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in Houston (until April 28, 1943), Galveston, seabrook, Rockport, Beaumont, Port Arthur and Brownsville. The final area covered the entire coast line of Texas, and all personnel had to be furnished from the Orange office.
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     The organization was beginning to function smoothly, even though the pressure of the preparedness program was increasing. Suddenly came Pearl Harbor and the Nation was at war - a war which was to tax everyones patience, wits, and physical strength to the utmost. From December 7, 1941, it became man against time -- time that never stood still. There was a demand for ships never before dreamed of in this world; and Orange's part in answer to that cry is history.
     
     
     December 7, 1941 made all hands realize that what had been accomplished up to now was only a meager beginning because if time was to be used to its greatest advantage every person who could be employed should be put to work. Housing had to be expanded. This time the housing agencies immediately set to work erecting 6,244 housing units, and dormitories for 438 men and 188 women. The allocation of this housing to the several contractors called for diplomatic handling by the Supervisor as the yards could increase their workers in direct proportion with their ability to house them.
   
     
           Necessary transportation for those workers living outside of Orange had to be arranged. This was accomplished by the establishment, first, of a commuters' train from Orange to Beaumont and, second, by a network of Navy-owned buses handled by private operators.      
 

     The food problem, always difficult, became acute and it was necessary for a separate section to be set up in the office of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding to handle it, not only for Orange but for all areas coming under the office. At this period the War Production Board was in full swing with all of its priority set up. The Supervisor was called on (because the contractors were helpless) to find essential materials to build the ships. Materials were obtained by purchase, exchange, borrowing, and by every other conceivable method. The ships had to be ready for delivery on or ahead of schedule. An example of the material difficulty can be shown in the handling of welding rods. These rods became so scarce in early 1942 that the contractors were faced with the threat of having to shut down due to their inability to get them. The Supervisor found that the Trade Schools in both Louisiana and Texas had a substantial supply on hand. After contacting the necessary State Government officials, the office borrowed all the rod they had. A pool was established with this stock and was maintained by having all rod ordered from manufacturers by the contractors shipped to the pool for distribution. The result was that no yard ran out of rod. The Supervisor's office was able to assist other activities and their contractors by supplying them with rod. This meant that no welders were idle. The example is given in order to show the determination with which the Navy and contractors, working together, approached their tasks. It also shows the maximum of cooporation which was given by all hands in the area.
 

     The operation of the several types of contracts - cost-plus-a-fixed-fee, true cost, and fixed price - of necessity required very definite procedures.
 

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