WAR LOG OF CAPT. SUMNER E.W. KITTELLE U.S. NAVY, COMMANDING U.S. BATTLESHIP GEORGIA ATLANTIC FLEET 1917-1918

Various (mainly the coasts from Rhode Island to Virginia), July 16, 1917-December 4, 1918. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #21-7324

One roster, two foldout charts, oblong 8 x 5.5", blue cloth, gilt lettering on front cover, 142 typewritten pp. Covers worn, spotted and rubbed, spine missing a couple of pieces, inner front hinge cracked and covers loose, contents have light toning, edge tears and chipping, charts are each printed "Plate 3" (but there are no plates 1 and 2 and nothing is missing), tears and one is in two pieces else overall very good condition. Captain Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle, 1867-1950, was the captain of the U.S.S. Georgia during the war, it was his 33rd year of service. At the front he writes "This Log was written by me from day to day on my own Underwood machine in the cabin of the GEORGIA. It is the original rough copy and so the typographical errors are thus accounted for" and signed Sumner E.W. Kittelle. The two printed route charts are for the U.S. Trans-Atlantic Troop Convoy No. 67 and Troop Convoy No. 80. Each has a similar signed handwritten note from Kittelle: "Chart showing enemy submarines operating at the time of passage of U.S. Trans-Atlantic Troop Convoy..." One chart has a printed legend ie. "Enemy Mine Sighted", "Vessel Sunk Or Attacked By Enemy Submarine". The mission of the U.S.S. Georgia was to train officers and men: target practice, exercise runs with torpedoes, short range battle practice etc. The log is full of interesting information: enemy subs sighted, wreck of a flying boat (detailed), loss of the destroyer Jacob Jones which was commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Bagley (of Detroit) whose brother was killed on a torpedo boat in the Spanish American war; steamer Ticonderoga being gunned by subs 100 miles northwest (of the Georgia's position), visit to the ship by President Wilson and the Secretary of The Navy. Influenza, scarlet fever, pneumonia all took its toll on the sailors from various vessels. The S.S. President Grant had no facilities for embalming so burial was at sea. A personal note about a well-loved member of the ship: "Toy, the colored mess attendant who was such a musical marvel, playing the piano in a wonderful way and having a reparatory that was inexhaustible", Toy died from pneumonia. Kittelle wrote very well (as if he was talking to you), was informative, made even technical details interesting, provides commentaries and opinions, he lists the names of the sailors and officers aboard and his connection with them. He mentions meeting up with an old marine friend who was wounded in the Battle of Chateau Thierry and the friend goes into gory detail of the murder of civilians (bodies cut up into pieces, etc.). Regarding the end of the war: Bulgaria surrenders, Lille recaptured, Huns to withdraw from the Belgian coast, Kaiser abdicates, armistice terms accepted. Total U.S. Casualties: 76,644. Captain Kittelle (soon to be rear admiral) was awarded the Navy Cross for his service. At the front of the log "Some day this may be of interest to my children", it is very interesting to us and hopefully it was to his three daughters.

Price: $1,500.00

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