During his service at Quantico, commanding general of the Marine Corps Base, Major General Holland Smith, noticed the Hogaboom's qualities as staff officer and brilliant instructor and when he received orders to assume command of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet in San Diego, he requested Hogaboom to be assign to his staff.

Hogaboom was promoted to lieutenant colonel and ordered to San Diego in September 1942 for duty on the staff of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet under Major General Holland Smith.
He was appointed assistant operations officer (G-3) and was put in charge of the amphibious training of Army 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California.
Hogaboom coordinated the training of the division for the ongoing Aleutian Islands Campaign and later served as an observer during the amphibious landing at Attu in May 1943.
For his service in this capacity, he was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal.
He was, meanwhile, promoted to the temporary rank of colonel in November 1942.

In November 1943, Commander of Fifth Amphibious Force, Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner, requested a more experienced Marine officer to be assigned to his staff.
Admiral Turner, known as "Terrible Turner" because of his furious temper, wrote a letter to the commandant, Thomas Holcomb, demanding a substitute for his assistant chief of staff for operations, Colonel Joseph W. Knighton.
Holcomb asked Holland Smith for a substitute, and he chose Hogaboom.

He later described his experiences under Turner:
The greatness of Admiral Kelly Turner was in that Kelly Turner worked his plans out in minute detail himself, right down to the last position of every amphibious vessel; where they would be, when they should be there, what they were to do.
I knew him personally and I know that he was a fighting man.
He was tough...he was not always fair, but he insisted on his people doing what they were supposed to do.

Hogaboom served as assistant chief of staff for operations and training, with additional duty as Smith's liaison officer and participated in the combat operations in Gilbert and Marshall Islands and in the Marianas.
He remained in this capacity until mid-October 1944 and was decorated with the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for his service in that capacity.

He was subsequently transferred to Guam and appointed chief of staff, 3rd Marine Division under Major General Graves B. Erskine.
Hogaboom knew Erskine well from his time under General Smith in the Aleutians and thus the cooperation worked well.
Hogaboom took part in the planning of Iwo Jima campaign and the landing itself in February 1945 and earned his second Legion of Merit for his service.
During his service at Quantico, commanding general of the Marine Corps Base, Major General Holland Smith, noticed the Hogaboom's qualities as staff officer and brilliant instructor and when he received orders to assume command of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet in San Diego, he requested Hogaboom to be assign to his staff.
Hogaboom was promoted to lieutenant colonel and ordered to San Diego in September 1942 for duty on the staff of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet under Major General Holland Smith. He was appointed assistant operations officer (G-3) and was put in charge of the amphibious training of Army 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California. Hogaboom coordinated the training of the division for the ongoing Aleutian Islands Campaign and later served as an observer during the amphibious landing at Attu in May 1943. For his service in this capacity, he was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal. He was, meanwhile, promoted to the temporary rank of colonel in November 1942.
In November 1943, Commander of Fifth Amphibious Force, Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner, requested a more experienced Marine officer to be assigned to his staff. Admiral Turner, known as "Terrible Turner" because of his furious temper, wrote a letter to the commandant, Thomas Holcomb, demanding a substitute for his assistant chief of staff for operations, Colonel Joseph W. Knighton. Holcomb asked Holland Smith for a substitute, and he chose Hogaboom.
He later described his experiences under Turner:
The greatness of Admiral Kelly Turner was in that Kelly Turner worked his plans out in minute detail himself, right down to the last position of every amphibious vessel; where they would be, when they should be there, what they were to do. I knew him personally and I know that he was a fighting man. He was tough...he was not always fair, but he insisted on his people doing what they were supposed to do.
Hogaboom served as assistant chief of staff for operations and training, with additional duty as Smith's liaison officer and participated in the combat operations in Gilbert and Marshall Islands and in the Marianas. He remained in this capacity until mid-October 1944 and was decorated with the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for his service in that capacity.
He was subsequently transferred to Guam and appointed chief of staff, 3rd Marine Division under Major General Graves B. Erskine. Hogaboom knew Erskine well from his time under General Smith in the Aleutians and thus the cooperation worked well. Hogaboom took part in the planning of Iwo Jima campaign and the landing itself in February 1945 and earned his second Legion of Merit for his service.
Robert E. Hogaboom