COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 125 



keep the public advised of our position. I make that statement again 

 so that all concerned will know. 



I appreciate the presence of all you gentlemen and the cooperation 

 that has been shown bj^ the ISTavy and by the Air Force. 



TESTIMOITY OF COMDH. EDMUm) K. FOSTER, CIVIL ENGINEEE 

 CORPS, U.S. ITAVY, ACCOMPANIED BY REAR ADM. W. C. G. CHURCH 

 (CEC), U.S. NAVY, ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR CONSTRUCTION, 

 BUREAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS; GORDON EDWARDS, CONSTRUC- 

 TION MANAGEMENT ENGINEER, BUREAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS; 

 JAMES AYERS, UNDERWATER CONSULTANT; AND CAPT. WILL J. 

 DAVIS, U.S. NAVY, LEGAL OFFICER, BUREAU OF YARDS AND 

 DOCKS 



Senator Stennis. Commander Foster, I understand that you flew 

 in here from Guam ? 



Commander Foster. Yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. We appreciate very much the fact that you are 

 here. I understand that you have a prepared statement ; am I correct ? 



Commander Foster. Yes, I do. Senator. 



Senator Stennis. Do you wish to read that statement, or put it in 

 the record and summarize it ? We shall do whatever is your pleasure. 



Commander Foster. I would prefer to read it, Mr. Chairman, if that 

 is agreeable. 



Senator Stennis. Very well. Proceed in your own way, 

 Commander. 



Commander Foster. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I 

 am Edmund Foster, commander, U.S. Naval Civil Engineer Corps. 

 I have been a civil engineer since graduation from Pennsylvania 

 State College in 1935, where I majored in structural engineering. I 

 have 18 years' experience in the Civil Engineer Corps of the Navy, 

 much of which has been spent in the field of construction. Prior to 

 joining the Navy, I was for 7 years an engineer with the Tennessee 

 Valley Authority, progressing from engineering draftsman to the 

 design and construction of heavy structures as a structural engineer. 



Senator Stennis. Commander, excuse me. 



Senator Saltonstall, this is Commander Foster, who has flown in 

 from Guam to be our witness today. 



Senator Saltonstall. Thank you, Senator. 



Commander Foster. I am presently on duty at Guam in the office 

 of the officer in charge of Navy construction in the Guam area. I 

 reported to my present duty station September 20, 1959, from the 

 district public works office at the 1st Naval District at Boston, Mass. 

 At Boston I was the assistant officer in charge of construction and as 

 such was the officer immediately responsible for the construction of 

 Texas tower No. 4, and the work later required to correct the deficien- 

 cies that developed in the summer and fall of 1958. 



When I arrived at Boston to relieve Capt. John Albers, the design 

 phases of the tower had been completed, the contracts for construc- 

 tion had been let to J. Rich Steers/Morrison-Knudsen, and the con- 

 struction of the tower was underway, in that the assembly of the plat- 



