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U.S. Navy photo by Jim Westendorf
Descendants of Rear Adm. Dahlgren gather at his bust and monument to celebrate the event. |
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Sixteen descendants of Rear Adm. John Adolphus Dahlgren joined 35 distinguished guests to celebrate the 200th birthday of the “father of American naval ordnance“ at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren on Nov. 13.
They listened to Navy leaders honor the admiral who revolutionized naval gunnery and warfare. Family members toured the base after watching three Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) employees receive the coveted Dahlgren Award for making a significant impact in the fields of science, engineering and management.
“John Dahlgren created the first organization in American naval history designed to improve a naval weapon by means of systematic research, development, and testing,“ said keynote speaker retired Rear Adm Jay DeLoach. “He contributed the idea of institutionalized innovation - with an emphasis on safety - to the American naval tradition. He gave American sailors something they never had before: an unshakable faith in their guns. A faith that was justified by the existence of an organization founded on the idea that systematic research and development could produce safer and more powerful weapons. That idea was Dahlgren's most important contribution to the American naval tradition.“
As Dahlgren's relatives toured the base, they saw the original seven-inch, 45-caliber tractor-mounted gun that was the first gun fired at Dahlgren on Oct. 16, 1918, effectively announcing that the Navy's new proving ground was open for business. They also stopped for a group photo near the bust of Rear Adm. Dahlgren, dedicated on base in 1954, flanked by two of his 12-pounder boat howitzers designed in 1864.
“Just beyond the main gate are two examples of the '9-inch Dahlgren Shell Gun' designed by Dahlgren,“ said Capt. Catherine Hanft, NSA South Potomac Commander, and Capt. Sheila Patterson, NSWCDD Commander in a letter to those invited to the event.
The guns were used extensively throughout the Civil War, including the historic battle of the Ironclads. USS Monitor and the Southern Ironclad, CSS Virginia, were outfitted with 9-inch Dahlgren guns.
“What began as a premier proving ground - a function still central to what Dahlgren is all about - has matured into a major research and development center,“ said Hanft. “Today, Naval Support Facility Dahlgren is home to seven commands representing naval, air force and joint forces that are critical to operational military missions worldwide and to our homeland defense and national security on a daily basis.“
Dr. James Colvard, NSWCDD Technical Director from 1973 to 1980, was the master of ceremony at the event attended by approximately 200 visitors. State and local government officials as well as past and current Navy leaders listened to Capt. Patterson and DeLoach recount Dahlgren's role in history and his impact on present and future naval warfare.
“Historians have confirmed that President Lincoln and Rear Adm. Dahlgren have more than birth years in common,“ said Patterson. “In fact, Lincoln frequently visited Dahlgren at the Washington Navy Yard and regarded him not only as an invaluable military advisor but also as a good friend.“
“This facility was established because the Navy needed a larger testing range than the existing facility at Indian Head, Maryland,“ said DeLoach, Director of the Navy History and Heritage Command. “Before being issued to the fleet, every major naval gun and lot of ammunition had to be tested, not only to calculate the ballistic data necessary to ensure accuracy in fire control, but to guarantee safety. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, and all such naval testing facilities, owe their existence to John Dahlgren's institutionalization of safety into the Navy's culture.“
The research and development efforts of Dahlgren, who joined the Navy in 1826, yielded integrated systems of shipboard armament, featuring light bronze boat guns, heavy smoothbore shell guns, and later, heavy rifled cannon.
“The boat guns were revered throughout the Navy and admired around the world,“ according to Dr. Robert Schneller's biography of Dahlgren, “A Quest for Glory.“ “The heavy smoothbores, characterized by their peculiar “soda-water bottle“ shape, were his most famous invention. Their design stemmed from Dahlgren's scientific research in ballistics and metallurgy. To ensure their reliability, he had them manufactured under the most innovative and comprehensive quality control program seen in the Navy to that time.“
Patterson presented the Dahlgren Award, the command's highest award, to Stuart Koch, Dan Mathis and Michael Till to conclude the event.
Koch, NSWCDD Acting Technical Director, was honored for “extraordinary leadership“ in the Navy, and at NSWC, during a time of change and organizational challenges. His leadership has resulted in a robust workforce that comprises a broad spectrum of cultures, education, skills, and abilities that will continue the delivery of outstanding capabilities and products to the Navy for many years into the future.
Mathis, NSWCDD Mission Assurance Deputy Division Head, was “instrumental in developing methodology for the Defense Department's Defense Critical Infrastructure Program.“ He influenced the determination of what is critical, what is vulnerable, and what can be done to mitigate asset vulnerabilities to assure execution of warfighter missions.
Till, NSWCDD Engagement Systems Deputy Department Head, was recognized for extraordinary technical and line management leadership. As the Navy's Technical Warrant Holder for Surface Guns and Ammunition, Till has combined his exceptional knowledge of gun weapons systems and his leadership skills to successfully execute the critical Technical Warrant responsibility.
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