DEMOBILIZATION OF OSRD 3O7 



they merged rather definitely with regular naval activities. Quite inde- 

 pendently of the over-all demobilization program for OSRD, discussions 

 had been under way for some time for the transfer of the entire Division 6 

 program to the Navy. NDRC on October 20, 1944, had approved the Divi- 

 sion 6 demobilization program, and Army concurrence was forthcoming on 

 November 9, subject to Navy comments in view of the fact that the 

 division's activities dealt almost wholly with naval matters. Admiral Furer's 

 letter of November 8, however, indicated that while the Bureau of Ships 

 was making plans to take over those Division 6 activities which fell within 

 its jurisdiction, the Bureau of Ordnance was not prepared to take over its 

 part of the work, and the Navy therefore requested that NDRC continue 

 to handle that part of the activity until such time as another agency could 

 be obtained for the continuation of the work. In giving his approval to the 

 Division 6 demobilization plan, therefore, Bush did so with the understand- 

 ing that the division would bear in mind the problems presented by the 

 Bureau of Ordnance. 



Action on the demobilization programs of other divisions was withheld 

 by the Director in view of the expressed intention of the NDRC at its 

 meeting on November 3 to clear up misunderstandings on the part of the 

 divisions as to the demobilization program. The next step in this clarifi- 

 cation was taken at the Committee's meeting on November 17, 1944, at 

 which the Committee spelled out its intention in somewhat different words 

 but to the same purport as before. 



During the time the demobilization program was under discussion the 

 Army and the Navy at the request of OSRD classified the various projects 

 which they had submitted to OSRD roughly in accordance with the plan 

 outlined in the Bush memorandum of September 13. These classifications 

 were communicated to the divisions responsible for the various projects. 



At its meeting on January 12, 1945, the Committee recommended a de- 

 mobilization program for Division 19. It will be recalled that Division 19 

 worked primarily with the Office of Strategic Services which placed it in 

 a somewhat different category from the other divisions. 



At its meeting on January 26, 1945, the Committee had before it the 

 detailed estimates from the divisions for the fiscal year beginning July i, 

 1945, totaling $110,406,000. At the same meeting the Committee agreed 

 that it would recommend new contracts and contract extensions through 

 August 31, 1945, in appropriate cases. Prior to that decision the Committee 

 had limited its consideration of contracts and contract extensions to the 

 period ending February 28, 1945, in the absence of a strong showing by a 

 division that an extension beyond that date was needed. 



On February 21, 22, 23 and 24, 1945, the Committee held extended 

 meetings to review the programs of the several divisions with their re- 

 spective Chiefs. This was followed on April 6 by the adoption of a tenta- 



