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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Destroyers Operating from British Bases, to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels

CABLE DISPATCH.

SENT: May 30th, 1917.                 TO: Secretary of the Navy THROUGH: State Department.

     A reserve of officers and men is necessary for the operations of this force (stop) The requirements of the duty is so severe and the importance of their operations so vital that the necessity of relieving officers and men both owing to sickness and other casualties and also to substitute for undesirables has already arisen (stop) It is therefore urgently requested that the reserve of officers and men previously requested1 be made available as soon as possible. It is particularly requested that Commanding Officers be at least Lieutenant Commanders and that officers of previous destroyer experience be selected (stop) It will increase the efficiency of the force to send such officers as Evans, Jeffers, Belknap, Parker, Cronan, Berrien and similar officers with previous successful destroyer experience.2

SIMS.

NO. OF COPIES.  4.                       REFERENCE NO.

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

Footnote 2: Lt. Cmdr. Frank T. Evans; Lt. Cmdr. William N. Jeffers; Lt. Cmdr. Charles Belknap, Jr.; Lt. Cmdr. Edward C. S. Parker; Lt. Cmdr. William P. Cronan; and Lt. Cmdr. Frank D. Berrien.

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