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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.

                   Cablegram Sent      23 November 1917.

To Opnav Washington                           Serial No. 1660

Via N C B 20 D                   Prep. by WAE   Appvd. by ECT1

Sent                      Initials            File No. <4-1-11> 

     Copies to: COS, JVB, WAE.2

1660. Your 1056.3 Cone4 recommends joint Army-Navy aircraft committee Paris, France, five members. Colonel Bolling Chairman.5 Naval members. Cone and Fearing.6 19023

Sims.    

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. There are initials in the top right-hand corner “MDC.” It is not known if this was the typist or coder.

Footnote 1: “WAE” was Lt. Walter A. Edwards, the aide for aviation on Sims’ staff; “ECT” was Paymaster Eugene C. Tobey, who also acted as an aide.

Footnote 2: “COS” was Chief of Staff Capt. Nathan C. Twining; “JVB” was Cmdr. John V. Babcock, Sims’ personal aide who also handled intelligence matters.

Footnote 4: Cone was commander of United States Naval Aviation Forces, Foreign Service.

Footnote 5: Col. Raynal Bolling of the American Expeditionary Force. Cone once described Bolling as “a perfectly fine man in every way.” Rossano, Stalking the U-Boat, 46. Cone later became concerned that this board would favor the army, particularly when the new head of AEF aviation forces, Gen. Benjamin Foulois, demanded and got four seats on the board. A disgusted Cone then “suggested” that the board be dissolved. Ibid., 136.

Footnote 6: En. George R. Fearing, a member of an Executive Committee Cone had established at his headquarters. Ibid., 44.

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