in the evaluation of equipment, and informally made modifi- 

 cations in operating techniques. Having had seme experience 

 in Navy yards and operating; bases it was natural that engineers 

 should begin to collaborate with laboratories and manufacturers, 

 exchanging information on sonar and ordnance development. The 

 engineers were developing an experience which could be used to 

 mutual advantage in planning equipment and surge sting programs 

 for schools and training activities „ Because of the interest 

 of the Bureau and the engineers' personal contacts, training 

 activities and training centers accepted their assistance , 

 The engineers could rive a kind of help not readily obtain- 

 able from ei ther officer or enlisted personnels 



In November 1945, two field engineers were requested for 

 duty at Pearl Harbor, to assist in general sonar problems on 

 surface ships. While working on sonar problems, they were re- 

 quested to spread their services over other activities and en- 

 gaged in actual installation, maintenance ana consulting. As 

 the Group grew, it served more and more in a staff capacity and 

 as a consulting body for the various commands, Hew equipment 

 was arriving at the time and the commands requested the engineers 

 to help in training activities. As the Group became better known 

 and the type of work it was doing was better understood, other 

 commands such as ComDesPac and ComServPac requested engineers, 

 and the Group continued to grow. 



During the latter phases of the Group's activity, men were 

 sent to forward bases essentially to help train Naval personnel t 

 Previously, however, men had been sent out to do spot jobs of 

 field engineering in the forward areas. 



During and following the transition from antisubmarine war- 

 fare to pro-submarine warfare, the men assisted in pro-submarine 

 warfare much as the:' assisted in antisubmarine warfare, 



It may be that it would have been well to have set up the 

 forward area coverage sooner, but perhaps this final phase of 

 field work could only have been done after gaining the pre- 

 vious experience elsewhere „ 



As time passed, opportunities developed to serve beyond a 

 narrow interpretation of the original Directive, and this led 

 to such activities as distributing technical bulletins tc Navy 

 personnel, establishing formal training schools, and developing 

 certain testing techniques which were adopted as standard pro- 

 cedure. Examples of these types of additional services are 

 discussed in the next section. 



As the organization grew in numbers and experience, addi- 

 tional assignments were made, until in the final year of operation 

 there was a heavy concentration of men with the forces afloat , 



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