This Month in Navy League History: February Woolen Socks, Language Classes, and a Chicago Fireboat

By DAVID VERGUN, Production Editor

During the past century, Sea Power, Navy, Now Hear This! and, more recently, The Navy Leaguer, have documented the many ways that Navy League members have supported the sea services, and a strong U.S. national defense program in general, during both war and peace. Following are some pictures and examples from different years that were reported in the February issues of those publications:

In 1918, the Comforts Committee of the Navy League ordered sock-making machines for thousands of its women volunteers. The machines enabled the user to knit one pair of socks in one hour instead of several days. Members of the Comforts Committee purchased the wool and other materials needed, and made thousands of jackets, mufflers, socks, shirts, trousers, and other garments for U.S. and allied troops who were fighting in Europe during World War I.
After the war was over, the Navy League continued its strong support of all of the sea services. In 1919, for example, NLUS members--working in cooperation with the U.S. Shipping Board--assisted in the recruiting of men for the then rapidly growing U.S. Merchant Marine.

That same year, some Navy Leaguers became parrain de guerre and marraine de guerre--war godfathers and war godmothers--to the "unfortunate orphans" of French seamen killed during World War I. In one humanitarian shipment, Navy Leaguers donated more than two tons of clothing to the widows and orphans of French seamen.
Among the letters of thanks from France that poured into Navy League Headquerters was the following from a French widow whose husband, Louis Quenet--a recipient of the Croix de Guerre--died in Toulon, France, in December 1917 when his minesweeper hit a German mine:

"League: I write to thank you for your generous gifts. He [Louis] left me with the care of three little girls, aged 11 years, six years, and two years. It is very hard for me to be left thus alone, but it was asked of me that I give the happiness of my home for France. It is a great sacrifice. We at Brest love very much the Americans who are so kind to us. Oftentimes when I walk out with my little Madeleine, the American soldiers and sailors give her chocolates and candies. ... I am grateful that in my misfortune you have thus helped me; it makes life less hard for me and gives me courage. Please accept with my sincere gratitude and that of my children, the assurance of my respectful sentiments."

Mme. Veuve Quenet, Rue du Pont 8, Brest

In 1941, when the United States entered World War II, the Navy League once again answered the call to service and continued its efforts to, and beyond, the end of the war. Subject matter experts among the League's ranks established a large number of formal training programs for servicemen. Classes were offered in foreign languages, radio communications, parachute rigging, cryptanalysis, motor mechanics, emergency food preparation, and defense photo-graphy.

In 1943, the National Women's Council of the Navy League--composed of 15 councils nationwide--celebrated its first anniversary. In the past 12 months the women had supported the war effort by, among other things: organizing mobile canteens; staffing armed forces recreation centers; establishing a Consultant Bureau to find employment for wives, widows, and other female dependents of sea-service personnel; and opening officers' clubs for those men not eligible for the services provided by the USO.

The Navy League women also staffed convalescent homes for wounded service personnel and, through the Navy League Volunteer Motor Corps, provided transportation for them. After a happy weekend in the country, one convalescent soldier wrote his hostess, "It's people like you who make guys like us want to give all we got."
Navy League women also made garments and knitted wear for servicemen and their families--as they had done during World War I.

In 1956, the Navy League's Buddy Program helped to familiarize young people with life in the sea services. The New York Council, working in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, arranged for Cub Scout packs to tour the battleship USS Wisconsin, where they were treated to an onboard Navy-style lunch. The Dallas Council (Texas) arranged for dozens of school children to visit the Naval Air Stations in Dallas and Pensacola (Fla.). The Oklahoma City Council arranged for 35 high school boys to visit NAS Pensacola. In 1957, the Penn-Jersey Council (N.J.) hosted 28 high school boys as weekend guests at the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit in Lakehurst, N.J. The group was given a tour of the base and taken for a ride in a blimp. There were hundreds of similar youth outings and activities sponsored by NLUS councils across the country.

During the Vietnam War, councils sent care packages to U.S. troops overseas. In 1967, the Kings County Council (Calif.) mailed hand-painted greeting cards to members of the sea services.

That same year, the Coronado Council (Calif.) provided humanitarian aid to the people of South Vietnam; the aid packages collectively included 768,000 Halazone tablets for water purification and 3,000 pencils and 2,200 writing tablets for school children.

Councils nationwide found numerous other creative ways to support and honor the sea services. In 1973, the Chicago Council (Ill.), "council of the month" for February, persuaded Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to declare a city-wide Navy Day. Daley permitted all bridges over the Chicago River to be opened while a Chicago fireboat--shooting streams of red, white, and blue spray into the air--led two newly assigned fast patrol torpedo boats to their Great Lakes station with a number of state and local dignitaries on board.

In its second century of service, the Navy League continues to find new and exciting ways to support the sea services.