150 COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 



Admiral Church. Yes, sir; the original structure was pin con- 

 nected on a design basis. 



Senator Saltonstall. All right, now, either the admiral or the 

 commander may answer, Who in the Navy approved this concept in 

 the original design ? 



Commander Foster. I shall have to ask the admiral to answer that. 



Admiral Church. Senator, the design was carefully studied and 

 was — I am speaking from my review of the record. It was carefully 

 studied by Captain Alters, by the district public works design division, 

 by the Bureau's design section, and approval was given by the Bureau 

 to this pin-connected structure. 



NAVY ACCEPTS FUTJL, RESPO]SrSrBH.ITY FOR DESIGN 



Senator Saltonstall. So that as a Member of Congress sitting here 

 trying to find out all we can about this subject, the top authority in 

 the Xavy approved this design? 



Admiral Church. Yes, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. So that would go directly back to the Bureau 

 of Yards and Docks? 



Admiral Church. The Bureau of Yards and Docks accepts full re- 

 sponsibility for the pin-connected design, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. That would be the senior officer in charge 

 at that time ? 



Admiral Church. Y^TIiether he personally had a conference and 

 approved it, I am not sure, sir. But I am sure that his technical people 

 that were well qualified in this work did review it, and I am positive 

 that he would accept the responsibility were he asked. 



Senator Saltonstall. So that Commander Foster's responsibility 

 lay in seeing that the original decision of the Bureau of Yards and 

 Docks was carried out satisfactorily ? 



Admiral Chirch. Yes, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. When he certified that it had been satis- 

 factory in November 1957, he was working for or he was employed 

 as the assistant in the Bureau of Yards and Docks responsible for 

 supervising this construction? 



Admiral Church. He was our direct representative at the site, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. Then, when it was accepted and these repairs 

 followed, Commander Foster, again as a representative of the Bureau 

 of Yards and Docks, stated that in his opinion the repairs were satis- 

 factorily completed. 



Admiral Church. Yes, sir, I understood him to say that, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. And the Na\^ had nothing to do with the 

 job after July 1959 ? 



Admiral Church. To our knowledge we did not, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. But there were discussions, et cetera ? 



Admiral Church. I believe that you will find that there were ex- 

 tensive informal discussions all along on this method, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. Informal discussions ? 



Admiral Church. Yes, sir. 



Senator Saltonstall. Givmg advice to the Air Force ? 



Admiral Church. To my knowledge, only general discussions, 

 rather than specific advice, sir. 



