Navy Park Historic District

On August 24, 1940, the Office of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, USN, Orange, Texas, was established, with Commander E. B. Perry as the first Supervisor.

On September 9, 1940, the U. S. Navy awarded contractors a facilities contract to build a shipyard at Consolidated Steel Corporation Ship Building Division. This contract, for $82 million, was the largest thing that had happened to Orange in its entire history.

Orange started to grow with workers coming in for jobs. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding’s staff grew from one (on August 30, 1940) to 463 men and women of which 45 were officers and nine were enlisted men. Labor was plentiful, but it was difficult to find skilled workers. The Navy had its own training programs and supervised that of the contractors. Men and women poured in to take jobs, and training, and the city of Orange grew rapidly.

The U. S. Navy authorized the construction of 500 housing units in Navy Addition, to take care of the immediate housing situation. By February 17, 1941, the Navy had condemned the land and had awarded a contract for construction to begin. On May 23, 1941, the Navy Addition housing units were completed and turned over to the U. S. Navy on May 24, 1941.

On April 17, 1941, the U. S. Navy awarded a contract to Weaver Shipyards to build YMSs and on September 18, 1941, the U. S. Navy awarded them a contract to build two wooden subchasers. More and more workers were needed. It is important to note, that while the office of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding was domiciled in Orange, other Navy contracts were being awarded in the Texas area and Resident Offices had to be set up in Houston (until April 28, 1943), Galveston, Seabrook, Rockport, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Brownsville, and eventually the entire Texas gulf coast. All personnel had to be furnished from the Orange office.

Commander Perry’s organization was beginning to run smoothly, and then suddenly came Pearl Harbor and the nation was a war – a war which was to tax everyone’s 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, ever yperson who could be employed should be put to work. On December 10, 1941, Secretary of Navy Frank Knox dispatched an urgent message to Commander E. B. Perry. “The enemy has struck a savage, treacherous blow. We are at war, all of us. There is no time now for disputes or delay of any kind. We must have ships and more ships, guns and more guns, men and more men, faster and faster. There is no time to lose. The Navy

Back