| Back | All purchases under a fixed price contract had to be submitted to the Supervisor in order to show that materials were in accordance with specifications. All cost-plus and true cost purchase orders had to be submitted in connection with materials ordered and also with regard to costs. It was essential that procedures be specific and clear so that there would be a minimum of misunderstanding between the Contractor-Supervisor-Navy Cost Inspector. This was carried out with a minimum of friction. | Next | ||||||||||||||||
Many new Navy problems presented themselves to the office of the Supervisor during the war, also. One of the first was caused by a contract change requiring ship deliveries at the building yards instead of at Navy Yard, Charleston. How to quarter and mess officers and crews for the vessels prior to commissioning was worked out by the construction of Receiving Stations at Orange and Houston, Texas. This gave the Supervisor of Shipbuilding additional duties as Commanding Officer of these Stations. The next, and probably the most radical change of supervisor activity, was the establishment of a Navy Supply Department. Formerly all Government-furnished allowance materials had been furnished by the Navy Yard, so that while the Supervisor's office was responsible for the completion of the vessels, including stores, it had no control over the Government-furnished items. The Supervisor brought this matter to the attention of the Bureau of Ships after the Inspector General of the Navy had investigated the allowance shortages reported by the first two destroyers. The Supply Department was installed in early 1943. |
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Probably the best account of the operations of this office can be given by breaking down the contracts by type of vessel, indicating the yard which built the several types and giving a brief history of them. Consolidated Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, Orange, Texas, was awarded the following destroyer contracts: |
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Contract |
Date Awarded |
Class |
Number |
Quantity |
Contract Completion Date |
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| NOd-1512 NObs-1111 NObs-1994 *Nobs-2065 |
9- 9-40 6- 1-43 11-29-44 2-22-45 |
DD445 DD692 DD692 |
569-580 873-890 817-825 817-816* 917-924 |
12 18 9 2 8 |
11-24-44 9-15-45 4-15-46 *Cancelled *Cancelled |
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*These were cancelled before construction started. |
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On May 14, 1941, the keels for the USS AULICK (DD569) and USS CHARLES AUSBURNE (DD570) were laid on building ways #1 and #2 at Consolidated's shipyard, at which ceremony, in addition to Captain H. B. Hird, USN (Ret.), Vice-President, representing the contractor, and Commander E. B. Perry, USN, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, representing the Navy, was W. Lee O'Daniel, Governor of the State of Texas. This event marked the laying of the keels of the first combatant ships ever to be built in the state, and was the first concrete evidence to the Navy and this area that Naval vessels were actually going to be constructed at this yard. On March 2, 1942, the USS AULICK (DD569) was launched. From a historical viewpoint the launching was the event; from a factual standpoint the event was the preparation for the launching. It was found that the shafting for this vessel could not be delivered in time to meet the launching date unless stringent methods were used to get the shafting to Orange. It was absolutely essential to the success of the yard that the first vessel be launched on schedule. Therefore, the Supervisor, with the contractor, |
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