Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Rear Admiral Herbert O. Dunn, Commander, Azores Detachment, to Vice AdmiralWilliam S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

[Extract]

CONFIDENTIAL

File 106.

AZORES DETACHMENT

UNITED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET.

August 10, 1918.

From:          Commander, Azores Detachment.

To:            Force Commander.

Subject:       Weekly Report of Operations.

Reference:     (a) Force Instructions No. 2, 22 September

1917.1

  1.           In compliance with reference (a) the following report is submitted for the week ending 10 August 1918:

 (a) 4 August   Portuguese S.S. SAN MIGUEL arrived from Lisbon

via Madeira, convoyed by Portuguese Trawler ALMIRANTE PACO d’ARCOS.

Portuguese S.S. VIENA arrived with coal from Milford.

French armed trawlers AISE and SAPAJON equipped with observation balloon arrived at Horta from Lisbon for orders.

K-6 on night patrol.

     5 August  Submarine reported in 35° - 07' N., 28° - 01' W.,

at 12:05 p.m. Shortly after receipt of above message the Santa Clara gun’s crew reported hearing an explosion to the southwest but that nothing was seen. A few minutes later received following radiogram signed Inmore, Master, British S.S. RHODESIAN TRANSPORT:- “In Lat. 35°-07' N.,Long. 28°-00' W., two submarines operating at 12:10 p.m. Sighted one on port beam. Stern gun (howsers)? Were trained on one of the submarines from our ship, the fifth shot proving effective. The boat was seen by all hands to be hit and sunk, oil and smoke being seen on surface of water for fully five minutes.” – The position of submarine given was 190 miles distant from this Base.2

U.S.S. RATHBURNE arrived from New York and from convoy duty.

K-1 on night patrol.

Portuguese S.S. SAN MIGUEL sailed for neighboring islands.

Discontinued broadcasting message to GEORGE G. HENRY which we began sending on 1st instant, asking her if she needed assistance. She made no reply. . .3

    7 August  U.S.S. RATHBURNE and U.S.S. CARIB sailed in

convoy for United States; destination of former is New York, latter, - Norfolk.

K-1 on night patrol. . . .

     8 August   French Balloon Ship ASIE and French Armed Trawler

SAPAJON sailed from Horta, Fayal for Brest, France.

British S.S. STEELTON sailed for Gibraltar and Genoa.

K-6 on night patrol.

     9 August                    K-6 on night patrol.

    10 August  U.S.S. RATHBURNE arrived at Horta, Fayal, having

been compelled to turn about and put in there on account of leaky condensers. U.S.S. CARIB, whom she was escorting, proceeded on her voyage to United States.

 U.S.S. COLHOUN arrived from Norfolk, Va., and from convoy duty.

 K-6 on night patrol.

(b)  Marine Guard and 7-inch Guns Detachment engaged in drills

and camp work.

(c)  Aeronautic Company engaged in routine work. Made following

flights during the week: Scouting 19, Practice 7, Motor Test 1, Instruction 8.

H.O.Dunn.          

Source Note: TDS, DNA, RG 45, Entry 520, box 446. There is a note below close: “Copies to:/Force Com.(3)/Operations./File.” There is a running head at the top of the second page of this two-page report: “CONFIDENTIAL/C.A.D. Letter, File 106, of 10 August, 1918. ‘Weekly Report of Operations.’”

Footnote 2: There is no evidence that a German submarine was sunk near the Azores on that date. Kemp, U-Boats Destroyed, 53-54.

Footnote 3: George G. Henry was a tanker in the Naval Overseas Transport Service. Clephane, Naval Overseas Transportation Service, 222. For more on the emergency that prompted its distress signal, see: Henry B. Wilson to Sims, 4 August 1918.

Related Content