The U.S. Navy, the Neutrality Patrol, and Atlantic Fleet Escort Operations, 1939-1941

Abstract

Although the United States was officially neutral until 7 December 1941, the U.S. Navy entered World War II on 5 September 1939 when the CNO, Admiral Harold R. Stark, initiated Neutrality Patrol operations in the Caribbean and in waters 200 miles off the coasts of North and South America. During 1940, the Navy conducted battleship sweeps deep into the Atlantic to deter Axis surface raiders and U-boats from entering the Neutrality Zone, and also moved toward a solid Anglo-American alliance, one vehicle being information exchanges between OpNav and the Admiralty. The negotiation of the ABC-1 Agreement in March 1941 increased Anglo-American collaboration. Atlantic Fleet patrols became more aggressive and the fleet doubled in size. By September, the Atlantic Fleet's Support Force, in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Navy, was ready to commence escort-of-convoy operations, and that same month, Atlantic Fleet destroyers escorted their first convoy from Halifax to Iceland. A handful of convoys were attacked, but the Atlantic Fleet used these experiences to fashion an effective escort-of-convoy doctrine.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 13, 1991
Accession Number
ADA245396

Entities

People

  • Brian F. Hussey

Organizations

  • United States Naval Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Agreements
  • Aircraft Carriers
  • Boats
  • Direction Finding
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • Marine Transportation
  • Military Aircraft
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Personnel
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Patrol Aircraft
  • Personnel Management
  • Second World War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
  • Oceanography.