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1919-1928 Early Naval Career |
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Varied tours of duty at sea from 1912 to 1920 - combat assignments, supply ship duty, and hydrographic survey voyages - brought many pieces of the navigation puzzle to light for Weems and played an important role in his development as a navigator.
The newly promoted Lieutenant Commander Weems, on his first assignment as chief navigator, was responsible for the precise location of his ship, the destroyer USS O'Brien, on a historic deployment. The O'Brien was one of many picket ships strung across the Atlantic to
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guide the first airplanes to complete this first trans-Atlantic flight. The world stood on tip toe waiting for news. Two of the three aircraft had already dropped out by the time they had reached the Azores.
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The last remaining NC-4 Curtiss Flying Boat was delayed due to bad weather, leaving Weems much time to contemplate the importance of his duty and to consider the problems of air and sea navigation.
"Suddenly the plane came up over us," Weems said, "It was a great thrill." From that moment Weems caught the vision that would change his career
-- Louise Davis, The Nashville Tennessean, May 29, 1966
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Weems went on to an assignment in the Navy's Department of Navigation and served at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1924 to 1927.
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Click Here to visit the Annapolis Maritime Museum
Please use the select box below to access additional Contributions of Captain Weems:
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