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WILLIAM WADELL : 1943 - 1944 ORIGINAL, SIGNIFICANT U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD MANUSCRIPT RELIC OF WORLD WAR II SERVICE, ALLIED COOPERATION AND ONE OF THE TOUGHEST, MOST GRINDING JOBS IN THE WARTIME NAVY BY A US NAVAL RESERVE LIEUTENANT

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a rare, original U.S. Navy log book from WWII. Measuring 8 inches by 5 inches, this hardcover volume has 188 pages an is 70% complete. The cover and binding are in good condition and all pages are intact. The handwriting is clear and legible. The book is the Log Book of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard, a little-known branch of the United States armed forces in WWII. The USNAG was the service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II. A total of 144,970 enlisted men and officers served in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard during World War II. They sailed on 6,236 merchant ships (including Allied vessels), of which more than 700 ships were sunk and many more were damaged. Armed Guard casualties numbered at least 1,810 killed or missing in action and many more wounded. The typical Armed Guard complement for a merchant ship was 24 gunners and one officer (generally an ensign, lieutenant junior grade or lieutenant), plus as many as three communication personnel for a total of 28 men. Ships carrying troops had larger Armed Guard detachments to man the increased numbers of guns installed on such vessels. In the early days of the war, however, many ships went out with less than the armament desired and with smaller Armed Guard crews. This Log Book was kept by the Armed Guard unit on the freighter MS Tosari. Tosari was built in 1919 and operated primarily between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). She was owned and operated by the Dutch shipping company Rotterdamsche Lloyd. During the war many Dutch ships were placed under the control of the US army, they were used to carry troops and participated in convoys. The Dutch Ministry of Shipping, were very helpful to the War Department during the period the vessels were utilized for troop service, many Dutch crew members continued working on the ships. In the period when the log book was maintained Tosari participated in several convoys between Alexandria and Malta, Bombay and Aruba, and New York and Guantanamo. The Log Book was maintained by Lt (jg) William Waddell USNR. He maintains it every day he is in command until he is relieved. The Log begins July 15th, with him reporting aboard with his AG crew to relieve the existing commander. The Log details ship movements, disciplinary matters, crew management issues and gunnery practice. "1740 Sailed from Artificial Island Philadelphia with general cargo" [Aug 23, 1943]; "2217 Dropped anchor at Lynhaven Roads (Norfolk) one hour after departure of 8-knot convoy for Key West. Impossible to depart immediately to overtake convoy because of necessary engine repairs ... " [Aug 24, 1943]; "0854 Test fire 4"/50 aft gun ... " [Apr 1, 1943]; "1730 Ship sighted bearing 330 o Range approximately 16,000 yds deep on horizon. Ship manoeuvres and bears in 230 o and range approx 15,000 yds Men called to battle stations " [May 21, 1944]; "1000 Lt JG Frank Curran USNR reports to ship as relieving officer ..." [Nov 18, 1944]. The book also contains a 2-page report of a disciplinary hearing - a Captains Mast - stapled to the last page. This is an excellent example of a detailed daily war log. For a naval historian, it provides detailed information on this ship's movements, locations and assigned crew. The crew lists contain full names and USN service numbers making them very easy to track. For a writer, this is excellent source material to develop a real understanding of the working of such a ship and her Guard crew which can add the sense of realism captured so well by writers such as Montserrat and O'Brian.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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