The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-05
g. S. Nays Great Part in the
Winning of the War.
CARRIED 1900, 600 men OVER
Furnished a Big Percentage of
Dangerous Convoy Duty.
Seventy Thousand Navy Men in
European Waters.

During the war a great deal has
been heard Of the exploits of the
American army but not so much has
been published about the experiences
of the "gobs."
In part this was due to the veil of
secrecy with which the coming and
going of most of the naval vessels of
the United States was shrouded. To
the big majority of people the navy
meant principally a bunch of ships to
take the soldiers across the seas to
France. And boy howdy-it was a job
they handled. However, there were
many and various other responsibilities
that fell to the lot of the boys who
wear the little white caps.
Then the magnitude of the army and
its wonderful record had its tendency
to shadow to certain degree the
work of the sailors. which was never.
given the amount of publicity to which
it was entitled had it not been neces-
sary for military reasons to keep more
or less quiet about what the navy was
doing.
Recently Peter E. O'Connor. chief
boatswain's mate, in charge of the ma
val recruiting station in Topeka, re-
ceived some very interesting data con-
corning parts of the work of the navy
that have not until recently been CIV
en- any particular publicity.
U. S. Transports Took Over 1870.
without the aid of the navy it
would have been impossible to land in
France the nearly 100000 men
which made possible the turning OF
the. tide of the great war. OF this
amount 46H per cent were taken over
in United states transports and ASH
in British vessels and ) u per cent in
the vessels of other countries. OF the
convoy strength 8 Il per cent was fur
nishe6 BY France, 14b per cent by
Great Britain, and S2% per cent by
the United States navy. None of the
eastbound transports was damaged by
the enemy. Only three were sunk in
making return trips. In the convoy
work the fleets often vastly outnum-
bered the conveys. All of the destroy
ers. cruisers and many old battleships
were used in this work.
Always on the Job.
This duty was not particularly ex-
citing. Winter and summer, day and
! night, in fog. rain and ice, the utmost
care, vigilance and unceasing labor
were required. When the sailors
reached port they did not get to play
around much on land either for they
had to start back to the States for
more soldiers. The winter storms of
the North Atlantic swept over the
/ tiny, game little destroyers time after
time and all but swamped them in
the huge waves. II was no sleep, no
hot food. no warm, dry clothes for the
crew then; nothing but stay on the
| job.
Distance Steamed by vessels
Interesting figures OF the average
| distance steamed by the various types
I of vessels are given below:
Destroyers 1000
I Mine sweepers. .......... 10000
Mine layers ............- 10000
Battleships ............- $4,000
submarine SUsOVV
SUB chaSerS 1z1sVOV
Patrol craft 100000
Increase in Men and Ships.
On the day war was declared the
navy had a personnel of $4,000 men
and 5000 officers. On the day hos
tilities ceased there were 10000 men
serving in European waters. The
mum Der of ships in commission was
increased from 1877 vessels to 1908.
The work of the small craft Of the
navy, as the patrols of the harbors