South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-19
U. U.SPkGIFIC
FLEET OFF TO
HOME WATERS
New Fighting Force tOCGHtain
zoo Vessels S-WiII Use
Panama Canal.

Sy United Press:
NEWPORT NEWS. Va. July 10
The new Pacific feet the hrst
powerful battle force this country
ever assembled TO guard the west
coast. sails from Hampton Roads to-
day for it's home waters.
For weeks the huge fleet has been
gathering off old Point Comfort.
Eight battleships the flagship Bir-
mingham Of the destroyer squad
ron. a tender and dozens OF des-
troyers were lined up today along
the Roads ready for the start
admiral Hugh Rodman, com
handing the fleet, was with the
flagship New Mexico. With the
New Mexico were seven battleships
the Wyoming, Arkansas, New
J ork. Texas. Arizona, Idaho and
Mississippi The Birmingham and
the tender Vestal were with So des-
troyers and smaller ships
The fleet Will make for the Pan
anna canal II Will be the greatest
that has passed through the oOnal.
When it is assembled on the Pacif-
ic it Will comprise 200 ships with p
600 officers and $4,000 men. It will
be more than twice the tonnage Of
tho huge" fleet which sailed
around the world in 1903.
To Add Ships.
prom the time the fleet reaches
tho open sea it Will begin to in
crease. Six more battleships-th
Virginia. New Jersey, Rhode Island.
Georgia, Nebraska and Vermont
wili join IL. as will all Of the cruis-
ers now on the Pacific coast.
The Virginia is the flagship of
VIco Admiral Clarence S. Williams,
second in command
Some of the ships-particularly
destroyers and mine sweepers-are
now in European waters and a few
cruisers are already on the Pacific
side. When the fleet is complete
there will be 16 battleships.
Admiral ROdman estimated that
about 100 of the fleet of 200 vessels
wuI cruise through the canal. OF
these s. or more will be destroy
ers Many units scattered at At
lant!c coast navy yards will join in
time for the canal trip. expected to
be- made a test OF the speed with
which "a huge fleet can pass through.
With Admiral Rodman on the
New Mexico are his staff officers:
Rear Admiral Nathan a. Twining
cEief OF staff: Captain George r.
eua BILE. fleet supply officer; Com
mander samuel II. Robinson. fleet
engineer officer. Lieut. Commander
James "A. Ingram. flag lieutenant;
Commander Roland Brainard. fleet
Aunncry officer Lieut. Commander
Stewart A Manahan fleet radio Of
hcer: Lieut.. Commander Chauncey
\. Lucas, hag secretary; Command
or julius a Furer. fleet construc-
tton officer. Captain Evan w Scott.
hec: chaplain Major Harold Wirg-
mau. fleet marine officer. The New
. Mexico is commanded by Captain
Arthur J.. willard
Othcr Fleet Commanders
other capital ships in the fleet
with their commanders are.
Battleship squadron one, division
one. Commander. Vice Admiral
Clarence Williams flagship Virgin
ia. Captain William II. Stanley. New
Jersey. Captain Walter Gherardi;
Rhode Island, Captain Walter
CIosley-
division two. Commander Rear
Admiral William r. Shoemaker:
flagship Georgia Captain Leigh c.
Palmer. Nebraska. Captain Percy NJ.
olmstesd; Vermont captain Ed
ward ) Kellogg
BattIeship squadron four: Flag
snip New Mexico.
Division six. Commander Rear
A6miral Robert z. Coontz; flag
hip Wyoming; Captain Harley H
Christy; Arkansas. Captain Louis
I, Steiguer: New York, Captain
William Y. Pratt; Texas, Captain
Irenk Scoheld.
Division eight: Commander un-
ulmedl: flagship New Mexico; Ari-
zoua. Captain John II. Drayton, Ida
no Captain Carl T. Vogelgesany.
Mississippi. Captain William A.
Nofet
Cruiser squadron two. CCom-
mauder unnamed); flagship Seattle,
Captain John r. Y Blakely
Division two. Commander Rear
Admiral Spencer s. Wood flagship
ChIcaEo. Captain Ernest Frederick.
Cleveland. Captain Frank l. Fin
ney. Denver Captain Edward 3.
Fenner, Tacoma. Captain Edward 5.
Jackson. Marblehead. Captain Will
liam T. Terrant: Machias. Com
mander Frederick r. NaHe. Nicks-
hurS. Lieut. Commander. Charles D.
Rsordon.