Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters
Subject Copy. File No. <A-1-6>
CABLEGRAM SENT 27 March 1919.
To SIMSADUS LONDON Serial No.
Prep. by M-5/C D.R.
Mission No. <365> for Opnav.
Your mission 336.1 Because of the prestige which the Service will gain from making the first trans-Atlantic air flight and because of number of known competitors now in field I strongly urge necessity of anticipating date of May first every possible day. Such anticipation should be kept as quiet as possible and not given out or advertised. I am particularly anxious that U.S. Navy should have credit of making first successful trans-Atlantic flight and hope you will spare no means to make this a reality. <241627>
BENSON
Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 520, Box 148. Document identification “Form B” appears in the top-left corner, and the date “3/27/19.” appears bottom-left.
Footnote 1: This document has not been found.