rions, Germany knowingly riskedAmerica's entry into th e war as an ally of the Entente Powers, Britain and France. The revived submarine campaign, to be conducted aro und the sea approaches to the British Isles, co mmenced on 1 February 191 7. The previously restrained Wilson was quick to res pond. On 26 February he ordered all American merchant ships bound for the war zone to be armed. Two weeks later, after German subs sank three American merchant ships, Wi lso n decided the sinkings could nor be ignored and rhar further dip lomatic protests would be futile. Co nsequently, he addressed a special session of Congress on 2 April and asked the legislators to "accept the status of a belligerent which has been thrust upon us." On 6 April 191 7, Congress declared war on Germany by an overwhelming majority. America's entry into the war had been foreseen by the US Navy. In order to establish close communications with the British Admiralty, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels had sent Rear Admiral William S. Sims, USN, the president of the Naval War College, to London on the SS New York on 31 March. Dressed in civilian clothes and accompanied by only one aide, Sims arrived in London on 9 April, just three days after America had entered the war. He was a judicious selection for the task. Born in Canada, Sims kn ew British First Sea Lord Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, RN, from prewar assignments, when Sims had served as naval arrache in both Sr. Petersburg and Paris. Sims was also known as a comparative Anglophile in an American navy dominated by senior officers still envious of its larger and more experienced former enemy, the Royal Navy. Jellicoe's forthright report to Sims on the status of the war was eye-opening. Since the advent of unrestricted submarine warfare on 1 February, Jelli coe revealed that almost a million tons of British shipping had been sunk, a figure that could approach two million tons by the end of April. Unless rhe losses were reduced promprly, Britain could be starved into submission by November. Jellicoe assured Sims that rhe Royal Navy had attempted several defensive measures, such as blockade of U-boar ports, attacks on German submarine bases, mining, patrolling sea lanes, and evasive routing of merchant ships, without much success. The Admi-
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Vice Admiral William S. Sims, USN-a hard-charging Leader who understood the need for cooperation (Elsilrac Enterprises) ralty and merchant ship captains had long opposed convoys as a solution to rhe problem, bur Sims urged they be tried . Later in April, largely at Sims's suggestion, Jellicoe organized trial co nvoys in cross-channel shipments to France and in sea trade to Norway. In both cases, British shipping losses were greatly reduced. Meanwhile, Sims lost no rime in conveying his findings to Washington. In a 14 April telegram to the Navy Departmen r, he urged that rhe maximum possible number of US destroyers be sent to aid England as soo n as possible. Secretary Daniels now appointed Sims Commander, United Stares Naval Forces Operating in European Waters with the rank of Vice Admiral. In this capacity, Sims forcefully reiterated his request for destroyers, plus small antisubmarine vessels, repair ships, and staff for a naval base. The sire for the base was to be Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, where the Royal Navy had already established antisubmarine port facilities under the command of a crusty old bachelor, Vice Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, RN. Bayly was a respected seagoing ve teran known as the "fath er of destroyer tactics" who had been kept on active duty beyond retirement age for the duration of the war. Shortly after the request by Sims to have American
des troyers sent to Queenstown, Bayly was promoted to full admiral and made Co mmander in C hief, Western Approaches. His sphere of responsibility extended from the Sound of Mull to Ushant, covering all the western approaches oflreland, the Iri sh Sea, Sr. George's C hannel, Bristol C hannel and rhe entrance to rhe English C hannel. Back in the US, Secretary Daniels moved promptly on Sims's request for destroye rs. H e ordered Commander Joseph K. Tauss ig, USN, Commander of the Eighth Destroyer Division, to prepare his six ships for "special service. " Taussig' s flagship , USS Wadsworth (DD-60), led his division out of Bosto n harbor on 24 April charged to "assist naval operations of Entente Powers in every way possible." After a sto rmy Atlantic crossing, they arrived to a warm reception in Queenstown on 4 May. Ordered to report to Admiral Bayly upon his arrival, CDR Tauss ig was immediarely asked when he would be ready for sea. In a response now part of US Navy lore, Taussig responded: "We are ready now, sir, that is as soon as we finish refueling." That co nfident assertion instantly endeared Taussig to old salt Bayly, who thereafter referred to the American destroyer commanding officers as "my boys," and set the tone for the "Pull-Together" Queenstown Co mmand. Four days later, Taussig's ships, now refueled , repaired, and fitted with two British stern depth charge racks each, sortied on their first patrol. They were the first of a large number of US Navy vessels to operate out of Queenstown. Between May 1917 and the Armistice more than 90 US ships were placed under the command of Admiral Bayly. These included two destroye r renders and 47 destroyers at Queenstown , plus 30 small submarin e chasers and three rugs stationed at other British naval bases as needed. These naval asse ts were employed by Admiral Bayly in convoy escort, antisubmarine patrols, survivor rescue operations, and diverse other activities. Unlike the US Army forces sent to Europe under General John J. Pershing, who insisted his soldiers be kept as integral units under American commanders, US Navy ships based at Queenstown were unmistakably under the tactical command of a Royal Navy ad miral. Fortunately for all co ncerned, the leadership of Admirals Bayly and Sims overcame
SEA HISTORY 99, WINTER 2001-02