Briscoe, William P. letter - handwritten     Handwritten letter [1st page]: “370 W. 58th St, N.Y.C. c/o Mrs. Cavanaugh Mr. W.E. Gordon Dear Sir & Friend It is with pleasure and honor that I am able to state my experiences in the Navy. I enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve Forces at the best of my knowledge, April 15, 1917, went into active service May 18, 1917, as a cook third class. Attended the first school for Navy cooks being the third one to enter this school. After two weeks training, was made 2nd class. Transferred to Bensonhurst Base # 6[4]9 where I was for two weeks as a cook." handwritten letter [3rd page is 2nd p.; 2nd p.is 3rd p., in reading order]: "I was then transferred to U.S.S. Gloucester and was crew’s cook for the first two months until I got to making too many cakes & pies and then the Captain and I was aft until May 18, 1919, and then: -- Transferred to U.S. Navy Gas Engine Course, which was five weeks and in that time we quarter[ed] aboard the U.S.S. Granite State. After my completion of this course I receive[d] first class machinist and made Assistant Materiel Officer of these schools. In a six months time I was made Chief Machinist Mate. We had at this station or controlled from here all the mechanical schools on areo nautical [i.e., aeronautical] mechanics, and the making of all the sub-chasers engineers. Our staff [asvchis?] station was an personnel of 350 men mostly all commissioned and Chief Petty Officers like myself. The staff taining system of every branch of aeronautical mechanics & marine gasoline Engineering Proffessors [sic] of Columbia University headed"... Handwritten letter [4th page]: ..."by Dr. Lucke, was and now Dean of Engineering at Columbia. I was buying all the materiel and supplies that was necessary to maintain this station. I was released from active duty, April 11, 1919. I have already received an honorable active service certificate from the war department for my services in the Navy. I am still in reserve and can be called on again. Hoping I have fully describe[d] myself and my services to my Country, and wishing You the greatest success in your work. Yours, Patriotic Patchoguer Wm. P. Briscoe”     NOTES History of U.S. Submarine Chasers in the Great War (The Subchaser Archives) http://www.subchaser.org/ Gloucester (Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships) http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/g6/gloucester-i.htm Granite State (Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships) http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/g7/granite_state.htm