UFANTASTIC, ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN MILITARY DIARY KEPT BY OFFICER ENSIGN L. F. WATSON ABOARD THE USS MISSISSIPPI AS A COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST. COMPLETE WITH TWO HAND DRAWN DIAGRAMS OF THE SHIP ENGINES AND POWER PLANT CONFIGURATIONS. This is an historically important on board ship diary kept by Officer Ensign L. F. Watson; ship USS Mississippi Navy military vessel (BB-41) 1928. Handwritten "Field Book" has fifty-nine handwritten pages from April 17, 1928 to May 28, 1928, to include two hand drawn diagrams of engines and power plant configurations of the Naval ship that he was on, the USS Mississippi.
Fascinating and unique diary log of this Berkeley California Communications specialist Ensign, assigned to the USS Mississippi for broad ship's duties training.This included Officer's dinner meeting with Admirals Henry A.Wiley, Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, and Henry V. Butler, Commanding Officer of the USS San Francisco attached to the British Grand Fleet in World War I. Commanding Officer of the USS Michigan in 1921, and the USS Saratoga 1927-1929 (while under construction ). Butler advanced to Rear Admiral in 1927, and Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (Adm. Wiley) 1927-1929.
A Communications Specialist, Watson details assignment duties throughout the ship, and his notes include training for battle stations, drawing weapons, 3 court martials, abandon ship training, collision drill, torpedo drill, etc. He spent time aboard the USS Texas and USS California, and he documents watching the USS Langley May 18, 1928, (America's first aircraft carrier ) while on a day tour of the USS Texas in Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, he notes: "At 1400 hours 17 planes take off the USS Langley in less than 10 minutes."
Condition: This 59 page diary is of historical note for its breadth of information and details. Remains in very good condition, internally fresh and tight. Measures approx. 7 1/4 x 4 1/2 inches, Leather covered technical log with "Field Book 360" embossed on front cover. Written in ink on front cover: "Ensign L. F. Watson, USS Mississippi, April 17, 1928." A great US Navy handwritten book from the between-the-World-Wars period. Especially citing the development of the USS Langley; the first of the great ships - including the USS Saratoga-that surpassed the battleships as the dominant Warship of the US Navy of the imminent future.
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