Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations to Various Navy Bureaus

November 15, 1917.

From:  Chief of Naval Operations.

To:    Bureau of Construction & Repair

                 Steam Engineering

                 Navigation

                 Ordnance

                 Supplies and Accounts.

SUBJECT: Fitting outtof certain vessels for mine sweeping duty in case of emergency.

     1. In connection with the Departments policy to fit out various vessels as mine sweepers preparatory to calling them into service in case of emergency the following list of vessels have to date been included in this class:

Chas. J. Colonna    S.P. 494     E. Warren Reed   S.P.  376

A. Brooke Taylor         326     E.J. Tull              331

Virginia                 334     Rappahannock           324

R.B. Douglas             335     Dolphin                318

Chesapeake               304     Jos. M. Wharton        329

Jno. T. Brusstar         391    Northumberland       330

WM. S. Brusstar          301    E.W. Edwards         316

Wm. Blundon              378    Alden S. Swan        472

Fairfield                325    Potomac              305

Hannah A. Lennen         401

     2. The “ Francis B. Hackett’S “ S.P. 1161 will be fitted out as a mine sweeper for distant service.1

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The cable is listed as being from the Chief of Naval Operations but William S. Benson was in England at this time so the cable must have been composed and sent by someone in Chief of Naval Operations’ office. There are identifying numbers in the top left-hand corner of the document: “Op-14-Sm-H 11/14/28905-A1/12-13.” S.P. stands for special patrol craft.

Footnote 1: The tug Francis B. Hackett was purchased by the Navy in December 1917 and was based in New York until May 1918 when it moved to Norfolk, VA. It was renamed Shenandoah in 1920 and Choptank in 1923. DANFS.

Related Content