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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Diary of Commander Joseph K. Taussig, Commander, Little

Wednesday

May 8

Boston

     This afternoon received telegram from Operations for Little to make 4 hour 30 knot standardization run and to be ready for distant service not later than May 16th. The Kimberley also had orders to be ready on the 16th tho she reported she could not be ready until the 17th. It seems to me that the sending over of these ships without a thorough trying out would be all right if the ships had been turned over in good shape, but in view of the disgraceful condition they were in and the large percentage of green men in the crews, it seems a Little risky. But I have no doubt that we will get them through all right. I wrote a letter to the Department stating our past condition, just what we had done in the way of shaking down and recommending in view of our lack of knowledge as to steaming radius we take a southerly course via the Bermudas and the Azores.1

     My plan now is to leave here at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning, calibrate radio compass off Nahant and then make 4 hour 30 knot run to Rockland; Standardize over the measure mile on Saturday and if everything goes all right to return to Boston that evening, running full speed for a short time en route.

Source Note: D, RNW, Joseph K. Taussig Papers, Mss. Coll. 97, Naval Historical Collection.

Footnote 1: This letter has not been located.

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