Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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

(URGENT)           

From: Sims.

To:   Opnav.

     6330 Your 48001 strongly recommend that four American line ships be routed in fast liner convoys priod Escort for American line cannot be provided except by weakening convoy escorts period At the moment there are <nineteen> (group garbled) Queenstown destroyer escorting troop ships and the escort for group twenty-six is not sufficient to permit that group to be separated to the destinations requested by the Army to facilitate discharge period British destroyers are assisting in escorting troop ships and there are now transportation facilities 14411

4-11-18       

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

Footnote 1: Benson cabled Sims on 10 April 1918 to ask: “The four American liners are now carr[y]ing about 1000 American troops each. Is it still possible to give them individual escourt to Liverpo[o]l, England or should they routed in the fast liner convoy sailing from New York, N.Y.” DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Related Content