the Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China (SACO/NGC) as an economy of force measure designed to foster cooperation between the United States and the Nationalist Chinese government in the development of intelligence, guerilla, and sabotage operations during World War II.

McLaughlin's "The Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China, 1942-1945: A Case Study in Special Operations" is arranged into seven sections, followed by appendices. Beginning with an Introduction discussing the origin of the SACO/NGC, the thesis continues with sections addressing the scope of SACO/NGC activities; the economy of force benefits derived from SACO/NGC at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war; lessons learned; and McLaughlin's conclusion that SACO/NGC was an effective use of special operations forces. At the end of the thesis are four appendices, including McLaughlin's end notes, bibliography, a transcript of the SACO agreement, and a map of China denoting areas of SACO/NGC activity.

Arrangement

William P. McLaughlin's "The Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China, 1942-1945: A Case Study in Special Operations" comprises a single typescript with seven sections.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

"The Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China, 1942-1945: A Case Study in Special Operations" is the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Custodial History

Originally donated by William P. McLaughlin to the United States Naval Institute.

Provenance and Acquisition

Gift of the United States Naval Institute in January 1999. Accession No. 99-17.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Additional material related to the Sino-American Cooperative Organization in this repository can be found in the Milton E. Miles Papers, MS 420.

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

The Sino-American Cooperative Organization/Naval Group China, 1942-1945: A Case Study in Special Operations, MS 498

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in April 2019. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in April 2019.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• China -- Military relations -- United States
• Sino-American Cooperative Organization
• United States -- Military relations -- China
• World War, 1939-1945 -- Naval operations, American
• World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- China

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Theses