Our Navy in the War

In Short

Lawrence Perry presents a comprehensive record of the United States Navy's involvement in the First World War, spanning from early submarine encounters to full-scale European deployment. The narrative follows the swift mobilization of merchant guards, transport operations, and destroyer flotillas working to counter the German U-boat threat. It captures the rapid expansion of naval infrastructure, technological adaptations, and athletic training programs that sustained morale. The work remains an insightful period history because it records the immediate, operational details of America’s sudden transformation into a global naval force directly from contemporary wartime accounts.

The Story

The narrative opens before official American entry into the conflict, beginning with the sudden arrival of the German submarine U-53 at Newport, Rhode Island, and its subsequent destruction of merchant shipping off Nantucket. This early provocation exposes the impending danger to neutral commerce and forces the United States Navy to begin quiet preparations for war. When formal hostilities break out, the navy’s first immediate task is the arming of merchant vessels. Ships like the Campana, Mongolia, and Silvershell are equipped with deck guns and manned by newly trained naval gunners who quickly engage patrolling U-boats in open waters.

As the crisis deepens, the Navy Department takes control of Western Hemisphere patrols and dispatches a destroyer flotilla across a stormy Atlantic to Queenstown, Ireland. Upon arrival, the American commanders famously declare themselves ready for immediate service, joining British forces to protect critical supply lines. The narrative expands to cover the immense logistics of the transport service, detailing the safe passage of troopships carrying the American Expeditionary Forces to France under constant threat of submarine attack. Meanwhile, home waters experience renewed peril when German U-boats launch operations along the American eastern seaboard, sinking coastwise vessels and laying mines that claim the cruiser San Diego off Fire Island.

The account moves beyond direct sea combat to examine the vast administrative and technological machinery supporting the war effort. Perry outlines the restoration of sabotaged German liners like the Vaterland (renamed Leviathan), which engineering crews repair and transform into major troop transports. The text details the growth of naval aviation schools, the development of depth charges, the processing of tens of thousands of civilian inventions by the Naval Consulting Board, and the expanded Naval Communication Service. Ground operations are highlighted through the exploits of the United States Marine Corps at Belleau Wood, emphasizing their marksmanship and shock-troop tactics under heavy fire.

The book closes by tabulating the overall cost and achievements of the war at sea. It enumerates the losses sustained by the Naval Overseas Transportation Service alongside the ultimate success of the convoy system, concluding with official commendations and reports that showcase how the navy fulfilled its mission to secure the ocean lanes and ensure Allied victory.

How It Unfolds

The submarine appears The arrival of a German U-boat in Newport and its sinkings off Nantucket reveal the vulnerability of American waters. Naval forces rush to rescue survivors while beginning preparations for eventual conflict.

Arming the fleet Battleships turn into floating gunnery schools to train marksmen for cargo vessels. Armed merchantmen take to the sea, repelling initial U-boat strikes across the Atlantic lanes.

Crossing to Queenstown An American destroyer flotilla battles a week-long gale to reach Ireland. They join British patrols instantly without taking time for rest or lengthy repairs.

Guarding the transports Naval escorts establish convoy routes to carry hundreds of thousands of doughboys to France. Despite aggressive enemy submarine attacks, eastbound troopships pass safely without a single loss.

Defending home waters German submersibles strike the Atlantic coast, sinking schooners and planting mines. A cruiser sinks off Long Island, triggering wide coast-guard sweeps and offshore air patrols.

Repairing the liners Engineers overhaul damaged German vessels left in American ports. They repair cracked turbine casings and modified boilers to build a fleet of massive transport ships.

Winning the war Naval aviators, radio operators, and marine brigades perform their specialized duties across Europe. Official reports celebrate the transport of millions of tons of cargo as hostilities end.

The People

Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels serves as the central administrative figure, overseeing the massive expansion of ships, guns, and training facilities. Faced with unprecedented logistical demands, he rejects monetary rewards for combat success, maintaining high standards of service while organizing the arming of the merchant marine and the requisition of private radio networks.

Vice-Admiral Sims and various destroyer commanders lead the operational forces at sea. Driven by the urgent need to stop U-boat attacks on supply lines, these officers must navigate severe Atlantic storms and coordinate seamlessly with Allied commanders at bases like Queenstown to deploy depth charges and maintain continuous anti-submarine patrols.

Naval engineers and gun crews represent the technical workforce. Shipbuilders and mechanics confront intentional engine sabotage aboard seized enemy liners, utilizing innovative welding techniques to make vessels operational. Meanwhile, young gunners on cargo ships and civilian recruits at aviation and radio schools adapt rapidly to new technologies to survive under fire.

Major-General John A. Lejeune commands the United States Marine Corps, directing land operations in France. Leading troops trained in precise marksmanship, his forces face entrenched machine-gun nests and heavy artillery attacks, ultimately securing citations for their offensive drives at Belleau Wood.

In Its Own Voice

"When will you be ready for business?"

Upon arriving in Queenstown after a severe storm, the American flotilla receives this direct inquiry from Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly.

"We can start at once, sir."

The American commander delivers this concise response, demonstrating the immediate operational readiness of the newly arrived destroyers.

"It took brave men to steam week in and week out through submarine and mine infested waters at eight knots an hour in a ship loaded with several thousand tons of depth charges, TNT, or poison gas, not knowing what minute the entire vessel was going to be blown to matchwood."

This summary of the Naval Overseas Transportation Service reflects the constant, hidden danger faced by cargo crews navigating hazardous zones.

What It's Really About

The work centers on the total organizational and industrial mobilization required to sustain modern naval warfare. Beyond the tactical engagements between destroyers and submarines, the text explores how a nation transforms its civilian industries, commercial shipping, and untrained manpower into a cohesive military apparatus. It examines the technical adaptiveness needed to counter novel threats, such as the U-boat and naval mines, through depth charges, radio communication, and aviation. At its core, the book argues that victory depended as much on administrative foresight, logistical coordination, and engineering ingenuity as it did on valor in direct naval surface combat.

Why Read It Today

Our Navy in the War offers a detailed contemporary snapshot of World War I written immediately after the conflict’s conclusion. Readers interested in military history and naval operations will appreciate its focus on the practical realities of wartime logistics, from engine repairs on seized liners to the daily routine of destroyer patrols. The prose is clear, informative, and free of overly technical jargon, providing a vivid sense of the urgency that defined the era.

The book reflects period perspectives and wartime attitudes, occasionally including dialect dialogue and early 20th-century patriotic framing that reveals the sensibilities of its time. Its focus remains firmly fixed on official reports, administrative achievements, and operational facts rather than deep character studies. Readers looking for an authentic, unvarnished historical document will find a comprehensive record of how the United States Navy expanded its reach, solved unprecedented technical challenges, and maintained vital transatlantic supply lines during a global crisis.