To Captain H. E. Saunders, USN, Ret. 



by 



Rear Admiral A. G. Mumma, Chief 

 Bureau of Ships 



We honor tonight a very special member of the family of Hydrodynamicists, 

 because of many, many reasons. 



I wish this gentleman to stand while I make a few remarks concerning him, 

 so that you can all get a good look at him. 



Captain Harold E. Saunders, will you please stand? 



It has been a personal pleasure of mine to have been associated with this 

 gentleman for over fifteen years, and I would like to tell you a little of his history. 



When he graduated from the Naval Academy in 1912, he had amassed an 

 academic scholastic record there that had never been equaled, and has never been 

 equaled since. The record he broke, scholastically, was that of David Watson Taylor. 

 This resulted in prizes in seamanship, international law, ordnance, gunnery, and many, 

 many other prizes, as a result of this scholastic achievement. 



After graduation he specialized in Naval Architecture and Naval construction. 

 He worked at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in the Hull Division, 1916 to 1920, 

 during the period in which we were engaged in World War I. During this time this 

 Yard built fourteen destroyers and the USS CALIFORNIA. 



Later he was assigned to the Bureau of Construction and Repair, in charge of 

 submarine design and construction of submarines. He executed the preliminary design 

 for the then revolutionary USS V-4, which was later renamed the USS ARGONAUT, 

 and which was the largest submarine ever built at that time. 



From 1933 to 1935 he was Force Constructor on the staff of the Battle Force, 

 of the U. S. Fleet, and there effected revolutionary changes in our procedure for dam- 

 age control of ships in warfare. 



From 1938 to 1940 he was Liaison Officer for the Bureau of Construction and 

 Repair, in connection with the design and construction of a new model basin at Car- 

 derock, Maryland, so that here we have the father of the David Taylor Model Basin. 

 He served there as Technical Director for a period of six years, and then later, as 

 Commanding Officer and Director and Technical Director, until 1947. 



I would like to read you a little bit of what was said when he left that estab- 

 lishment, in 1947. This is a quote. 



"Ten years ago Carderock was a barren, weedgrown field and 'the new 

 model basin' existed only on paper. 



"Today wide expanses of well-kept lawns surround many stately build- 

 ings that house the greatest research establishment of its kind in the world, the 

 David W. Taylor Model Basin. 



"In the recently ended World War II the fruits of our labors con- 

 tributed largely to the victory and we have become well and widely known for 

 our high standards in research. 



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