Final answer:
Merchant vessels in a convoy system were protected by destroyers and cruisers, which was a successful strategy that cut shipping losses drastically during World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
The member teams that are part of convoy operations, specifically during World War I under the strategy put forward by U.S. Navy Rear Admiral William S. Sims, included merchant vessels and the military protection accompanying them. This strategy was adopted by the British to safeguard against German U-boat attacks.
The convoy system involved groups of merchant ships traveling together with a protective guard consisting of destroyers and cruisers. These naval vessels circled the merchant ships as a defensive measure. The implementation of the convoy system proved to be a successful military tactic as it significantly reduced shipping losses by half by midsummer of 1917.