Beach erosion was now more than the concern of a handful of people. It had become a 

 matter of national concern, and the BEB was working diligently to meet the challenge. 



6. The Decade of the 1950's. 



Several key personnel changes occurred within the BEB as the decade of the 1950's 

 began. The first of these involved one of the three civilian members of the seven-man Board. 

 Richard K. Hale, who had been a member since the Board was formed in 1930, resigned as 

 of April 1, 1950. At its 86th meeting held May 2 and 3, 1950, the Board paid tribute to Hale 

 for his long and faithful service. Hale's successor was Lorenz G. Straub.^ Straub had 

 many years experience in experimental wave work and had been director of the University 

 of Minnesota's Saint Anthony Falls HydrauUc Laboratory, Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 

 1938. His membership brought to the Board a civilian representative of the Great Lakes 

 area, one of the four major coastal regions of the country.* Straub continued as a member 

 of the BEB until his death in October 1963. 



The second change occurred in October 1950. Col. Earl E. Gesler replaced Col. 

 Dabney 0. EUiott as President of the Board and Resident Member of the Board's staff. 

 Gesler occupied this position for the next 254 years and took an active role in the agency's 

 activities. Also in late 1950, Donald F. Horton, who had been head of the Studies and 

 Reports Branch, transferred to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. This vacancy on the 

 BEB staff was filled by Richard 0. Eaton upon his return in January 1951. 



Then in September 1951, Martin A. Mason resigned from the staff of the BEB to accept 

 the appointment of Dean of Engineering at George Washington University. During his 

 11 years as head civilian. Mason's contribution, both as a scientist and as an administrator, 

 had been of great importance to the agency. 



One of Col. Gesler's first actions was the reorganization of the staff of the BEB, which 

 now numbered some 77 people. Immediately prior to this time, the agency had been set up 

 under four branches: Studies and Reports Branch, Engineering and Research Branch, 

 Drafting and Reproduction Branch, and Administrative Branch. The new organizational 

 arrangement consisted of five divisions: Research Division, Engineering Division, Reports 

 and Publications Division (which later became the Project Development Division), 

 Administrative Services Division, and Military Intelligence Division. The revised system also 

 established the new position of Chief Technical Advisor, and this was first held by Martin 

 Mason. Although there were several changes in the years that followed, this staff 

 organization generally prevailed for the remainder of the BEB's existence. 



After Mason's departure, Richard Eaton became Chief Technical Advisor. He occupied 

 this position until December 1963, i.e., for the remaining period of the BEB's existence and 

 for 1 month thereafter, under the new Coastal Engineering Research Center. Together with 

 the advisory responsibilities associated with this office, that of haison between staff and 



*The otlier six Board members at that time were: Col. Dabney 0. Elliott, President; Col. Earl E. Gesler; Col. Walter 

 D. Luplow; Col. Richard W. Pearson; Thorndike Saville; and Morrough P. O'Brien. 



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