Page 317 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR U.S. NAV AL FORCES OPERATING
IN EUROPEAN WATERS IN WORLD WAR l

W llliAM N. STill,Jr.

World War l was che first war in which che Unired States 1 avy deployed ex-
censive forces a float and a shore overseas. lo doing so it encountered significam
problems char had co be addressed. This paper will discu55 che exteoc of logisrical
support for American nava.l forces in European waters, problems eocou.nrered, and
effons ro resolve them.
Two fundamental factors derermined Amcrican logistical policy in European
warers. Adminisrrarivcly, che American naval forces were u.nder coorrol of rbe Unired
Srares; operarionally, however, American warships and naval air squadrons were
assimilaced wirh Allied naval units, frequenrly under Brirish, french, or ltaliao com-
mand. For practical reasons, American naval forces operating wirh Allied unirs
received logistical suppon from che same source as cheir Bricish, Frencb or lral.ian
counrerparrs. This was especially crue of fuel, both coal and oil.
ln a memo prepared afrer rhe war was over, a member of Admiral William
S. Sims sraff wroce, "Throughouc che war we bave been praccically encirely depen-
dem upon England forali repairs, supplì es and assiscance not obcainable from home
.... England has uemendous resources for repair, rransporrarion, and supply ....
All these (were) available co assise in adminiscering our scattered forces .... Our Forces
in the Baltic, Adriadc, Salonika, Murmansk Coasc, Gibralrar, ecc. (were) ... ali fueled
by arrangement with the Adm.iralcy. Sim.ilar cemarks apply co importane (repairs)
... do~king, rransporracion of supplies, issues of naval supplies, lubricaring oil. ob-
caining rogs, barges, floating equipmenr, ere." m. The wrirer menrioned rhac simi·
lar help was provided by tbe French and ltalians, bue co a !esser degree.
The U.S. Navy's Office ofNavallntclligence reporced thac "When ever possi-
ble, io procuring materia! from che British Admlrah:y, Royal Air Force, or che War
Office, on in making purchases from privare firms, che exiscing machinecy of che
Bricish Governmear was urj)jzed ... and every efforc made co avoid serting up a
parallel system of putcbased and supply" m.
Self sufficiency was che second facto r. Allied reserves in food, fuel, an d ocher
economie and military supplies were nearly exhausted. The Bricish Admitalty and
lacer rhe Allied Naval Couacil made ir absolurely clear thar American naval forces
woUid h ave co be· as self sufficient as possible. This is nor necessar.ily a conrradic-
t.ion co che first facror, because logist.ical support provided by che AUies had ro be
replaced or paid for by rhe Unired Srares.