Notes

I. Introduction

1. Confidential QP&M Summary, 25 July 1945.

2. Lt. W. C. Abhau Confidential paper, "Recent Developments in Guns," read to the Q-ll Seminar of the Naval Post- graduate School, 17 and 20 August 1942.

3. Information furnished by Re5.

4. Admiral W.H.P. Blandy Confidential Narrative of Progress, 1 January 1943.

II. Small Arms

1. By definition caliber .50 machine guns are small arms, but because of their importance in early aintiarcrft development they are discussed under AA machine guns.

2. Production Divison Order NO. 63-42.

3. Information furnished by PL3.

4. Information on small arms procurement furnished by Pr5e.

5. Information on spare parts furnished by Mn5e.

6. Information furnished by Mn5e.

7. Mn2b to Mn, 9 October 1945.

8. Mn2b to Mn, 9 October 1945.

9. Mn2b to Mn, 9 October 1945.

III. Caliber .50 AA Machine Gun

1.CNO Confidential letter to Chief BuOrd, 9 July 1940

2.Captain W. H. P. Blandy to Captain F. F. Foster, 20 November 1940

3. Re5 to Pr, 4 June 1941.

4. Memorandum for Pr5d Files, 4 December 1944.

5. Memorandum for Pr5d Files, 3 January 1946.

6. Memorandum for Pr5d Files, 3 January 1944.

7. Memorandum for Pr5d Files, 3 January 1946.

IV. 1.1" AA Machine

1. File BuOrd S74-1(8), 24 Apri 1935/ Browning was first requested to redesign the 37mm to permit multiple mounting or to design a new mechanism. Terms satisfactory to Browning and the Bureau could not be agreed upon and the Bureau undertook the work. Hudson interested the Bureau in his development on a non-recol gun and was given a contract to desgin and build a mechanism. The Hudson gun (Mark 2) was manufactured and fired, but satisfactory operation was not obtained and further development was discontinues.

2. Information supplied by Re5.

3. Chief of BuOrd Confidential Memorandum for Chairman of the General Board, 11 January 1940.

4. Chief of BuOrd Confidential Memorandum for Chairman of the General Board, 11 January 1940.

5. CNO Confidential Memorandum to Chief BuOrd, 9 July 1940.

6. PL3a Confidential Memorandum to PLb, 21 July 1945, OP&M Semi-Monthly Report of Progress, 25 July 1945.

7. Unsigned Memorandum in Files of Pr5d, 11 May 1940,

8. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Memorandum for the President, 3 June 1940; Chief BuOrd Memorandum for the Assistant Secretary 29 May 1940.

9. F.D.Roosevelt Memorandum for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 5 June 1940.

10. Pr5d Memorandum for Files, 5 December 1942.

11. Captain W.H.P. Blandy Confidential Memorandum for Sections D, L, M, and T, 21 January 1641.

12. File S74(1.1") letter dated 17 January 1942.

13. Pr5d Confidential Memorandum to Pr1, 15 July 1942.

14. Pr5c Memorandum to Ad5, 23 July 1945.

15. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5, 29 May 1945.

16. Pr5c Memorandum to Ad5, 23 July 1945.

17. Pr5d Confidential Memorandum to Ad5, 29 May 1945.

18. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5, 29 May 1945.

19. Information furnished by PL3b.

20. OP&M Semi-Monthly Report of Progress, february 15, 1944; July 31, 1944; Jauary 31; and July 25, 1945; PL3a Confidential Memorandum to PLB, 21 July 1945.

21. BuOrd Summary of Progress, 1 November 1942, page 20.

22. Pl3a confidential Memorandum to PLb, 21 July 1945.

23. Chief BuOrd Letter to teh Chief of Naval Operations, 25 September 1945.

V. 20mm Antiaircraft Gun

1. Cmdr. H. L. Schenier, Confidential Report re 20mm Antiaircraft Gun, March 1945.

2. Material in this sectin is based upon Comdr. H. L. Shenier's Confidential Report re the 20mm Antiaircraft Gun, March 1945.

3. Captain W. H. P. Blandy Memorandum for Files 18 November 1940.

4. Captain W. H. P. Blandy Memorandum for Files 30 November 1940.

5. Captain Blandy's notation on Lt.Comdr. G.T. Baldizar's Memorandum for Section "M" Files, 27 November 1940.

6. Pr&d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 29 April 1941.

7. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

8. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

9. Confidential Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 1-42.

10. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

11. Chief BuOrd Memorandum to Pr, 23 April 1923.

12. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

13. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to CNO, 23 February 1943; CNO Confidential Letter to Chief BuOrd, 5 March 1943.

14. Pr5b Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

15. Pr5d restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 Novmber 1945.

16. Confidential Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 2-43

17. Pr5d restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 Novmber 1945.

18. Pr5d restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 Novmber 1945.

19. Pr5d restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 Novmber 1945.

20. Confidential Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 2-43

21. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to Comandants of Navy Yards, 14 September 1944.

22. Confidential Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 1-44, and No. 3-44.

23. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to Commandants of Navy Yards, 14 September 1944.

24. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to CNO, 8 September 1944.

25. Pr5d Confidential Memorandum to Pr, 8 November 1943.

26. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945,

27. Pr Memorandum to A, 23 February 1944.

28. History of Prime Contract. DA NORD-853, The A.0.G. Corporation, Prime Contractor.

29. Chief BuOrd to Rr. H.J.Klingler, General Manager, Pontiac, 11 October 1944.

30. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

31. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

32. Confidential CF&M Semi-monthly Report of Progress, 25 July 1945.

33. Captain T. D. Ruddock Memorandum for Lt. Comdr. W.R. Dowd, 12 December 1941; Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

34. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

35. Information furnished by Pontiac Motors Division, 82.

36. History of Prime Contract DA NOrd-353, The A.0.G. Corporation, Prime Contractor.

37. Information furnished by Pontiac Motors Division of General Motors.

38. Capt. T.D.Ruddock Memorandum for Lt. Comdr. W.R. Dowd, 12 December 1941,

39. Information furnished by Ad5 for Adm. Blandy's use before Congressional Committee.

40. CO, HOP, Center Line Letter to Chief BuOrd, 19 September 1944.

41. Pr5d Restricted Memorandum for Files, 7 November 1945.

42. Information furnished by PL4.

43. Confidential OP&M Semi-Monthly Report on Progress, July 31, 1944; January 31, 1944; July 25, 1945.

44. Confidential Ordnance Status Report 1 December 1945.

45. Commander in Chief, U.S.Fleet, Confidential Letter to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and to Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, 2 September 1944.

46. Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Confidential Letter to Chief of Naval Operations, 19 May 1945.

47. The Antiaicrcaft Defense Panel Confidential Report to Re, 8 June 1945. Information furnished by Re5d.

VI. 40mm Bofors Gun

1. CNO Confidential Letter to All Bureaus and Offices, Navy Department, 9 August 1940.

2. Rear Admiral E. J. King Confidential Letter to the Secretary of the Navy, 16 May 1940.

3. Navy Department AA Defense Board Confidential Letter to CNO, 26 December 1940

4. When Captain Blandy became Chief of the Bureau, Captain E.E. Herrmann, USn, succeeded him as AA Coordinator in the Bureau and as the bureau representative on

the Navy Department Anti-Aircraft Defense board.

5. In a letter to Mr. Howard dated June 12, 1944, a copy of which he forwarded to the history sub-section of the Bureau, Admiral Furlong wrote; "It was through your great interest in bringing to my attention the value of the Bofors gun that our Navy became equipped with the best anti-aircraft machine gun used in this war. I remember in the Fall of 1939 that you visited my office and related your experience in seeing the Bofors gun fired in Sweden. I had previously seen the catalogues of the Bofors Company and I sent for the Bureau's copy of the catalogue and we discussed the types of guns that you had seen.... After a second visit from you and our talking about the guns again I decided to buy a sample of them to make a test at our proving ground in order to compare the Before gun with other guns that we had."

6. Mr. Howard states in a letter to Lt. Mathews (of Section Ad5, BuOrd) that he learned about the gun in making the acquaintance or Mr. Wenner-Gren in Nassau in February 1939. Mr. Wenner-Gren held a considerable share of the Bofors Company's stock.

7.Admiral Furlong Memorandum for Sections "K," "T," and "M, " 11 October 1939; Memorandum for Chief of Bureau with endorsements signed by Lt. Comdr. A.E. Uehlinger, 30 October 1939. Section "M" did not consider the purchase advisable.

8. Statement made by Dr. Walter M. Mitchell of the York Safe and Lock. Co. in an address delivered before Phila. Chapter of America Society for Metals, 1 October 1943.

9. Rear Admiral Furlong Letter to President, York Safe and Lock Co., 10 November 1939.

10. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Letter to The Secretary of State, 23 May 1940.

11. The contract was signed July 26, 1940, by the Minister of the United States of America at Stockholm for the Navy Department and by Captain Oscar Linden for Messrs. Aktiebolaget Bofors. The purchase price for the gun was $40,000 and for 3,000 rounds of HE tracer ammunition $30,000, all f.o.b. any Swedish port or frontier station. The contract specifically stated that no manufacture rights or license were granted by virtue of the sale, it being mutually agreed that the gun should be used for proof firing and testing. The amounts specified were paid to the Bofors Company on August 26 by the American Minister. See Appendix A for copy of contract.

12. Cooperation for making possible the shipment was obtained by the State Department from the Finnish, Swedish, and British Governments. The trip of the AMERICAN LEGION was specially authorized to bring home the U.S. Minister to Norway, Mrs. Harriman. Since the AMERICAN LEGION was the last ship permitted to leave, unusual efforts were necessary to move the gun and ammunition the length of Sweden by truck in order to get it aboard the ship at Petsamo in time.

13. Statement by Rear Admiral Blandy.

14. On October 15 the tests were witnessed also by the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and representatives of the British Admiralty Delegation.

15. The pro and con arguments regarding the adoption of the Bofors are summarized in Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 2-41 (June 1941), p.8. After reading over the Bulletin of Ordnance Information account, Admiral Furlong made the statement that the arguments favoring the adoption of the British gun were largely academic - that there had never been any real question regarding the adoption of the Bofors.

16. Capt. W.H.P. Blancly letter to Capt. C.S. Miller, 11 January 1941; Capt. Miller letter to Capt. Blandy, 17 January 1941; Capt. Blandy letter to Capt. Miller, 22 January 1941.

17. After reading over the above statement, Admiral Furlong stated: "I did not even know that the Army had heard of the gun."

18. It was noted previously that the Army had obtained both a gun and manufacturing drawings from the British.

19. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to the Secretary of the Navy, 12 October 1940.

20. Chief BuAer Confidential Letter to Chief of Air Corps, 6 February 1941; Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to Chief BuAer, 4 February 1941. The Bureau of Aeronautics was willing to grant two out of the seven demands while the Army Air Corps was willing to grant none.

21. For complete list of requests, see Appendix D.

22, Swedish Minister Letter to Under Secretary of State, 28 April 1941, Enclosure to Department of State Confidential Letter file U-L to Rear Admiral W.H.P. Blandy, 3 May 1941.

23. Chief BuAer Confidential Letter to Chief BuOrd, 16 June 1941.

24. See Appendix B.

25. For copy of contract see Appendix C.

26. U.S. Naval Attaché Confidential Letter to Chief BuOrd via CNO, 1 September 1941. The following extracts from the letter are particularly pertinent:

"We discussed at length the terms "for United States Forces only1 and 'for United States use.' I informed Captain Linden of the Department's change In the first negotiations relative to the term 'for United States forces only.' I was explicit in my explanation that the Depart-ment had particularly specified that the uses were not to be restricted to U.S. forces.

"Although the Before officials were of the opinion that the U.S. Navy could not sell, give or lend to other nations articles manu-factured under the contract, they evidenced apprehension over the words 'for the United States use.' I believe this apprehension to be caused by the possible effect in any dealings with South American countries, particularly Argentina where Bofors now have representation."

27. Judge Advocate General Confidential Letter to the Secretary of the Navy, 22 October 1941.

28. Later a gun in single mounting was adopted. It is procured from the U.S. Army and to date is manually operated.

29. Capt. W.H.F. Blandy Memorandum to Section "T, " 6 December 1940.

30. Pr5d Memorandum to Prla, 9 July 1941.

31. Pr5d (Comdr. R. T. Zinn) Memorandum for the Files, dated 19 November 1945.

32. There are, of course, exceptions to this generalization. The NOP, South Charleston, West Virginia, machined barrels; NOP, Center Line, Michigan, sub-contracted to General Electric to manufacture and assemble sub-assemblies for power drives.

33. Capt. W. W. Juvenal Memorandum for Files, 21 July 1943.

34. Pr5d Memorandum for Files dated 19 November 1945.

35. Information from Pink Pook and Financial Division.

36. Appendix F gives a more complete breakdown of production figures.

37. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5d, 29 May 1945.

38. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5d, 29 May 1945.

39. Pr5c Memorandum to Pr, 2 November 1943.

40. Bulletin of. Ordnance Information, No. 2-43 (June 1943) p. 13-14. PL Monthly Summary, March 1943.

41. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5d, 29 May 1945.

42. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5d, 29 May 1945.

43. Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 2-43, p. 13-14.

44. Pr5c Memorandum to Pr, 2 November 1943.

45. Pr5c Confidential Memorandum to Ad5d, 29 May 1945.

46. Pr5c Memorandum to Pr, 29 May 1944.

47. Re4 Memorandum for Files, 1 May 1944.

48. Gun Director Mark 51, Mod 3, of which over 2500 were produced, and which uses the Gunsight Mark 15 rather than 14, was used also with 3"/50 and 5"/38 guns.

49. Bulletin of ordnance Information, No. 1-45 131 March 1945), p.10.

50. Information furnished by Pr6.

51. Captains Schuyler and Blandy, Commanders Hoover and Holsinger Confidential Memorandum to Chief BuOrd, approved by the Chief of Bureau, 6 February 1941.

52. Re2 Memorandum to Bureau Files, 30 September 1944; Akiebolaget Bofors to Navy Department,11 December 1940.

53. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to Chief of Ordnance, War Department, 14 December 1942.

54. Re2 Memorandum to Bureau Files, 30 September 1944.

55. Pr6g Confidential Memorandum to Bure Files, 16 February 1945.

56. Chief BuOrd Confidential Letter to Chief of Ordnance, War Department, 4April 1942; Pr6g Confidential Memorandum to Bure Files, 16 February 1945.

57. Pr Confidential Memorandum to A, 22 March 1945; Pr6e-1 Memorandum to Pr6, May 1945.

58. Naval Inspector of Ordnance, U. S. Rubber Co., to Chief BuOrd, 6 January 1944.

59. Pr6d Memorandum to Pr6, May 1945.

60. OP&M Summary of Progress, 15 May 1945, Confidential.

61. Pr5d Confidential Memorandum to Prl,8 August 1944.

62. Chief BuOrd Letter to all 40mm Prime Contractors, 28 June 1944.

63. Pr5d Confidential Memorandum to Prl,8 August 1944.

64. BuOrd Order 19-41, 4 December 1941.

65. Pr to B, 5 June 1943.

66. BuOrd Order 63-43.

67. Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 3-42 (October 1942), p. 8.

68. Comdt. and Sup., NGF, Restricted Letter to Chief BuOrd, 24 January 1944. The production of drawings was originally given to the York Safe and Lock Company due to the impossibility of obtain-ing draughtsmen in sufficient numbers for either the Naval Gun Factory or the Bureau of Ordnance.

69. Comdt. and Supt., NGF, letter of Chief buOrd, 13 December 1944.

70. Pr5d Memorandum to Pr1, 9 August 1944.

71. Pr5 Memorandum to Pr, 1 March 1945.

72. Lieut. Comdr. G.F. Enright Memorandum for Files,5 December 1942.

73. Pr Memorandum to Chief of Bureau, 1 November 1943

74. Pr5d Memorandum to Pr1, 8 August 1944.

75. Pr5 Memorandum for Files, 21 July 1943; Pr5d Memorandum to Pr, 5 November 1943.

76. The new quad mount developed by Northern Ordnance, Inc., weighs 19,000 pounds.

77. Information furnished by Mn5.

78. Information furnished by Mn5.

79. OP&M Summary of Progress, July 31, 1944; January 31, 1945; and June 30, 1945.

80. OP&M Summary of Progress, February 15, 1944, and January 31, 1945, Confidential.

81. Bureau of Ordnance Summary of Progress, July 1, 1945, Confidential.

82. Information compiled by PL4.

83. Anti-Aircraft Action Summary, Secret, April 1945.

84. Comdt. and Supt., NGF, Letter of Chief BuOrd, 13 December 1344.

c85. Bulletin of Ordnance Information, No. 1-45, (March 1945) p. 19.

VII. 3" Guns

1. Bulletin of Ordnance Information No.4-45 dated 31 December 1945.

2. Bulletin of Ordnance Information No.4-45 dated 31 December 1945.

3. Directive Summary No. 2682 - dated 6 July 1942.

4. Directive Summary No. 4509 - dated 31 December 1942.

5. Summary of Progress, "Pink nook" dated 1 May 1943.

6. SecNav Restr Ltr. dated 27 October 1942..

7. VCNO Restr. Ltr. dated 29 September 1943.

8. Admiral W.H.P. Blandy's memo for Mr. Murry Safanis dated 3 November 1943.

9. Directive Summary No. 7894 dated 29 May 1944.

VIII. 4/50 Mount Mark 12 Mods

1. The dry mount was first manufactured about 1914 and the wet (submarine) mount was first manufactured in 1919.

IX. 5" Guns

1. Information furnished by Re5.

2. Chief BuOrd letter to CNO (ONI) dated 7 November 1945.

3. Bulletin of Ordnance Informatoon NO. 2-42, 15 June 1942.

4. Board's conf. ltr. to Chief of Bureau dated 9 April 1942.

5. VCNO ltr. to BuOrd dated 5 May 1942.

6. Summary of Progress ("Pink Book"), 1 December 1941.

7, Summary of Progress ("Pink Book"), 1 December 1941.

8. Directive Summary 34 (11) Serial 2177, dated 13 May 1942.

9. PL Memo to Chief BuOrd dated 30 September 1942.

10. NavExos Report RR20-MPR-25 dated 25 July 1945.

11.Summary of Progress ("Pink Book"), 1 December 1941.

12. See volume of Procurement Sttistics,which is part of this History.

13. Pr5b memo to Pr5b dated 5 June 1943.

14. Summary of Progress ("Pink Book"), 1 January 1944.

15. See Volume of Procurement Statictics which is part of this History.

16. See Chapter V of Procurement (Procurement Statistics.

17. Pr5b notes on 5"/38 Twin Mounted dated 11 June 1943.

18. Summary of Progress ("Pink Book") dated 1 August 1945.

19. Bulletin of Ordnance Informaton dated 30 April 1944.

20. Summary of Progress ("Pink Book") dated 1 August 1945.

X. 6"/47 Guns

1. General Board Confidential Ltr to SecNav dated 17 Feb. 1944.

2. SecNav conf. ltr., to General Board dated 10 May 45.

3. Information furnished by PL3.

4. Pr5b Memorandum to Ade, 23 January 1946.

5. Pr5 Memorandum to Ade, 13 March 1946.

6. History of Pr5c, 1 February 1946.

XI. 8"/55 Guns

1. PL3 data for Ordnance History

XII. 12"/50 Guns

XIII. 16"Guns

1. Confidential OP&M Semi-Monthly Progress Report, 25 July 1945.

2. Historical Informatiobn on Pr5a, 28 February 1946

3. Information furnished by Pr5a.

Table of Contents