Every 10 days or so during the five months shipyard work, I would go from Washington for a conference with the captains and the navy yard officers at New York and Boston, to keep in touch with the actual progress and the matters that appeared to need special attention. These conferences eliminated infinite writing and enabled closer touch to be kept with all preparations, additional effort to be more appropriately applied, than were possible by regular procedure alone, especially amid the swollen volume of correspondence in general. They developed, too, a good understanding among the officers, which made for future harmony and gained time towards the squadron’s readiness.
Before the new ships were delivered, a special camp at Newport had been provided for training their crews under Mine Force officers. The San Francisco and Baltimore gave some practical instruction on board, and the camp was supplemented elsewhere, so that few, if any, wholly untrained men went to any ship. Three gun crews were trained in the battleships for each minelayer, and the engineer personnel were kept under training at Philadelphia until wanted. For the officers, similar measures were taken to put them in touch with the methods and experience of the Mine Force, as far as this could be done with ships most of the time at shipyards, fitting out.
Unlike the old Mine Force, the new was to consist of organizations on shore as well as afloat, and for this an officer of flag rank was wanted. Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, U.S.N., was selected as the new Commander of the Mine Force.
Long identified with ordnance matters and of distinguished experience at the Naval Ordnance Proving Ground and Smokeless Powder Factory, he was Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance for some years before going to command the U.S. Battleship Nevada, which he quitted to take command of the mine operation. On February 15, 1918, he came to temporary duty in the Office of Naval Operations, where he familiarized himself with all information bearing on the operation and its preparation, and after a tour of inspection to the ships and acquainting himself with the mine situation, he sailed for England with his aid, Lieutenant Noel Davis. U.S.N. On March 29, 1918, he assumed command of the Mine Force, with headquarters at U.S. Naval Base 18, Inverness, Scotland. Thereupon the original Mine Force, consisting only of ships, became Mine Squadron One, and it became my part to complete its preparations in the United States and command the active force afloat.
The new Mine Squadron One was organized on Wednesday, April 10, 1918, at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on board the squadron flagship San Francisco. I relieved Captain H. V. Butler, U.S.N., who had been in command of the Mine Force in the interval. He remained as captain of the flagship and was also my chief-of-staff—the same association that we had in the old Mine Force. Commander Bruce L. Canaga, U.S.N., who had been my invaluable assistant in Washington since the preparations began in November, came as my senior aid.
To us who had struggled through the long winter’s difficulties, it was a memorable event when the first new minelayer, the Roanoke, Captain Stearns, joined the flag, on Friday, 12th April, 1918. She was followed closely by the Housatonic, Commander Greenslade, and by the Canandaigua, Commander Reynolds, next day. All was arranged for their loading with mines, and they began at once. By a week later the Quinnebaug, Commander Mannix, and Canonicus, Commander Johnson, had joined, completing the number ready for service at that time.
Almost immediately the Roanoke was sent across ahead of the others, an inspection only 16 days after leaving the shipyard showing that her excellent condition warranted it. She was to help the Baltimore, already there, to finish laying the minefield in the North Irish Channel, described in a previous chapter, but though she arrived in good season and ready, through a change of plan the Roanoke was not employed there, proceeding instead to Invergordon.
Transcriber’s Note:
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