The Bureau of Construction and Repair (BuC&R) was the part of the United States Navy which from 1862 to 1940 was responsible for supervising the design, construction, conversion, procurement, maintenance, and repair of ships and other craft for the Navy. The bureau also managed shipyards, repair facilities, laboratories, and shore stations.
On 20 June 1940, Congress passed a law which consolidated the Bureau's functions with those of the Bureau of Engineering (BuEng), creating the Bureau of Ships (BuShips).
The Bureau was staffed by officers of the Construction Corps (called constructors) with advanced degrees in naval architecture. Six civilian constructors were hired by the Navy in 1794 to supervise construction of the frigates authorized by Congress that year.[1] The Bureau of Construction, Equipment, and Repairs was established in 1842 as one of the five original material bureaus replacing the former Board of Navy Commissioners. In 1862, Congress decided to replace the Bureau into three new organizations: the Bureau of Construction and Repair, the Bureau of Steam Engineering (later called the Bureau of Engineering), and the Bureau of Equipment. The Bureau of Construction and Repair was established by Congress by an act of July 5, 1862 (12 Stat. 510). The new organization, headed by a Chief of the Bureau, was responsible for all aspects of ship construction, except for propulsion systems, which were the responsibility of the Bureau of Engineering; and equipage, which fell under the Bureau of Equipment.
The Construction Corps was created in 1866 to be staffed by constructors graduated from the United States Naval Academy cadet-engineer curriculum implemented in 1864.[2] The Construction Corps provided permanent naval status for personnel who had formerly been employed in a civilian capacity on an as-needed basis.[3] Naval constructors gained the rank and recognition previously available to doctors of the Medical Corps and pursers of the Supply Corps.[3] Two cadet-engineers of the Naval Academy class of 1879, Frances Bowles and Richard Gatewood, set the standard for postgraduate education of Construction Corps officers.[3] Bowles and Gatewood completed postgraduate work in England in the developing science of naval architecture.[3] The postgraduate program shifted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1901.[3]
The Bureau of Equipment was discontinued in 1910, and formally abolished in 1914. Its functions were divided between the Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Steam Engineering. These two bureaus were placed under the supervision of the Coordinator of Shipbuilding in 1939, and were superseded by the Bureau of Ships in 1940. The "engineering duty only" (EDO) designation of Bureau of Engineering officers expanded to include naval architects of the Construction Corps when the Bureau of Ships was formed in 1940.[1]
The consolidation with BuEng into BuShips had its origins when USS Anderson, first of the Sims-classdestroyers to be delivered, was found to be heavier than designed and dangerously top-heavy in early 1939. It was determined that an underestimate by BuEng of the weight of a new machinery design was responsible, and that BuC&R did not have sufficient authority to detect or correct the error during the design process. Initially, Acting Secretary of the NavyCharles Edison proposed consolidation of the design divisions of the two bureaus. When the bureau chiefs could not agree on how to do this, he replaced both chiefs in September 1939. The consolidation was finally effected by a law passed by Congress on 20 June 1940.[4]
Chiefs of the BureauEdit
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (March 2012)
Individuals who served as Chief of the Bureau include:
Commodore David Conner, September 1, 1842 - March 1, 1843
Captain Beverly Kennon, March 2, 1843 - April 9, 1844
Chief Constructor Richard Morgan Watt, served 1910-1914
Rear Admiral David W. Taylor, (December 14, 1914 - July 1, 1922)
Rear Admiral John D. Beuret, (July 1, 1922 - November 21, 1929)
Rear Admiral George H. Rock, (November 21, 1929 – October 1, 1932)
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, (October 1, 1932 – March 16, 1933) - acting
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, (March 16, 1933 – March 16, 1937)
Rear Admiral William G. DuBose, (March 16, 1937 - ?)
Rear Admiral Alexander H. Van Keuren, (- July, 1940 (Last Chief of BuC&R. Thereafter, also July, 1940, became Vice-Chief of new Bureau of Ships [BuShips] which supplanted BuC&R)
FootnotesEdit
^ abSnyder, Philip W., RADM USN "Bring Back the Corps" United States Naval Institute Proceedings February 1979 p.49
^Snyder, Philip W., RADM USN "Bring Back the Corps" United States Naval Institute Proceedings February 1979 pp.50-51
^ abcdeSnyder, Philip W., RADM USN "Bring Back the Corps" United States Naval Institute Proceedings February 1979 p.51
^Furer, Julius Augustus (1959). Administration of the Navy Department in World War II. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. pp. 217–222.
^Tucker, Spencer C., ed., Civil War Naval Encyclopedia, Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2011, ISBN978-1-59884-338-5, pp. 348-349.
External linksEdit
National Archives – Records of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships (the successor organization of the Bureau of Construction and Repair)
Furer, Julius Augustus, Administration of the Navy Department in World War II, Chapter 6, Bureau of Ships, 1959, Washington: Government Printing Office
October 15, 2023
bureau, construction, repair, part, united, states, navy, which, from, 1862, 1940, responsible, supervising, design, construction, conversion, procurement, maintenance, repair, ships, other, craft, navy, bureau, also, managed, shipyards, repair, facilities, la. The Bureau of Construction and Repair BuC amp R was the part of the United States Navy which from 1862 to 1940 was responsible for supervising the design construction conversion procurement maintenance and repair of ships and other craft for the Navy The bureau also managed shipyards repair facilities laboratories and shore stations On 20 June 1940 Congress passed a law which consolidated the Bureau s functions with those of the Bureau of Engineering BuEng creating the Bureau of Ships BuShips Contents 1 History 1 1 Chiefs of the Bureau 2 Footnotes 3 External linksHistory EditThe Bureau was staffed by officers of the Construction Corps called constructors with advanced degrees in naval architecture Six civilian constructors were hired by the Navy in 1794 to supervise construction of the frigates authorized by Congress that year 1 The Bureau of Construction Equipment and Repairs was established in 1842 as one of the five original material bureaus replacing the former Board of Navy Commissioners In 1862 Congress decided to replace the Bureau into three new organizations the Bureau of Construction and Repair the Bureau of Steam Engineering later called the Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Equipment The Bureau of Construction and Repair was established by Congress by an act of July 5 1862 12 Stat 510 The new organization headed by a Chief of the Bureau was responsible for all aspects of ship construction except for propulsion systems which were the responsibility of the Bureau of Engineering and equipage which fell under the Bureau of Equipment The Construction Corps was created in 1866 to be staffed by constructors graduated from the United States Naval Academy cadet engineer curriculum implemented in 1864 2 The Construction Corps provided permanent naval status for personnel who had formerly been employed in a civilian capacity on an as needed basis 3 Naval constructors gained the rank and recognition previously available to doctors of the Medical Corps and pursers of the Supply Corps 3 Two cadet engineers of the Naval Academy class of 1879 Frances Bowles and Richard Gatewood set the standard for postgraduate education of Construction Corps officers 3 Bowles and Gatewood completed postgraduate work in England in the developing science of naval architecture 3 The postgraduate program shifted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1901 3 The Bureau of Equipment was discontinued in 1910 and formally abolished in 1914 Its functions were divided between the Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Steam Engineering These two bureaus were placed under the supervision of the Coordinator of Shipbuilding in 1939 and were superseded by the Bureau of Ships in 1940 The engineering duty only EDO designation of Bureau of Engineering officers expanded to include naval architects of the Construction Corps when the Bureau of Ships was formed in 1940 1 The consolidation with BuEng into BuShips had its origins when USS Anderson first of the Sims class destroyers to be delivered was found to be heavier than designed and dangerously top heavy in early 1939 It was determined that an underestimate by BuEng of the weight of a new machinery design was responsible and that BuC amp R did not have sufficient authority to detect or correct the error during the design process Initially Acting Secretary of the Navy Charles Edison proposed consolidation of the design divisions of the two bureaus When the bureau chiefs could not agree on how to do this he replaced both chiefs in September 1939 The consolidation was finally effected by a law passed by Congress on 20 June 1940 4 Chiefs of the Bureau Edit This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items March 2012 Individuals who served as Chief of the Bureau include Commodore David Conner September 1 1842 March 1 1843 Captain Beverly Kennon March 2 1843 April 9 1844 Commodore Charles Morris April 10 1844 May 31 1847 Commodore Charles W Skinner June 1 1847 February 28 1852 Commodore William B Shubrick March 1 1852 June 30 1853 Chief Naval Constructor Samuel Hartt July 1 1853 November 16 1853 Chief Naval Constructor John Lenthall November 17 1853 January 22 1871 5 Chief Constructor Isaiah Hanscom January 23 1871 April 27 1877 Chief Constructor John W Easby April 28 1877 December 13 1881 Chief Constructor Theodore D Wilson March 3 1882 July 7 1893 Rear Admiral Philip Hichborn July 23 1893 Rear Admiral Washington L Capps served 1903 1910 Chief Constructor Richard Morgan Watt served 1910 1914 Rear Admiral David W Taylor December 14 1914 July 1 1922 Rear Admiral John D Beuret July 1 1922 November 21 1929 Rear Admiral George H Rock November 21 1929 October 1 1932 Rear Admiral Emory S Land October 1 1932 March 16 1933 acting Rear Admiral Emory S Land March 16 1933 March 16 1937 Rear Admiral William G DuBose March 16 1937 Rear Admiral Alexander H Van Keuren July 1940 Last Chief of BuC amp R Thereafter also July 1940 became Vice Chief of new Bureau of Ships BuShips which supplanted BuC amp R Footnotes Edit a b Snyder Philip W RADM USN Bring Back the Corps United States Naval Institute Proceedings February 1979 p 49 Snyder Philip W RADM USN Bring Back the Corps United States Naval Institute Proceedings February 1979 pp 50 51 a b c d e Snyder Philip W RADM USN Bring Back the Corps United States Naval Institute Proceedings February 1979 p 51 Furer Julius Augustus 1959 Administration of the Navy Department in World War II Washington DC Government Printing Office pp 217 222 Tucker Spencer C ed Civil War Naval Encyclopedia Santa Barbara California ABC CLIO 2011 ISBN 978 1 59884 338 5 pp 348 349 External links EditNational Archives Records of the U S Navy Bureau of Ships the successor organization of the Bureau of Construction and Repair Furer Julius Augustus Administration of the Navy Department in World War II Chapter 6 Bureau of Ships 1959 Washington Government Printing Office Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bureau of Construction and Repair amp oldid 1179927194, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
