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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Rear Admiral Josiah S. McKean, Assistant for Material, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, to Major General John L. Hines, Chief, Army Embarkation Service

NAVY DEPARTMENT

Office of Naval Operations

                          Washington             Nov. 29, 1918.

     CONFIDENTIAL

Memorandum for

     Director of Embarkation, U.S.A.

SUBJECT: Removal of Armed Guards from Army Transports.

References: (a) N.O.T.S. Memo of 11-29-18, to Director of Embarkation, Re removal of guns, C-1:25-490.1

(b) OpNav. C-1:25/481 of Nov. 16, 1918, Subject: Removal of Armed Guards. – Policy Announcement.2

     1.   Receipt is acknowledged of the Memo. of the Director of Embarkation, dated November 25, 1918,3 with reference to the removal of Armed Guards from Army Transports.

          The understanding, as expressed in this memorandum that in the opinion of the Navy Department there is no further need of carrying Armed Guards on Army Transports is correct. Instructions with reference to the removal of guns from N.O.T.S. vessels have already been issued (See reference (a)) and the Department has already announced its willingness to authorize the removal of the Armed Guards attached to any vessel (See reference (b)).

     2.   As stated in paragraph 1 of reference (b) the Navy Department, upon the written request of the War Department, “will authorize the removal of the Armed Guard, battery, equipment and personnel, attached to any vessel, with the exception of the radio men and radio equipment, which will be left on board. The written request of the owner should be addressed to the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D. C., and a copy furnished to the local Commandant, through whose Aide for Armed Guards arrangements with respect to removing the Armed Guards may be made by the owner or his agent”.

     3.   It is requested that local representatives of the War Department be advised that, as was the case when Armed Guards were originally furnished by the Navy Department, the facilities connected with the removal of Armed Guards will be furnished by the War Department or at the expense of the War Department in accordance with arrangements made by the local representative of the War Department with the local Naval Commandant through his Aide for Armed Guards.

J. S. McKEAN,                    

Rear Admiral, U.S.N.,        

Assistant for Material,      

Office of Chief of Naval Operations.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. Identification material printed in the top-left corner: “Mat. (A.G’d.) N-C/C-1:25/488.” Distribution list below close: “Copies to: All Commandants/All Navy Yards/All Bureaus/U.S.Shipping Board, (Atten.Capt.[J.W.] Munn [Marine Superintendent])/Shipping Control Committee,45 Broadway,New York./Director of Naval Communications.”

Footnote 1: See, McKean to Hines, 29 November 1918, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 2: This document has not been found.

Footnote 3: This document has not been found.

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