Transcriber's Notes: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. Small uppercase have been replaced with regular uppercase. Blank pages have been eliminated. Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been left as in the original. [Illustration: From painting in Navy Department by R. S. Meryman] OUR NAVY AT WAR BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY 1913 to 1921 [Illustration] Illustrated with Reproductions of Original and Official Photographs Pictorial Bureau Washington, D. C. 1922 COPYRIGHT BY PICTORIAL BUREAU 1922 _To the Six Hundred Thousand Men_ _Who Served in the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the World War_ _Manning more than two thousand vessels--_ _Operating with Allied Navies from the Arctic to the Adriatic--_ _Transporting troops and supplies across the Atlantic--_ _Protecting ships from attack and destruction--_ _Driving off and defeating the murderous submarines, You made safe the seas, and Kept open the Road to France, so that, Of all the vast Army sent overseas, Not one soldier on an American troop-ship Lost his life on the way to France._ _Fighting with the Army, your comrades, The Soldiers of the Sea, won fame in Hard-fought battles that saved Paris, Drove back the German hordes, and Won for Humanity Complete and Glorious Victory._ _In recognition of your splendid service, your dauntless deeds, this work is dedicated by one who was sometime your commander and always your shipmate._ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. When the War Call Came 1 II. "To Be Strong Upon the Seas" 9 III. The Break with Germany 19 IV. The Day of Decision 30 V. Sending Sims to Europe 36 VI. Naval Allies in Historic Conference 45 VII. "We Are Ready Now, Sir" 53 VIII. Race Between Wilson and Hindenburg 70 IX. The Fleet the Kaiser Built for Us 89 X. Guarding the Coast of France 99 XI. Gibraltar and the Convoy 116 XII. Shutting up the Hornets in Their Nests 125 XIII. President Wilson as a Strategist 143 XIV. Comrades of the Mist 151 XV. Cinderellas of the Fleet 161 XVI. "Do Not Surrender"--"Never" 173