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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 Captain Richard H. Jackson, American Naval Representative to the Ministry of Marine

3rd August, 1917.       

From:     William S. Sims, U. S. N.,

              Vice Admiral Commanding U. S.

              Naval Forces Operating in

                European Waters.

To:       Captain Richard H. Jackson, U. S. N.

          Subject:   Orders.

     1.      My order of 5th July is hereby rescinded.1

     2.      In carrying out your duties as ordered by the Navy Department, you will consider yourself as my staff representative at the Ministry of Marine, Paris.

     3.      It is necessary that all naval activities in France, ashore or afloat, should be carried out in full cooperation and coordination with the French Naval Service. In fact, to this end, our forces should be considered as virtually a part of the French Naval Service.

     4.      It is therefore important that the general nature of all operations or activities of our forces should be indicated by the French Ministry of Marine. To this end it is necessary that all communications between me and the Senior

Officer Commanding the Forces afloat,2 or with officers commanding individual units, should be coordinated with the policy of the Ministry of Marine.

     5.      Your office should be considered as an adjunct to my office in London, and I will expect you to keep me informed of such matters as should be brought to my attention.

     I particularly desire that any wishes of the Ministry of Marine should be carried out without delay, and hence you must use your discretion as to the subjects which should be referred to me before taking action, and those which can be settled directly between the various U. S. Commanding Officers and the Ministry.

     6.      As a rule, communications from the various U. S. commanding officers to me in passing through your office should be forwarded without delay, and I will expect you to send any additional information in connection therewith which you may consider necessary in view of your direct contact with the Ministry and knowledge of their views or policies.

     7.      For the time being, the Naval and Aviation bases in France will be under your general direction, except where their operations should naturally be directly under the command of the Commander of the Forces afloat.

     8.      You are authorized to perform such travel from time to time as may be necessary in coordinating the U. S. Naval activities in France.

WM. S. SIMS.            

Source Note: DNA, RG 125, Entry 30, Box 246.

Footnote 2: Capt. William B. Fletcher, Commander, Special Patrol Squadrons.

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