Weekly Summary No. 9
Title
Weekly Summary No. 9
Creator
United States. War Department. General staff
Identifier
WWP25077
Date
1918 July 23
Description
Secret report on the wartime strength of the United States.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
World War, 1914-1918--United States
World War, 1914-1918--Statistics
World War, 1914-1918--Chile
Contributor
Danna Faulds
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
Secret
WEEKLY SUMMARY
Page
Ordnance ……………………. 1
Quartermaster………………. 1
Aircraft ………………………. 2
Engineer …………………….. 2
Chemical Warfare ………….. 3
Medical ………………………. 3
Ships …………………………. 3
Raw Materials ………………. 3
Personnel ……………………. 4
No. 9 Statistics Branch
July 23, 1918 General Staff
ORDNANCE
Divisional Artillery
French deliveries continue to provide for most pressing needs overseas. American production is gradually increasing.
Heavy Artillery
Supply still inadequate.
Artillery Ammunition
Overseas stocks July 1 show little improvement over condition on June 15. American production is rapidly getting under way. First deliveries have been made of 155 mm. howitzer shell; 75 mm. shell is coming through in quantity, with 45,000 rounds the first week in July. Shrapnel production is ample. Considerable quantities of unloaded shell of the larger calibers are awaiting boosters and adapters.
Machine Guns
Marlin aircraft guns are again in production after delay due to changes of design. First delivery was made the week ending July 6 of Vickers 11 mm. guns, originally ordered by the Russians, and modified for American use. Automatic rifles are coming through rapidly but are far behind requirements. Deliveries on other types continue satisfactory.
Small Arms and Small Arms Ammunition
Pistol and revolver shortage continues acute. Rifle and ammunition production satisfactory.
Tractors
Production of the small 6-ton tank is expected to begin this month. Deliveries continue on the 5, 10, and 20-ton tractors.
QUARTERMASTER
Clothing
Embarkation records July 1-10 show large shipments of pyramidal tents in response to an urgent request from General Pershing. An increased shipment was also made of spiral puttees which are being used to replace canvas leggings for overseas use.
Subsistence
Stocks of food on hand overseas are adequate. The meat supply, in particular, has shown a decided increase.
Fuel
Camps in the United States have not yet begun to receive their winter’s supply of coal. Receipts during June were smaller than June expenditures; and the reserve stocks on hand are less than 14 per cent of the requirements to March 1.
Motor Transport
Shortage overseas is serious. Only 425 trucks were shipped July 1-10. Nearly 2,000 3-5 ton trucks are waiting at docks.
AIRCRAFT
Service Planes and Engines
Full tests show that in speed, time taken to ascend, and altitude at which it can operate the De Havilland 4 compares favorably with the best of foreign makes of the observation or day bombing type. It is inferior in endurance and bomb carrying capacity.
Sets of parts are being rapidly manufactured for the big Handley-Page, one of the most successful of the night bombing machines. United States deliveries of the Caproni, another type of night bomber, are scheduled to begin in October. Both of these will use the Liberty engine.
We shall rely for the present on the French for single seater pursuit machines. The Bristol Fighter, a machine of this type, can be produced for service when a lighter engine than the Liberty is available. The Hispano Suiza, 300 H.P., manufactured by the Wright-Martin Company, may fill this need. This engine will not be produced in quantity until January.
Deliveries of the De Havilland 4 planes and Liberty engines progress at a satisfactory rate.
Wastage -- Planes and Engines
Experience at training fields shows that the wastage on planes has been more rapid than that on engines. Previous estimates and orders placed on the basis of the estimates have provided for a considerable excess of engines over planes.
ENGINEER
Shipment of cars and locomotives continues steadily, but is less than needs.
CHEMICAL WARFARE
Research
Study of effects of gas of various types has been continued. Designs for new dugout blankets have been approved and production started. A better ointment has been perfected as protection against mustard gas.
Production
Filling of projectiles with gas has started at Edgewood Arsenal. Progress is hindered by lack of suitable man power and lack of boosters. To July 12, 5,489 of the 75 mm. shells and grenades had been filled.
All gas masks requested for July flotation will be available, but extra canisters will be 50 per cent short.
MEDICAL
Supply needs well provided for.
SHIPS
The latest index figures on turnarounds are 31 days for troop transports and 69 days for cargo transports. During the week the “Westover”, a cargo transport of 8,561 deadweight tons, a vessel recently completed on the Pacific coast, was torpedoed and sunk when approaching the French coast. Ten consolidated locomotives were lost, these being the first of a total shipped up to July 1 of 543.
Cargo shipped in Army transports during the second 10 days of July totaled 160,000 short tons. Included in this shipment were 1,700 standard gauge freight cars, 927 motor trucks, and 84 airplanes.
The troop movement is being continued at its previous rate. The appearance of submarines off the coast is not being allowed to interfere with the sailing of convoys. More than 1,200,000 men have now been shipped from this country, and more than 1,100,000 men have been landed overseas.
RAW MATERIALS
Fuel Oil for the Nitrate Fields
June arrivals available for consumption were about 149,000 tons or 42,000 tons less than the Shipping Board’s forecast of a month ago. The discrepancy was due in part to the diversion of 16,500 tons to France, in part to delays caused by a shortage in Chile of the fuel oil necessary for the operation of the nitrate mines and of the railroads which move nitrate to the coast.
The shortage of fuel oil in Chile has arisen through the War Trade Board’s refusal to license exports of oil to Gildemeister, a black-listed German mine owner. Complications in the case force upon us a dilemma, involving on the one hand the maintenance of our black-list policy and on the other hand the Army’s supply of nitrate.
Of the 680,000 tons of nitrate required for military explosives to January 1, 1919, only 15,000 tons, or a little more than two per cent, will be produced by artificial plants. On July 1 we had on hand eight weeks supply. We are dependent for the balance upon the output of the Chilean nitrate fields.
PERSONNEL
Camp Capacity
The capacity of all camps and stations in the United States is about 1,800,000 men. This capacity on July 1 was 80 per cent occupied, making possible an expansion of 20 per cent without creating new capacity.
Death Rates in Battle and from Disease
The steady lowering of the disease death rate among soldiers in service is shown by the following diagram.
DEATH RATES PER 1,000 PER YEAR
Mexican War, 1846-48 Battle deaths, 15; All deaths, 110
Civil War, 1861-5 (North) Battle deaths, 33; All deaths, 65
Spanish War, 1898 Battle deaths, 5; All deaths, 26
Present War (A.E.F.) Sept. 1917-June 1918 Battle deaths 8; All deaths, 8
(Note: see scan for diagram)
WEEKLY SUMMARY
Page
Ordnance ……………………. 1
Quartermaster………………. 1
Aircraft ………………………. 2
Engineer …………………….. 2
Chemical Warfare ………….. 3
Medical ………………………. 3
Ships …………………………. 3
Raw Materials ………………. 3
Personnel ……………………. 4
No. 9 Statistics Branch
July 23, 1918 General Staff
ORDNANCE
Divisional Artillery
French deliveries continue to provide for most pressing needs overseas. American production is gradually increasing.
Heavy Artillery
Supply still inadequate.
Artillery Ammunition
Overseas stocks July 1 show little improvement over condition on June 15. American production is rapidly getting under way. First deliveries have been made of 155 mm. howitzer shell; 75 mm. shell is coming through in quantity, with 45,000 rounds the first week in July. Shrapnel production is ample. Considerable quantities of unloaded shell of the larger calibers are awaiting boosters and adapters.
Machine Guns
Marlin aircraft guns are again in production after delay due to changes of design. First delivery was made the week ending July 6 of Vickers 11 mm. guns, originally ordered by the Russians, and modified for American use. Automatic rifles are coming through rapidly but are far behind requirements. Deliveries on other types continue satisfactory.
Small Arms and Small Arms Ammunition
Pistol and revolver shortage continues acute. Rifle and ammunition production satisfactory.
Tractors
Production of the small 6-ton tank is expected to begin this month. Deliveries continue on the 5, 10, and 20-ton tractors.
QUARTERMASTER
Clothing
Embarkation records July 1-10 show large shipments of pyramidal tents in response to an urgent request from General Pershing. An increased shipment was also made of spiral puttees which are being used to replace canvas leggings for overseas use.
Subsistence
Stocks of food on hand overseas are adequate. The meat supply, in particular, has shown a decided increase.
Fuel
Camps in the United States have not yet begun to receive their winter’s supply of coal. Receipts during June were smaller than June expenditures; and the reserve stocks on hand are less than 14 per cent of the requirements to March 1.
Motor Transport
Shortage overseas is serious. Only 425 trucks were shipped July 1-10. Nearly 2,000 3-5 ton trucks are waiting at docks.
AIRCRAFT
Service Planes and Engines
Full tests show that in speed, time taken to ascend, and altitude at which it can operate the De Havilland 4 compares favorably with the best of foreign makes of the observation or day bombing type. It is inferior in endurance and bomb carrying capacity.
Sets of parts are being rapidly manufactured for the big Handley-Page, one of the most successful of the night bombing machines. United States deliveries of the Caproni, another type of night bomber, are scheduled to begin in October. Both of these will use the Liberty engine.
We shall rely for the present on the French for single seater pursuit machines. The Bristol Fighter, a machine of this type, can be produced for service when a lighter engine than the Liberty is available. The Hispano Suiza, 300 H.P., manufactured by the Wright-Martin Company, may fill this need. This engine will not be produced in quantity until January.
Deliveries of the De Havilland 4 planes and Liberty engines progress at a satisfactory rate.
Wastage -- Planes and Engines
Experience at training fields shows that the wastage on planes has been more rapid than that on engines. Previous estimates and orders placed on the basis of the estimates have provided for a considerable excess of engines over planes.
ENGINEER
Shipment of cars and locomotives continues steadily, but is less than needs.
CHEMICAL WARFARE
Research
Study of effects of gas of various types has been continued. Designs for new dugout blankets have been approved and production started. A better ointment has been perfected as protection against mustard gas.
Production
Filling of projectiles with gas has started at Edgewood Arsenal. Progress is hindered by lack of suitable man power and lack of boosters. To July 12, 5,489 of the 75 mm. shells and grenades had been filled.
All gas masks requested for July flotation will be available, but extra canisters will be 50 per cent short.
MEDICAL
Supply needs well provided for.
SHIPS
The latest index figures on turnarounds are 31 days for troop transports and 69 days for cargo transports. During the week the “Westover”, a cargo transport of 8,561 deadweight tons, a vessel recently completed on the Pacific coast, was torpedoed and sunk when approaching the French coast. Ten consolidated locomotives were lost, these being the first of a total shipped up to July 1 of 543.
Cargo shipped in Army transports during the second 10 days of July totaled 160,000 short tons. Included in this shipment were 1,700 standard gauge freight cars, 927 motor trucks, and 84 airplanes.
The troop movement is being continued at its previous rate. The appearance of submarines off the coast is not being allowed to interfere with the sailing of convoys. More than 1,200,000 men have now been shipped from this country, and more than 1,100,000 men have been landed overseas.
RAW MATERIALS
Fuel Oil for the Nitrate Fields
June arrivals available for consumption were about 149,000 tons or 42,000 tons less than the Shipping Board’s forecast of a month ago. The discrepancy was due in part to the diversion of 16,500 tons to France, in part to delays caused by a shortage in Chile of the fuel oil necessary for the operation of the nitrate mines and of the railroads which move nitrate to the coast.
The shortage of fuel oil in Chile has arisen through the War Trade Board’s refusal to license exports of oil to Gildemeister, a black-listed German mine owner. Complications in the case force upon us a dilemma, involving on the one hand the maintenance of our black-list policy and on the other hand the Army’s supply of nitrate.
Of the 680,000 tons of nitrate required for military explosives to January 1, 1919, only 15,000 tons, or a little more than two per cent, will be produced by artificial plants. On July 1 we had on hand eight weeks supply. We are dependent for the balance upon the output of the Chilean nitrate fields.
PERSONNEL
Camp Capacity
The capacity of all camps and stations in the United States is about 1,800,000 men. This capacity on July 1 was 80 per cent occupied, making possible an expansion of 20 per cent without creating new capacity.
Death Rates in Battle and from Disease
The steady lowering of the disease death rate among soldiers in service is shown by the following diagram.
DEATH RATES PER 1,000 PER YEAR
Mexican War, 1846-48 Battle deaths, 15; All deaths, 110
Civil War, 1861-5 (North) Battle deaths, 33; All deaths, 65
Spanish War, 1898 Battle deaths, 5; All deaths, 26
Present War (A.E.F.) Sept. 1917-June 1918 Battle deaths 8; All deaths, 8
(Note: see scan for diagram)
Original Format
Report
Files
Collection
Citation
United States. War Department. General staff, “Weekly Summary No. 9,” 1918 July 23, WWP25077, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.