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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations to Certain Naval District Commandants and Other Officers

U. S. NAVAL DESPATCH

          <July 21, 1918> Receiving Data

Prefix

 Origin

No.

Operator or Signalman

Check

Date and Time

 

 OPNAV

 1

   PT

 147

12:55 a.m.

22/7/18.

VIA NAVY RADIO P.N.         System               Code or Cipher 

Address C-in-C              LANDWIRE             FALOS    G

     Our 220181 following places may be bom<b>arded according to advices from some source as stated in despatch period Places are mentioned as received but se<n>der had not time to investigate and report fur<th>er or to correct it paragraph

     Harbor works ATLANTIC CITY, railroads between BARNEGAT AND BEACH HAVEN comma fuel oil depot at TUCKERTON N.J.BEACHcomma dock yard at BEACH HAVEN2 comma patent ship at NEWPORT R.I. and NARRAGANSETT BAY where vessels are said to be under construction comma MASSACHUSETTS Dock Yard comma MUNITIONS DEPOT and large Electric Crane at PORT SAND comma WAR MATERIAL DEPOT BROAD SOUND3 comma Large Crane between BOSTON Mass. and SAND NECK LIGHTHOUSE4 period Commandants District report whether places can be identified and if so correct location and name period Take precautions considered necessary 19021

Note: No multiple address as received,checked by telephone-Reference number should be 18021 Multiple address is--- Comnavdis ONE to EIGHT inclusive,5 COMNAVDIS FIFTEEN,6 C NI C,7COMCRUFOR, COMCRUDIV FOUR,COMSUBFOR,COMAMROLDET,8 GOVERNOR V.I.,9 U.S.S.JOUETT

Source Note: Cable, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The time stamp on the message indicates it was created on 21 July, though the transmission date was 22 July 1918 at 12:55 P.M. The message is on a printed form and includes a stamp along the right margin. Neither that stamp, which has been crossed through, nor the “Sending Data” which is printed at the bottom has been reproduced here.

Footnote 1: There was a series of messages in late July concerning the activities and possible activities of U-156, which began operations in American waters on 17 July, but it is unclear which of these was 22018.

Footnote 2: All of these places are in New Jersey.

Footnote 3: “PORT SAND” has not been further identified but Broad Sound is on the Massachusetts coast, just north of Boston.

Footnote 4: That is, Sandy Neck Lighthouse, Barnstable, MA.

Footnote 5: That is, Commandants of Naval Districts One through Eight. These commandants in order were: RAdm. Spencer D. Wood, Commo. James P. Parker, RAdm. Nathanial R. Usher, Capt. George F. Cooper, RAdm. Augustus F. Fechteler, RAdm. Frank E. Beatty, Cmdr. Warren J. Terhune, Commo.Valentine S. Nelson.

Footnote 6: The commandant of the Fifteenth Naval District, which covered the Panama Canal Zone, was RAdm. Marbury Johnston.

Footnote 7: The typist meant C IN C, which was Adm. Henry T. Mayo, commander of the United States Atlantic fleet.

Footnote 8: That is, Commander, Cruiser Force (RAdm. Albert T. Gleaves); Commander, Cruiser Division Four; Commander, Submarine Force (Capt. Samuel S. Robison); and Commander, American Patrol Detachment (RAdm. Edwin A. Anderson).

Footnote 9: RAdm. James Oliver.

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