CAPTAIN W. M. GROSE - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 12/04/1917 - HFSID 3721

CAPTAIN W.M. GROSE: USS NORTH DAKOTA (1917)
War-dated letter from its Captain, W. M. Grose, to a woman who has knitted items for the crew.
Typed Letter signed: "W. M. Grose" Captain, US Navy, 1 page, 8x10. U. S. S. North Dakota, 1917 December 4. To Miss Amelia D. Campbell, New York City, in full: "Upon receipt of your letter yesterday, informing me that the case of knitted articles was sent by the Iroquois on October 16th, I wrote letters to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and to the Commander Train, asking that shipment be traced immediately. I am afraid some other ship has gotten the case. One package containing ten full sets arrived yesterday and the other will doubtless turn up soon. These will be distributed immediately. I am very glad that you sent them by parcel post. While in Washington Suncay, I was asked for the address of the NORTH DAKOTA'S sponsor by an Officer of the Navy Department. He had heard that the State of North Dakota had not done any knitting for the ship. I told him that I did not know the address, and did not want the matter taken up, as it is a fact that nothing has been received from the State for which we are named and that I thought the women had neglected their obligations, which have been assumed by your unit so cheerfully. Very sincerely". The USS North Dakota (BB-29), with its sister ship the Delaware was one of the US Navy's first "Dreadnought" class battleships, the most powerful warships of the era. Launched in 1908, the North Dakota conducted training missions until 1914, when it sailed off the Mexican coast during the US landing at Veracruz. The North Dakota remained stateside during World War I, used for training gunnery crews, while the Delaware served in Europe. North Dakota was decommissioned. Captain W. M. Grose, in command of the vessel when he wrote this later, served later in Commandant of the US Naval District, Cavite, Philippine Islands, and as commander of the US Navy detachment in American Samoa. It was common in both World Wars for patriotic American women to "adopt" a ship. Warm knitwear would have been very welcome to crewmen on duty in the North Atlantic, the principal theatre of naval action in World War I. Creased and toned, corners creased. Binding holes in top edge. Otherwise, fine condition.