One of the first actions of the NRC-PDG was the initiation of a contract 

 virith the '.7m, Clapp Laboratories for marine-borer studies. In August 19ii8 

 direct administration of this contract project was assumed by v;hat is now 

 the Organic Materials Branch of ONR, 



Another early activity of the PDC was the formation of the National 

 Defense Deterioration Prevention Committee, an important sub-group of 

 which T/as the Marine Borer Panel. If it is recalled correctly, George 

 Knox served as Chairman of the Panel until the disestablishment of the 

 whole committee. One result of the several valuable meetings of this 

 Panel was the establishment of a project by the Organic Materials Branch 

 of ONR with the University of Miami oh Marine Borer Research, in coopera- 

 tion with the Bureau of Yards and Docks. 



The Prevention of Deterioration Center has sponsored, under its ONR con- 

 tract, a number of conferences in the broad field of prevention of deter- 

 ioration of materials. Of particular importance to this discussion are 

 the following: 



July 19h9 ) V/est Coast Conference, in cooperation viith the 

 California Academy of Sciences. 



June 19^0, YiTrightsville Beach Marine Conference, in coopera- 

 tion v/ith Frank LaQue 's group. 



19^1 'Vest Coast Conference, May 19^1, Pt. Hueneme, sponsored 

 by BuDockso 



Immediately following the 19^0 "frightsville Beach Conference, a series 

 of internal Navy conferences wern held on a question raised there - 

 the creosote problem. A Navy research progi'am on creosote was initiated 

 at these conferences in 19^0. Dr. Alexander started a project at NRL 

 on the characterization of creosote. He reported on progress last year 

 at Hueneme; Dr. Sweeney has a further report to make later in this con- 

 ferencel. In setting up this program back in 19^0 (and the plans agreed 

 on them are still being followed), a biological assay phase of the creo- 

 sote program was planned, to be initiated when Alexander's and Svireeney's 

 characterization studies warrantedj this biological assay phase is now 

 active at the Marine Laboratory of the University of Miami. Dr. ..alton 

 Smith and his colleagues are going to discuss v.'ork pertinent to the 

 creosote program during this conference^. 



In this historical sketch, the fact should not be overlooked that the 

 Marine Borer Panel considered reports about the extraordinary marine- 

 borer resistance of some tropical woods. Accordingly, the ONR Tropical 

 <ioods Project at Yale School of Forestry, directed by Professor F. F, 



See Section S 



See Sections J, L, P, Q 



C - 2 



