Handwritten Signalman's Log From May, 7th, 1918 Through Sept 17, 1918 For the USS Calamares (AF-18)

Atlantic Ocean: USS Calamares. Good. 1918. Hardcover. B&W Illustrations; This is a small cloth covered hardback (trade sized) in Good only condition and was issued without a dust jacket. The spine of the book is mostly gone though the stitching and binding of the book is generally solid condition. There is a faint US Navy Seal on the front cover, along with heavy ground-in dirt and previous owner's handwritten doodles and notes. There are approximately 75 leaves (making approx. 150 pages). The front endpaper / first text page has been torn vertically and is missing half of the page. The text pages are mostly handwritten in pencil (occasional ink marks throughout) and are noted in mostly four hour increments, written by a number of different hands. The USS Calamares was built in 1913 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and was chartered (in a contract to the US Navy) as a transport / cargo ship during World War I -- during a period of eight months from April to October 1918, the ship made "five voyages to France as part of he Navy's vast responsibility to transport to the American Expeditionary Force, reinforcements, munitions, and supplies." This log includes instructions from the captain, written before being translated into flag or light messages and sent to other ships, or signals received from other ships and written down before handing over to the bridge. Commanded by CDR. C. L. Arnold. (though there is mention of a Commander Sadler? ). The convoy includes the: Charleston, The Talbot, The Calhoun, The Mallory, The Siboney, The Maui, The Orizaba, The Dia de Italia, The Calamares, The American, and, The Tenadores) Following are some examples: On June 3, 1918 : "10: 55 How many smoke boxes (Smoke Generator, used on board ships, for camouflage. ) have you and how many can you spare." July 3, 1918: "10: 50am P. D. L. From Pres. Grant to Calhoun- (? ) to Engineer Officer Sixty-five hundred gallons. Two boilers, one burner. Each consists hundred and seventy pounds please give us your reports at noon. Sig. Engineer Officer." July 13, 1918 "6: 20 pm: P. D. L. To Short Sta. 4V (? ) Please send boat for patrol party as we have no reliable motor boat." July 21, 1918: 11: 55pm: from Tenadores to Calamares: "Un to Radio Officer what information have yyou that makes you say message referred to was sent to Azores am sending you message and if you decipher it let me know what cypher used. Message follow: origen . Rush-able-able to unit rush-able-able unit - dog. Dog- easy - have - mike - quack..." .