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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 the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations

 

Subject Copy.                                File No. <40/3/2>

Cablegram Sent 13 December 1917.

To Opnav, Washington.                         Serial No. 2095.

Prep. by                        NCT1       D.R.

                                                 18 D

2095. Your 186 and 291.2 Request information number and date arrival repair ships. Additional facilities Brest very urgently needed. PANTHER unable to meet demands.3 Yachts and destroyers and shore facilities wholly inadequate owing lack labor. Propose assign first ship to arrive to Brest and none to Bordeaux until necessity for basing ships there arises.4 06313

Sims.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The number at the end of the cable is a stamp.

Footnote 1: Capt. Nathan C. Twining, Sims’ chief of staff.

Footnote 2: See: Benson to Sims, 17 August 1917. Opnav 291 has not been found.

Footnote 3: The PANTHER was an auxiliary repair ship assigned to the Atlantic Fleet.

Footnote 4: Brest at this time had two repair ships, and that number was never increased. The United States did, however, build a repair facility adjacent to the French naval base. Still, Crisis at Sea: 152.