"Fit out for long and distant service!" was the order the Eighth Destroyer Division received from the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet the night of April 14, 1917. It was then 9:30 p. m., and they were directed to sail at daylight. At five o'clock next morning they started for their home navy yards. Speeding to New York and Boston, the ships went into drydock, made repairs, tuned up machinery, and took aboard three months' stores and provisions--all in ten days. Sailing from Boston April 24th, under sealed orders, it was not until midnight, when they were fifty miles at sea, that the officers of the flotilla knew its destination. Breaking the seal, the commander read the following, the first operating order issued to any American force: NAVY DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF NAVAL OPERATIONS Washington, D. C., April 14. SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL. To: Commander, Eighth Division, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet; U. S. S. _Wadsworth_, flagship. Subject: Protection of commerce near the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. 1. The British Admiralty have requested the coöperation of a division of American destroyers in the protection of commerce near the coasts of Great Britain and France. 2. Your mission is to assist naval operations of Entente Powers in every way possible. 3. Proceed to Queenstown, Ireland. Report to senior British naval officer present, and thereafter coöperate fully with the British Navy. Should it be decided that your force act in coöperation with French naval forces, your mission and method of coöperation under French Admiralty authority remain unchanged. Route to Queenstown: Boston to latitude 50 N., Long. 20 W., to arrive at daybreak, then to latitude 50 N., Long. 12 W., thence to Queenstown. When within radio communication of the British naval forces off Ireland, call GCK and inform the Vice Admiral at Queenstown in British general code of your position, course, and speed. You will be met outside of Queenstown. 4. Base facilities will be provided by the British Admiralty. 5. Communicate your orders and operations to Rear Admiral Sims at London and be guided by such instructions as he may give you. Make no report of arrival to Navy Department direct. JOSEPHUS DANIELS. Signed only three days after the conference with British and French admirals in Washington, this put into effect the verbal orders given the moment they requested that one or two destroyers be sent. Six were on the way--the _Wadsworth_, _Conyngham_, _Porter_, _McDougal_, _Davis_ and _Wainwright_. They were the first of the United States forces despatched to Europe, the pioneers of the large fleet we sent across the Atlantic.