Northern Neck Fishing Steamers Go to War

     In 1917 eight wooden-hull, steam-powered fishing boats from the Northern Neck of Virginia were "conscripted" into service by the U. S. Navy, equipped with cannons, and sent on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean to France, where they patrolled for submarines, swept for mines, and rescued fellow ships and sailors under perilous conditions.  WAIT!  This is not a fictional tale that has been miscategorized as nonfiction.  Although it seems too incredible to be true, it is a factual and amazing little-known piece of history.  

     This is an authentic and exciting account of the small, extensively modified Chesapeake Bay Menhaden fishing boats and their brave crews, who admirably performed hazardous duties in the dangerous waters of France under risky wartime conditions in an operation few people have ever even heard of.  This book provides documentation of an actual U. S. Department of the Navy operation that originated simply because the Navy didn't have adequate minesweepers and patrol boats to send to France when the U. S. entered WWI.  This book presents the who, what, when, where, how, and why of the massive endeavor.

     These boats, while rugged in construction, were an average of only 155 feet in length with a 24-foot beam.  They were designed for commercial fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and were never intended for ocean crossings or military use.  The Norfolk Navy Yard performed nothing less than a miracle in making the extensive modifications necessary for turning the fishboats into warships.  Remarkably, those vulnerable boats, designated Squadron Four Atlantic Fleet Patrol, made the risky journey from Boston to Brest, France in just 22 days, arriving safely in September 1917.       

     The boats and crews completed their orders admirably.  Only one of the boats sank while in service; however, three of them sank in a storm during a disastrous attempt to return to the United States.  Two of the boats that sank belonged to the author's grandfather, Otis W. Douglas.  Fascinated by the subject, he found Naval Department records, interesting personal accounts from crew members, 26 pictures of the iconic old, wooden-hulled, coal-fired steamers that were used to fish in the Bay, as well as information about all the boats that comprised the Northern Neck menhaden fishing fleet in 1917.  If you like boats, naval exploits, and history, this is the book for you.