That from and after the date of That from and after the date of approval of this Act the present leader approval of this Act the present leader of the United States Navy Band and of the United States Navy Band and the present leader of the band of the the present leader of the United States United States Marine Corps shall have Marine Band shall have the rank, pay, the rank, pay, and allowances of a and allowances of a lieutenant comlieutenant in the Navy and of a captain mander in the Navy and of a major in in the Marine Corps, respectively; and the Marine Corps, respectively; and in in the computation of their pay and the computation of their pay and allowallowances all service in the Navy and ances all service in the Navy and the the Marine Corps of whatever nature Marine Corps of whatever nature rendered by said leaders shall be rendered by said leaders shall be counted as if it were commissioned counted as if it were commissioned service; and the said leaders of the service; and the said leaders of the United States Navy Band and the United States Navy and the United band of the United States Marine Corps, States Marine Band shall, at such time shall at such time as the President in as the President in his discretion may his discretion may direct, be entitled to direct, be entitled to retirement as a retirement as a lieutenant in the Navy lieutenant commander in the Navy and and as a captain in the Marine Corps as a major in the Marine Corps in the in the same manner as other officers of same manner as other officers of the the Navy and the Marine Corps of such Navy and the Marine Corps of such rank and length of service, computed as rank and length of service, computed stated above, would be entitled to as stated above would be entitled to retirement. retirement.

O

SEC. 2. From and after the date of approval of this Act the former leader of the United States Marine Bank, Taylor F. Branson, shall have the rank of major on the retired list of the Marine Corps. His pay as such shall be computed in the manner specified in Section 1 of this Act.

AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC WORKS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

APRIL 28, 1941.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. MAAS, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 3536]

The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3536) to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to proceed with the construction of certain public works, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that as amended the bill do pass.

The amendment is as follows:

Page 2, line 3, add a new sentence, as follows:

This sum, however, shall be inclusive of the $10,000,000 appropriated for section bases and related purposes by the Act approved March 17, 1941 (Public, No. 13, 77th Cong.).

Local defense forces afloat consist of various types of vessels, ranging from private yachts converted for Navy use, to destroyers attached to naval districts. These vessels are used in coastal and harbor patrol, mine sweeping, submarine detection and attack, coastal convoy, and net tending.

The type of vessel comprising these local defense forces is such as to require an operating base; and the term "section base" has been given to such a supporting shore unit. The average section base would provide piers and quay wall for berthing; shops for repair facilities; storehouses; lubricating oil, Diesel oil, and gasoline storage; high explosive and small-arms magazines; administration and communication buildings; and barracks and messhall for 150-men station complement plus additional men attached to the force supported. The establishment of a number of these section bases is calculated to facilitate the operations of the local defense forces and at the same

time relieve navy yards of much of the material and logistic work incident thereto.

It will be noted that this bill was introduced on February 24, 1941. Before action could be taken thereon, the following appropriation was made by the act of March 17, 1941:

For local and passive defense installations, and the rental, acquisition, and construction of section bases, station ships, or barracks, and of training and defense facilities and equipment of all kinds, including the necessary purchase of land, $10,000,000, to remain available until expended.

There had been no authorization for this appropriation, but in the interests of the speedy prosecution of the national defense no objection was made on that score, and of course the money was made available to the Navy Department. Upon being made so available it was decided that the sum was insufficient to provide for section bases, which were urgently needed, and at the same time provide for passive defenses. Accordingly the entire sum was allocated for section bases, and the Navy Department has advised the committee that a separate request will be made for money for passive defenses.

At the time the $10,000,000 was appropriated it was known that that sum would not cover the total cost of all secton bases that would be needed, but the exact amount was not known. Subsequent study has indicated that for the present, at least, $50,000,000 will suffice. The committee has therefore seen fit to amend the bill in such a way as to authorize a total of $50,000,000, including the $10,000,000 already appropriated, for this purpose.

The average estimated cost of a section base, which will vary for different localities, depending upon the number of vessels and men and the availability of eristing facilities, is expected to approximate $877,000, broken down as follows:

Construction of the base, including the acquisition of land where

Of the $10,000,000 appropriated, $1,000,000 has been held for contingencies, and the remaining $9,000,000 has been allocated for the construction of 30 section bases. This, of course, represents an average immediate allocation of $300,000 to each base, which will do for the present. As the number of vessels assigned each base is increased, there will be required a corresponding expansion of the base until it reaches the average of $877,000. For this purpose $15,000,000 will be needed. The additional $25,000,000 authorized by this bill would be used to construct 29 additional bases.

For the information of the House the following section bases are contemplated:

The committee is unanimous in recommending the enactment of this bill.

The following letter from the Secretary of the Navy addressed to the chairman, Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, is hereby made a part of this report:

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY,
Washington, April 9, 1941.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The bill H. R. 3536, to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to proceed with the construction of certain public works, and for other purposes, was referred to the Navy Department by your committee with a request for comment and recommendation.

The purpose of the bill is to authorize the appropriation of $50,000,000 for the establishment of section bases for the support of small craft.

Section bases as units ashore of the naval local defense forces are necessary in order to relieve navy yards which carry on major activities of the material and logistic work involved in operating elements of the local defense forces. The vessels attached to this force range from private yachts converted for Navy use to small destroyers, and are used in coastal and harbor patrol, mine sweeping, submarine detection and attack, coastal convoy, and net tending.

The fuel and ammunition storage facilities are limited on patrol vessels and it is therefore necessary to have a ready supply of both available for their use. Due to the strenuous type of duty performed by patrol vessels and the lack of adequate quarters for the crews; housing, messing, and recreational facilities have to be provided ashore for periodic rest and recreation of personnel. Sufficient shop facilities to make all but major repairs incident to the maintenance of patrol vessels are to be located at these bases.

The average base will provide piers, quay wall, combined shops to provide berthing and repair facilities. General storehouses, lubricating-oil storehouse, Diesel-oil storage, gasoline storage, high-explosive magazine, small-arms magazine, and administration and communication building will be provided on shore for the operation of the local defense forces. Barracks and mess halls for an