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Naval History and Heritage Command

Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Captain Hutchinson I. Cone, Commander, United States Naval Aviation Forces, Foreign Service

Subject Copy.                                  File No. <4-2-38>

Cablegram Sent July 4, 1918   JCM1

To   Comfran, Brest   (For Cone)               Serial No. 3367

Prep. by  A-12               SX   D.R.

           Sigcode.

3367 Reference your letter 8413 of June 26.3 Propose recommending to Department that they place two thousand aviation personnel in training at once with a view to utilising them by taking over additional British Seaplane stations when we have concluded our present agreements and commissioned all of our authorized stations. Do not approve of forming a pool for joint use of British and ourselves, but consider it highly important to recommend that these men be put in training at once for by the time they are trained, we may be in position to assume additional obligations. Prefer to keep our aviation activities entirely separate and distinct from those of our Allies. Am holding letter to Department pending your concurrence in above suggestions.4 <10204> 3367

Sims.              

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 1: The initials of the typist/coder who has not been further identified.

Footnote 2: Presumably, this means that this message was prepared by the aviation section of Sims’ staff.

Footnote 3: See: Cone to Sims, 26 June 1918.

Footnote 4: Cone’s reply has not been found, but he must have concurred as Sims cabled the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations repeating much of what he wrote here and asking that training facilities for American aviators “be utilised to the utmost.” See: Sims to Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, 6 July 1918. However, the war ended before these aviators could be used.

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