In 1916 Chester Nimitz, executive officer and chief engineer of the United States Navy oiler USS "Maumee", while the ship was stationed in Cuba, designed and jerry-rigged a "riding-abeam refueling" system with ship booms supporting rubber hoses between the oiler and the receiving destroyer with the assistance of G. B. Davis, Matt Higgins and Lieutenant F. M. Perkins. The system employed a towing hawser, two breast lines to prevent the rupture of the refueling hose between the two vessels, and lengths of rubber fuel hose. As well a fuel pump was used to speed up the transfer of fuel.