WITH THE NAVY ON BOARD THE BATTLESHIPS AND CRUISERS.
WITH THE BRITISH GRAND FLEET.
Division 9 of the Atlantic Fleet, composed of the _New York_
(flagship), _Wyoming_, _Florida_, and _Delaware_, was detailed for
service with the British Grand Fleet, rendezvoused on November
24, 1917, in Lynnhaven Roads, Chesapeake Bay, and sailed for its
destination the following day.
The division took the northern passage and was 13 days en route,
4 days of which were spent in holding its own against a 90-mile
gale off the Newfoundland coast. On December 7, 1917, the American
battleships anchored with the British Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow,
Orkney Islands, after a rousing reception, and on December 26 were
designated the Sixth Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet.
From the time of its arrival to November 29, 1918, this squadron,
with the addition of the _Texas_ in February, 1918, and the
substitution of the _Arkansas_ for the _Delaware_ in July, 1918,
operated with the British Grand Fleet, basing most of the time in
Scapa Flow and the remainder of the time in the Firth of Forth
(Rosyth). The squadron took its regular turn at convoy duty, patrol
duty, target practice, and fleet exercises with all the other
squadrons of the British Grand Fleet.
The squadron was at sea on an average of from 8 to 10 days each month
and followed the procedure of the Grand Fleet in all respects, even
going so far as to shift to the British method of signaling.
Maj. Nelson P. Vulte was division Marine officer of this division the
entire time it was a unit of the British Grand Fleet.
With reference to the operations of this division the Secretary of
the Navy in his annual report made the following statements:
Assigned one of the two places of honor and importance in the
battle line, this American division did its full share of the Grand
Fleet’s work, including patrol search for the enemy, protection of
convoys, mining, and other forces, and, most important of all, in
the repeated attempts to engage the German High Seas Fleet, for
which the ships of the Grand Fleet were kept in the highest state
of efficiency and readiness. Our battleships were attacked six
times by submarines. On one occasion, off the Norwegian coast, four
torpedoes were fired at the _Florida_ and two at the _Delaware_,
and at another time three were fired at the _New York_. Not one
of our vessels was hit, and the only damage done was to the _New
York_, which while leading the division into Pentland Firth, was
rammed by a submerged submarine. Two blades of her propeller were
broken off, but officers and crew were convinced that the blows
from the propeller sank the U-boat.
SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET.
The American battleships occupied a prominent position in the north
column of the Grand Fleet on the occasion of the surrender of the
German High Seas Fleet, on November 21, 1918, off the mouth of the
Firth of Forth and assisted in escorting it into that port where the
German vessels were searched and later dispatched under guard to
Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, for internment.
The American vessels did not accompany the surrendered German war
vessels to Scapa, but were detached from the British Grand Fleet on
December 1, 1918, and sailed from Rosyth for Portland (Weymouth).
The day after the surrender of the German Fleet the _Nevada_, which
had been serving with Division 6 of the Atlantic Fleet in Bantry
Bay, Ireland, joined Division 9, at Rosyth and proceeded with it to
Portland.
AT CASTLETOWN BEREHAVEN, BANTRY BAY, IRELAND.
The Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy makes the following
remarks concerning Division 6:
Division 6, composed of the _Utah_ (flagship), _Nevada_, and
_Oklahoma_, was based on Berehaven, Bantry Bay, Ireland, its
principal duty being to protect our convoys from possible enemy
raiders. This division made two trips into the Channel, escorting
convoys when enemy submarines were reported in the vicinity.
Maj. Leon W. Hoyt was the division Marine officer of this division
during its entire stay in European waters.
The _Nevada_ joined the American battleships of Division 9 the day
after the surrender of the German Fleet off Rosyth, near Edinburgh.
ESCORTING THE PRESIDENT INTO BREST.
Division 9 joined Division 6 at Portland Bill and both divisions left
that port in time to assist the _Pennsylvania_ in escorting President
Wilson, on board the _George Washington_, into the harbor of Brest.
WELCOMED HOME BY NAVAL REVIEW.
On December 14, 1918, our battleships sailed from Brest for the
United States, arrived off Ambrose Lightship the afternoon of
Christmas Day, and the next morning steamed into New York Harbor
where they were accorded a great demonstration. The naval review was
followed by a land parade of all the returning officers, Bluejackets,
and Marines.
THE ATLANTIC FLEET.
Col. (Brig. Gen.) John T. Myers was the fleet Marine officer of the
Atlantic Fleet from before the outbreak of the war to August 23,
1918, being relieved on that date by Col. Frederic L. Bradman who
continued on that duty until after the armistice.
Col. John F. McGill was force Marine officer of the Battleship
Force and later force Marine officer of Battleship Force Two until
August 14, 1918, when he was relieved by Maj. Harold C. Wirgman, who
continued as such until the force was suspended in September, 1918.
Lieut. Col. James McE. Huey was force Marine officer of Battleship
Force One from September 3, 1917 to December 29, 1917, when he was
relieved by Maj. Edwin N. McClellan who continued as such until
March 28, 1918, when the Marines were temporarily withdrawn from the
force.
Maj. Richard H. Tebbs, jr., was force Marine officer of the Cruiser
Force.
THE PACIFIC FLEET.
Col. Richard M. Cutts was fleet Marine officer of the Pacific Fleet
from November 1, 1916 to October 14, 1918; and Lieut. Col. Charles B.
Taylor from October 15, 1918 until after the armistice.
THE ASIATIC FLEET.
The Marines of the _Brooklyn_, flagship of the Asiatic Fleet,
participated in the activities around Vladivostok, Siberia, in 1918.
In June, 1918, Vladivostok, and practically all of Siberia, was under
the control of the Bolsheviki. The Bolsheviki, assisted by German
and Austrian prisoners of war, were resisting the advance of the
Czecho-Slovaks, who were trying to reach Vladivostok. In that city
on June 29, 1918, there were approximately 12,000 well-organized
Czecho-Slovaks, only about 2,500 of whom were armed or equipped. On
the foregoing date the Czecho-Slovaks in the city took it over from
the Bolsheviki after a three hour battle near its center, and on
the afternoon of that day Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, commander
in chief of the Asiatic Fleet, ordered a detachment of American
Marines ashore to guard the American consulate and to act as part
of an Allied force composed of British, Japanese, Chinese, and
Czecho-Slovaks, to patrol the city.
In July, 1918, Marines from the _Brooklyn_ acted as guards over
German and Austrian prisoners of war on Russian Island, about 5 miles
from Vladivostok, while Marines from the same vessel constituted
part of an Allied military force of American and British marines,
Japanese and Chinese bluejackets, and Czecho-Slovak soldiers, which
was organized to prevent a threatened strike and disorder among the
workmen in the Russian navy yard at Vladivostok.
The _Albany_ was at Vladivostok from April 2, 1919, until relieved by
the _New Orleans_ on July 25, 1919. Each of these ships, while they
were anchored off Vladivostok, kept a small guard of Marines at the
United States Naval radio station on Russian Island.
Col. Carl Gamborg-Andresen was fleet Marine officer of the Asiatic
Fleet from August 25, 1915 to July 17, 1917; Col. Louis McC. Little
from July 18, 1917 to April 25, 1918; and Col. Eli T. Fryer from that
date until after the armistice.