Weekly Summary No. 12
Title
Weekly Summary No. 12
Creator
United States. War Department. General staff
Identifier
WWP25121
Date
1918 August 13
Description
Secret report of the wartime strength of the United Stat
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
World War, 1914-1918--Statistics
World War, 1914-1918--United States
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 ………….. 2
Medical ………………………. 3
Ships …………………………. 3
Raw Materials ………………. 3
Personnel ……………………. 4
No. 12 Statistics Branch
August 13, 1918 General Staff
ORDNANCE
Divisional Artillery
155 mm. howitzers -- The first two carriages and the first machined recuperator of American manufacture were completed in the week ended July 27.
Heavy Artillery
155 mm. guns -- Shortage has been relieved for a time by the delivery of 25 additional 155 mm. guns by the French, with the promise of 100 more before October 1, 1918.
Heavy howitzers -- Deliveries of 8” howitzer carriages by the Midvale Steel Co. began again with 20 in the week ended July 27.
Seacoast guns -- The first four sets of forgings for 10” Schneider railroad mounts were delivered in the week ended July 27. These are to be finished and assembled in France with the guns shipped from this side some weeks ago.
Artillery Ammunition
Production still slow
Machine Guns
Production satisfactory.
Small Arms and Small Arms Ammunition
New military program has raised requirements for rifles enough to postpone the accumulation of adequate reserves. Consumption of small arms ammunition is increasing so rapidly that more manufacturing capacity must be developed.
Explosives and Propellants
Analysis of requirements for high explosives based on recent estimates of probable deliveries of machined shell shows that a shortage has probably been averted. Similar analysis of smokeless powder shows that danger still exists for the latter part of the year.
Tractors and Tanks
Some components of 30-ton Liberty tanks are being delivered, but production of complete units will be limited by available supply of Liberty engines.
QUARTERMASTER
Clothing and Equipage
A recent estimate made by camp quartermasters and organization supply officers as to the length of wear of different articles of clothing seems to indicate that previous estimates of requirements may be reduced somewhat. In view of the large amounts of wool required by the program, some such cut is much to be desired.
Purchases of melton and flannel shirting from July 1-27 were distributed throughout the country almost exactly in proportion to its manufacturing capacity. Sixty-five per cent of the purchases were made in New England.
AIRCRAFT
Service Planes
No De Havilland 4 planes were delivered from August 2 to August 5. Planes were held at the factory for an increase in gasoline capacity and other alterations. A total of 729 were floated to August 9.
Parts for 10 Handley Page night bombers have been floated for assembly in England.
Service Engines
Production of Liberty engines is steadily increasing; about 500 more were delivered during July than during June.
The Wright-Martin factories have temporarily discontinued the production of the 150 H.P. Hispano-Suiza engine in order to secure quantity production of the 180 H.P. Hispano-Suiza, which is badly needed overseas for use in pursuit planes.
Tonnage Allotments and Shipments
Overseas shipments of air service material during the month of July were 81 per cent in excess of the allotted tonnage.
ENGINEER
A recent cable from General Pershing indicates that a complete re-survey is being made of the transportation situation in France in order that a minimum figure on needs for equipment from this country may be reached.
General engineer material is going forward consistently. Pontoon bridge material, unit equipment and wagons, urgently requested, are available at port up to the amount called for in August.
CHEMICAL WARFARE
Offense
The production of chlorine and of chloropicrin, the lachrymatory gas which is to be employed, exceeds requirements. Seventy thousand gas shell for 75 mm. guns have been floated. Thirty thousand smoke grenades await shipment.
Defense
Shortage in extra canisters for gas masks continues, partly on account of difficulty in securing an adequate supply of cocoanut shells for producing the carbon essential for filling canisters. The demand for horse masks is unexpectedly great, 200,000 being called for during August.
MEDICAL
Condition satisfactory.
SHIPS
The latest index figures on turnarounds are 30 days for troop transports and 68 days for cargo transports. The troop transports “Great Northern” and “Northern Pacific”, sister ships formerly operating in the Pacific, have each recently completed a turnaround in 19 days. This record is the best so far made. These are American vessels with a troop capacity between 2,500 and 3,000. It is reported that the cargo transport, “Westward Ho”, a vessel of 8,700 TDW, has been torpedoed while outward bound but has been towed into Brest. This report has not been confirmed. The Army tanker, “George G. Henry”, previously reported sunk, has reached New York safely. The vessel took fire when on her homeward voyage.
During the first 10 days of August 203,000 short tons of cargo have been shipped overseas. Included in this cargo were 1,542 trucks and 112 airplanes.
The troop movement continues at the rate attained during the last two months.
RAW MATERIALS
Tornado Strikes Plant of Union Sulphur Company
The tornado of August 6 struck the plant of the Union Sulphur Company in Louisiana which produces one-half of the country’s supply of native sulphur. As a result of the damage done production will be suspended for two or three weeks. The loss entailed may amount to 75,000 tons or 4 per cent of the country’s annual production.
The manufacture of sulphuric acid is now largely dependent on native sulphur. The supply of iron pyrites from Spain has been much reduced from lack of shipping. The output of native sulphur in the Gulf states has, however, constantly met the increasing needs. We now have on hand about an eight months’ supply compared with 6 months’ the first of the year. Hence the damage to the Union Sulphur Company’s plant is not a serious matter.
PERSONNEL
First Field Army
The first field army just organized by General Pershing consists of five army corps and certain army troops not assigned to any corps.
The authorized strength of each army corps is as follows:
4 combat divisions (28,153 each) ……………… 112,612
1 replacement division ………………………….. 28,368
1 depot division ………………………………….. 27,723
Corps troops …………………………………….. 16,142
Total in army corps …………………….. 184,845
Five army corps in a field army total 924,225 men. Army troops consisting of heavy artillery engineers, tank corps, aviation units, etc., add several hundred thousand to the figure. These figures do not include the Service of Supply.
The authorized strength of units varies from day to day as adaptations are made to meet new conditions. The figures for an army corps given above are corrected to noon on August 10, 1918, with the exception of corps troops for which the most recent figures available are taken.
The formation of the second field army has been begun as the embarkation of the sixth corps is well under way. Priority in shipment is now being given to Service of Supply and replacement troops.
WEEKLY SUMMARY
Page
Ordnance …………………… 1
Quartermaster………………. 1
Aircraft ………………………. 2
Engineer …………………….. 2
Chemical Warfare ………….. 2
Medical ………………………. 3
Ships …………………………. 3
Raw Materials ………………. 3
Personnel ……………………. 4
No. 12 Statistics Branch
August 13, 1918 General Staff
ORDNANCE
Divisional Artillery
155 mm. howitzers -- The first two carriages and the first machined recuperator of American manufacture were completed in the week ended July 27.
Heavy Artillery
155 mm. guns -- Shortage has been relieved for a time by the delivery of 25 additional 155 mm. guns by the French, with the promise of 100 more before October 1, 1918.
Heavy howitzers -- Deliveries of 8” howitzer carriages by the Midvale Steel Co. began again with 20 in the week ended July 27.
Seacoast guns -- The first four sets of forgings for 10” Schneider railroad mounts were delivered in the week ended July 27. These are to be finished and assembled in France with the guns shipped from this side some weeks ago.
Artillery Ammunition
Production still slow
Machine Guns
Production satisfactory.
Small Arms and Small Arms Ammunition
New military program has raised requirements for rifles enough to postpone the accumulation of adequate reserves. Consumption of small arms ammunition is increasing so rapidly that more manufacturing capacity must be developed.
Explosives and Propellants
Analysis of requirements for high explosives based on recent estimates of probable deliveries of machined shell shows that a shortage has probably been averted. Similar analysis of smokeless powder shows that danger still exists for the latter part of the year.
Tractors and Tanks
Some components of 30-ton Liberty tanks are being delivered, but production of complete units will be limited by available supply of Liberty engines.
QUARTERMASTER
Clothing and Equipage
A recent estimate made by camp quartermasters and organization supply officers as to the length of wear of different articles of clothing seems to indicate that previous estimates of requirements may be reduced somewhat. In view of the large amounts of wool required by the program, some such cut is much to be desired.
Purchases of melton and flannel shirting from July 1-27 were distributed throughout the country almost exactly in proportion to its manufacturing capacity. Sixty-five per cent of the purchases were made in New England.
AIRCRAFT
Service Planes
No De Havilland 4 planes were delivered from August 2 to August 5. Planes were held at the factory for an increase in gasoline capacity and other alterations. A total of 729 were floated to August 9.
Parts for 10 Handley Page night bombers have been floated for assembly in England.
Service Engines
Production of Liberty engines is steadily increasing; about 500 more were delivered during July than during June.
The Wright-Martin factories have temporarily discontinued the production of the 150 H.P. Hispano-Suiza engine in order to secure quantity production of the 180 H.P. Hispano-Suiza, which is badly needed overseas for use in pursuit planes.
Tonnage Allotments and Shipments
Overseas shipments of air service material during the month of July were 81 per cent in excess of the allotted tonnage.
ENGINEER
A recent cable from General Pershing indicates that a complete re-survey is being made of the transportation situation in France in order that a minimum figure on needs for equipment from this country may be reached.
General engineer material is going forward consistently. Pontoon bridge material, unit equipment and wagons, urgently requested, are available at port up to the amount called for in August.
CHEMICAL WARFARE
Offense
The production of chlorine and of chloropicrin, the lachrymatory gas which is to be employed, exceeds requirements. Seventy thousand gas shell for 75 mm. guns have been floated. Thirty thousand smoke grenades await shipment.
Defense
Shortage in extra canisters for gas masks continues, partly on account of difficulty in securing an adequate supply of cocoanut shells for producing the carbon essential for filling canisters. The demand for horse masks is unexpectedly great, 200,000 being called for during August.
MEDICAL
Condition satisfactory.
SHIPS
The latest index figures on turnarounds are 30 days for troop transports and 68 days for cargo transports. The troop transports “Great Northern” and “Northern Pacific”, sister ships formerly operating in the Pacific, have each recently completed a turnaround in 19 days. This record is the best so far made. These are American vessels with a troop capacity between 2,500 and 3,000. It is reported that the cargo transport, “Westward Ho”, a vessel of 8,700 TDW, has been torpedoed while outward bound but has been towed into Brest. This report has not been confirmed. The Army tanker, “George G. Henry”, previously reported sunk, has reached New York safely. The vessel took fire when on her homeward voyage.
During the first 10 days of August 203,000 short tons of cargo have been shipped overseas. Included in this cargo were 1,542 trucks and 112 airplanes.
The troop movement continues at the rate attained during the last two months.
RAW MATERIALS
Tornado Strikes Plant of Union Sulphur Company
The tornado of August 6 struck the plant of the Union Sulphur Company in Louisiana which produces one-half of the country’s supply of native sulphur. As a result of the damage done production will be suspended for two or three weeks. The loss entailed may amount to 75,000 tons or 4 per cent of the country’s annual production.
The manufacture of sulphuric acid is now largely dependent on native sulphur. The supply of iron pyrites from Spain has been much reduced from lack of shipping. The output of native sulphur in the Gulf states has, however, constantly met the increasing needs. We now have on hand about an eight months’ supply compared with 6 months’ the first of the year. Hence the damage to the Union Sulphur Company’s plant is not a serious matter.
PERSONNEL
First Field Army
The first field army just organized by General Pershing consists of five army corps and certain army troops not assigned to any corps.
The authorized strength of each army corps is as follows:
4 combat divisions (28,153 each) ……………… 112,612
1 replacement division ………………………….. 28,368
1 depot division ………………………………….. 27,723
Corps troops …………………………………….. 16,142
Total in army corps …………………….. 184,845
Five army corps in a field army total 924,225 men. Army troops consisting of heavy artillery engineers, tank corps, aviation units, etc., add several hundred thousand to the figure. These figures do not include the Service of Supply.
The authorized strength of units varies from day to day as adaptations are made to meet new conditions. The figures for an army corps given above are corrected to noon on August 10, 1918, with the exception of corps troops for which the most recent figures available are taken.
The formation of the second field army has been begun as the embarkation of the sixth corps is well under way. Priority in shipment is now being given to Service of Supply and replacement troops.
Original Format
Report
Files
Collection
Citation
United States. War Department. General staff, “Weekly Summary No. 12,” 1918 August 13, WWP25121, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.