The Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd) was a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
organization, which was responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval
weapons
A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
, between the years 1862 and 1959.
History
Congress established the Bureau in the
Department of the Navy Navy Department or Department of the Navy may refer to:
* United States Department of the Navy,
* Navy Department (Ministry of Defence), in the United Kingdom, 1964-1997
* Confederate States Department of the Navy, 1861-1865
* Department of the ...
by an act of July 5, 1862 (12 Stat. 510), which transferred the
hydrographic functions of the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography (1842–1862) to the newly established
Bureau of Navigation
The Bureau of Navigation, later the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection and finally the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation — not to be confused with the United States Navys Bureau of Navigation — was an agency of the United ...
.
During the early 20th century, BuOrd became involved in the development of aerial weapons. This often led to friction with the
Bureau of Aeronautics
The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (''i.e.'', responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and relate ...
(BuAer), which had responsibility for the development of
Naval aircraft
Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases.
Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-base ...
. BuAer's work on "pilotless aircraft," or
drones, conflicted with BuOrd's development of
guided missiles. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the Navy examined ways to improve coordination between the two bureaus; ultimately, the decision was made to merge the two organizations into a new bureau, to be known as the Bureau of Naval Weapons (BuWeps).
[Title page of BuWeps records at the National Archives](_blank)
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It was heavily criticized during the Second World War for its failure to quickly remedy the numerous issues with the Mark 14 torpedo
The Mark 14 torpedo was the United States Navy's standard submarine-launched anti-ship torpedo of World War II. This weapon was plagued with many problems which crippled its performance early in the war. It was supplemented by the Mark 18 elec ...
which had an over 70% dud rate.
BuOrd was disestablished by Congress by an act of August 18, 1959 (), and its functions were transferred to the newly established Bureau of Naval Weapons The Bureau of Naval Weapons (BuWeps) was part of the United States Navy's material organization between 1959 and 1966, with responsibility for procurement and support of naval aircraft and aerial weapons, as well as shipboard and submarine naval we ...
. BuAir merged with BuOrd to form BuWeps. BuWeps, in turn, was disestablished in 1966 when the Navy overhauled its materiel
Materiel (; ) refers to supplies, equipment, and weapons in military supply-chain management, and typically supplies and equipment in a commercial supply chain context.
In a military context, the term ''materiel'' refers either to the specif ...
organization, and was replaced with the Naval Ordnance Systems Command (NAVORD) and the Naval Air Systems Command
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the successor to the ...
(NAVAIR). Other systems commands at the time included the Naval Ship Systems Command (NAVSHIPS) and the Naval Electronics Systems Command (NAVELEX). Ship and submarine ordnance functions fell under the new Naval Ordnance Systems Command while air ordnance stayed with the Naval Air Systems Command. In July 1974, the Naval Ordnance Systems Command and Naval Ship Systems Command merged to form the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Traditional Naval Ordnance functions are now conducted at the Naval Surface Warfare Centers which fall under the command of Naval Sea Systems Command.
Chiefs of the Bureau of Ordnance
* Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, 1862–1863
* Captain Henry Augustus Wise
Henry Augustus Wise (May 24, 1819 – April 3, 1869) was an author and United States Navy officer.
Biography
He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to George Stewart Wise and Catherine Standsberry. The Wise family moved to Virginia and his Naval care ...
, 1863–1868
* Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, 1868–1869
* Rear Admiral Augustus Case
Augustus Ludlow Case (February 3, 1812 – February 16, 1893) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy who served during the American Civil War.
Biography
Born in Newburgh, New York, Case was appointed midshipman in 1828.
He participated ...
, 1869–1873
* Commodore William Nicholson Jeffers
Commodore William Nicholson Jeffers (October 6, 1824 – July 23, 1883) was a U.S. Navy officer of the 19th century. He took part in combat operations during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War, and during the 1870s and early 1 ...
, 1873–1881
* Commodore Montgomery Sicard, 1881–1890
* Captain William M. Folger
Rear Admiral (United States), Rear Admiral William Mayhew Folger (19 May 1844 – 22 July 1928) was an Commissioned officer, officer in the United States Navy. He served in the American Civil War without seeing action. He filled a wide range of ro ...
, 1890–1893
* Commodore William T. Sampson
William Thomas Sampson (February 9, 1840 – May 6, 1902) was a United States Navy rear admiral known for his victory in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish–American War.
Biography
He was born in Palmyra, New York, and entered ...
, 1893–1897
* Rear Admiral Charles O'Neil, 1897–1904
* Rear Admiral George A. Converse, 1904
* Rear Admiral Newton E. Mason, 1904–1911
* Rear Admiral Nathan C. Twining
Nathan Crook Twining (17 January 1869 – 4 July 1924) was a rear admiral of the United States Navy.
Biography
Twining was born in Boscobel, Wisconsin, on 17 January 1869, the son of Nathan Crook Twining Sr. (1834–1924) and his second wife, Ma ...
, 1911–1913
* Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, 1913–1916
* Rear Admiral Ralph Earle, 1916–1920
* Rear Admiral Charles B. McVay Jr.
Charles Butler McVay Jr. (September 19, 1868 – October 28, 1949) was an admiral in the United States Navy after World War I. In 1907–1909, after the cruise of the Great White Fleet, he commanded the tender USS ''Yankton''. He then held vari ...
, 1920–1923
* Rear Admiral Claude C. Bloch, 1923–1927
* Rear Admiral William D. Leahy
William Daniel Leahy () (May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959) was an American naval officer who served as the most senior United States military officer on active duty during World War II. He held multiple titles and was at the center of all major ...
, 1927–1931
* Rear Admiral Edgar B. Larimer, 1931–1934
* Rear Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark
Harold Rainsford Stark (November 12, 1880 – August 20, 1972) was an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II, who served as the 8th Chief of Naval Operations from August 1, 1939 to March 26, 1942.
Early life an ...
, 1934–1937
* Rear Admiral William R. Furlong
William Rea Furlong (May 26, 1881 – June 2, 1976) was United States Navy Rear admiral during World War II, who served as the Chief of Naval Ordnance from 1937 to 1941. After Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, Furlong was tasked with the salva ...
, 1937–1941
* Rear Admiral William H. P. Blandy, 1941–1943
* Vice Admiral George F. Hussey Jr., 1943–1947
* Rear Admiral Albert G. Noble, 1947–1950
* Rear Admiral Malcom F. Schoeffel, 1950–1954
* Rear Admiral Fredric S. Withington, 1954–1958
Footnotes
Further reading
*
External links
*
*
{{NARA
1862 establishments in the United States
1959 disestablishments in the United States
Ordnance
Ordnance may refer to:
Military and defense
*Materiel in military logistics, including weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment.
**The military branch responsible for supplying and developing these items, e.g., the Unit ...
Naval weapons of the United States