Arrival of U.S. Warships Here Cause of Report on the North Shore

When six U.S. Naval Units steamed up Long Island Sound last Saturday and dropped anchor off Sands Point, local residents expressed no little surprise. But in the last two days the possible connection between the mysterious arrival of these six ships and the equally mysterious cruise of President Roosevelt aboard the S.S. Potomac has sent a flurry of excitement along much of the North Shore

Though the ships, including among their number the heavy cruiser Augusta and five lighter vessels, quietly slipped out early Monday morning for an unknown destination, it was thought here that they might very well be a convoy commissioned to offer protection to the rumored secret meeting between the President and Winston Churchill somewhere in North American waters. If such a rendezvous has already been held or is even now in progress the likelihood that it is not at all far from Long Island shores is very plausible.

Giving added support to the theory that the ships are a clue to the mystery which is daily a cause for mounting speculation by both press and public is the fact that certain sailors disembarking in Port Washington on Sunday were heard to casually remark that they were there to await the arrival of the President

The British Prime Minister on Tuesday missed an important parliamentary debate, and the British press is equally apprehensive of his movements as is our press concerning Mr. Roosevelt's current whereabouts. While most newspapers have felt that any meeting between the two important leaders would probably take place in Canada or off Newfoundland, the fact that the usual landing facilities for transatlantic airliners are located on Long Island would seem to indicate the possibility of a meeting near here.

U.S. Warships Anchor Here
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No Reason Available for Cruiser, Destroyer Squadron
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A squadron of U.S. warships anchored off Barkers Point Saturday afternoon and the first knowledge the townspeople had of the arrival was the gathering of officers and sailors who docked at the Town Dock. There were two large cruisers in the squadron. One of the cruisers was said to be the U.S.S. Augusta.

No information as to the cause of the arrival could be obtained and no visitors were allowed on board any of the vessels. One reason ventured was that the ships were waiting their turn to enter the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Some of the sailors attended the block party benefit of the American Legion Post Saturday evening.

The ships left early Sunday afternoon for an unknown destination.

WEBMASTER'S NOTES

The squadron of ships mentioned in the above newspaper accounts included: the two heavy cruisers USS Augusta  (CA-31), and the USS Tuscaloosa; along with four  destroyers: USS McDougal (DD-358), USS Madison (DD-425), USS Moffett (DD-362), USS Sampson (DD-394).

Just after the ships anchored off of Sands Point on 8/2/41, a barge approached the Augusta with what turned out to be "presidential gear" to be loaded aboard. The gear included FDR's barge, an enclosed hand-operated two-story elevator, special wooden runways to allow FDR's wheelchair to be pushed up and over combings of the Augusta's vertical hatchways, and other miscellaneous gear. 

On Saturday, 8/2/41, the officers of all six ships received an invitation from the Sands Point Beach Club to be their guests at the club pool that afternoon, and at the dance that night. Those who accepted the invitation were warned before they departed the ships not to say anything of the ships' activities or mission.

On Saturday the newspapers and radio were carrying the story that the President had left Washington for a fishing trip along the coast of Maine aboard the presidential yacht, Potomac.

In fact this is the entry made by the Secret Service for that day:

8/2/41 - Saturday at 10:45 A.M. FDR President left the White House, motored to Union Station and departed Washington, D.C. at 11:00 a.m. via the Pennsylvania Railroad. At 7:45 P.M. the President arrived at Submarine Base, New London, Conn. where he detrained and embarked on the U.S.S.Potomac. At 7:36 the Potomac was underway and at 11:47 P.M. anchored at Point of Refuge, Point Judith, R.I. (source: Secret Service Memorandum)

On Sunday, 8/3/41, the McDougal was detached and proceeded with orders to pick up VIPs at the East 68th landing on the East River. When the McDougal returned she transferred the VIPs (who turned out to be General George C. Marshall, chief of staff of the United States Army, and Admiral Harold Stark, chief of naval operations) to the Augusta. Two other VIPs, General Henry "Hap" Arnold, chief of the Army Air Corps, and Rear Admiral Kelly Turner went aboard the Tuscaloosa.