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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 Office of Chief of Naval Operations

Cablegram Sent                August 15, 1917

To   Opnav Washington              Serial No. 256

Two hundred and sixty eight.

Replying Opnav 133141 It is considered imperative that only regularly commissioned and experienced officers be sent for duty with destroyers stop The highly specialized installations of this type of vessel combined with the nature of their present service makes it dangerous to employ any but regularly trained officers.2

SIMS

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

Footnote 1: Document has not been found.

Footnote 2: Sims' conitnued pressure for skilled commanders was a challenge to fulfill. By August the Navy was still suffering from a massive shortage of officers created by the increase in the number of naval vessels and the need to transfer naval officers to armed merchantmen. See: Benson to Mayo, 25 May 1917.

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