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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

Chronological Copy.                          File No. <25-1-10>

Cablegram Received <August 29,1918.>  EJW1

Origin Opnav Washington                      Ser. No. 668

CS2        30 Aug

B.3

CONFIDENTIAL

Simsadus.

668. Your general report dated August 10.4 You propose to base N.O.T.S. vessels permanently in European Waters at Cardiff.5 Such vessels are not assigned home district in United States. We have allowance list and spare parts ready to ship for these vessels. Suppose should go to Cardiff, advise who to address. 14129. 668.

Benson.            

9.57 a.m. August 30 1918.    

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The handwritten date is confirmed by the time/date notation just at the end of the message’s text.

Footnote 1: The initials of the transcriber of this message who has not been further identified.

Footnote 2: “CS” is Sims’ Chief of Staff who was Capt. Nathan C. Twining. This means this message was referred to him on 30 August.

Footnote 3: This was the code used to transmit the message.

Footnote 5: “N.O.T.S.” was the Naval Overseas Transport Service. In the section of the report referred to here, Sims wrote: “Plans are being developed for handling the 70 vessels of the Army War Trade by means of a naval organization at Cardiff.”

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