Act of Congresson April 26 authorized President Woodrow Wilson to take over certain lands in King George County, Va., adjacent to Machodoc Creek near Lower Cedar Point Light. By Presidential Proclamation #1458, 994.3 acres were taken on June 10. On Nov. 4, Presidential Proclamation #1494 bought the Arnold Farm of 372 acres making a complete acreage purchase of 1,366.3. On March 4, 1919, Presidential Proclamation #1514 acquired Blackistone Island downrange and also spotting range locations at Piney Point, Md., and five other river shore locations.
Oct. 16, first gun fired over range (7-inch-45 tractor mount).
Nov. 11, World War I ends.
The King George site became known as ‘‘Lower Station” and was considered an adjunct of the Naval Powder Factory at Indian Head, Md.
Construction begun on Administration Building, Inspector’s Quarters, Main Battery, Plate Battery Bomb-proofs, officer bungalows, 49 civilian bungalows (floated down river from Indian Head), two civilian dormitories, sanitary sewers and electric power lines (the first in King George County).
1921
Lower Station acquires distinction of having its own name: ‘‘Dahlgren.”
First experimental stabilized bombsight delivered to Dahlgren for test by Sperry Co. Testing of bombsights continues until 1942, when C. L. Norden Company formed.
1921-30
Work mainly concerns proofing of large caliber naval rifles, but also in areas of exterior ballistics, aerology, velocity, range table production and calculations.
1922
First runway (east-west) cleared for Naval Air Facility.
1923
First physicist attached to experimental department.
1923-25
First tests of radio-controlled plane made under supervision of Dr. C. L. Norden and C. B. Merick.
First naval laboratories begin to appear at Dahlgren.
1929
Test of various modifications of the Mark II ‘‘Norden” bombsight continues and delivery of first production sight to Navy completed in January 1929.
1930
Special ballistics investigations through experimental department leads to creation of Armor and Projectile Laboratory to explore ballistics, heat treating, metallographics, chemistry and spectochemistry of projectiles and armor.
1930s
Work continueson MARK II Norden bombsights—first naval torpedo plane (XTN-1) stationed at Dahlgren in 1932. Other types of aircraft coming to Dahlgren during 1930s for bombsight work include TG-2, TBD-1, TBF, SB2C, F6F, F4U (all World War II aircraft).
1939
Additional land for a railroad acquired.
1940
Rapid expansion of Dahlgren as World War II approaches. Work rolls increase from 254 in January 1939 to 1,471 by July 1944 (most of the civilian workers are women, as are the military as WAVES—Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service—are posted in many of Dahlgren’s military positions).
1943
Harvard University’s Dr. H. H. Aiken (one of modern computer’s fathers) becomes associated with Dahlgren.
AA Fuse and Machine Gun ranges established.
1944
Pumpkin NeckTest Area acquired giving Dahlgren a total acreage of 5,422.847.
Future Vice Adm. Grace Hopper joins Naval Reserve and becomes associated with Dr. Aiken and Dahlgren.
Dahlgren ordnance expertise tapped for ultra secret Manhattan Project then ongoing at Los Alamos, N.M.
1945
Germany surrenders (VE Day) on May 7.
First atomic bomb detonated at Alamogordo, N.M., on July 16, 1945.
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6.
Japan surrenders (VJ Day) on Aug. 14, World War II over. Dahlgren learns its role in triggering device.
1947
Aiken Relay Calculator (MARK II) arrives as Dahlgren becomes first naval laboratory to use new computer.
1947-49
Work with MARK II and MARK III ARC computers leads to development of Naval Ordnance Relay Calculator (NORC).
1950
Dr. Edward Teller (father of hydrogen bomb) becomes interested in NORC for work on H-Bomb.
Korean War, work on new guns and rockets begins at Dahlgren.
1950s
Dr. Charles Bramble appointed Dahlgren’s first ‘‘Director of Research.”
Work begun on Elsie (MARK 8 and 91 bombs) projects.
1956
First Technical Director (Dr. Russell H. Lyddane) at Dahlgren.
1957
Dahlgren begins work on POLARIS (Fleet Ballistic Missile Program).
Space Surveillance Operations Center established at Dahlgren, which at the time possessed the only Navy computer capable of processing satellite observation data recorded by the Minitrack System devised by the Naval Research Laboratory in response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik I on Oct. 4, 1957.
NWL begins work on guided projectiles and rockets, Dahlgren experiences rapid development.
1961
Feb. 1) Naval Space Surveillance System (NAVSPASUR) established as the Navy’s first space-related operational command; located in Building 183, a converted World War II era barracks on the Parade Field.
1964
Destroyers USS MADDOX and USS TURNER JOY attacked in Gulf of Tonkin by North Vietnamese patrol boats on Aug 2. Vietnam War begins.
Building 1200 constructed at NWL (first of big laboratories), eventually becomes K Dept.
Work begins on a ‘‘Shock Tube” at Dahlgren to test and evaluate high energy detonations no longer available through signing of first Atomic Test Ban (limited) Treaty of 1963.
1966
NWL comes under management control of Chief of Naval Material, which also manages the Naval Ordnance Laboratory at White Oak, Md.
1970
Work on fire control systems, laser guided projectiles.
1974
Construction begins on Building 1500 at Dahlgren, A wing (first built) becomes part of B Dept., B and C wings eventually become N Dept.
Naval Ordnance Laboratory and Naval Weapons Laboratory consolidated to form a new Naval Surface Weapons Center (Navy’s largest RDT&E center).
Construction of Building 1500 begins.
NSWC gets TRIDENT mission for planned new class of FLBM submarine.
1975
Fall of Saigon in April, Vietnam War ends.
1976-80
Rapid expansion and construction, NSWCDD takes on all surface warfare missions, AEGIS systems engineering begins.
1978
NSWC getsTomahawk mission; plans begin for laboratory (Bldg. 1580).
1983
(Oct. 1) Naval Space Command commissioned at Dahlgren,collocated with NAVSPASUR headquarters in Building 183.
1984
NSWC begins work on Aegis Computer Center (Bldg. 1410).
1985
AEGIS Training and Readiness Center locates at Dahlgren (2nd large tenant) (Bldg. 1520).
1987
Name changed from Naval Surface Weapons Center to Naval Surface Warfare Center.
(Oct. 1) Naval Space Command dedicates new headquarters Building 180.
1990
Gulf War begins (Aug. 2); NSWC instrumental in developing device to prevent ‘‘friendly fire” accidents.
1991
Gulf War ends on April 6.
Base Realignment and Closure Act designates NSWC become a division under a NSWC megacenter. Name changed to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division; NSWCDD acquires former Coastal Systems Station at Panama City, Fla., under act.
1992
Ground broken on new G Dept. Building 221.
Ground broken on new Naval Space Surveillance Center facility (Building 1700).
1993
(June 2) NAVSPASUR merged with Naval Space Command.
(Oct. 10) Naval Space Command dedicates its new headquarters and space surveillance facility Building 1700,vacating Buildings 183 and 180. NSWCDD Theater Warfare Group occupies Building 180.
Second round of BRAC orders that NSWCDD White Oak be closed and personnel, functions moved to Dahlgren.
1994
$21 million new military housing project brings duplexes to Dahlgren’s military families.
Work begun on consolidation Building 1470, now F Dept.
1995
J Dept work expands into new tenant, the Joint Warfare Analysis Center. Work begun on a new tenant building.
1996
(Oct 1) White Oak site of NSWCDD officially closes.
1997
Ground broken begun on new T Department facility, Building 1490.
NSWCDD gains new commissary for military personnel.
1998
Building 1470 opens—most of F Dept. consolidated into B Dept.
Building 1490 opens (T Dept.)
1999
Ground broken on new Chem-Bio laboratory.
Work begun on major new enlisted barracks renovation.
Work begun on new Navy Exchange.
New addition to Aegis Computer Center ribbon cut.
2000
NSWCDD helps build Distributed Engineering Plant for Navy.
Dam Neck (Va.) facility joins NSWCDD corporate umbrella.
New Navy Exchange opens.
2001
New Navy barracks opens.
Work begun on new National Innovative Technology and Mission Assurance Center (NITMAC) building.
First Employee Appreciation Day celebrated.
2001
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on N.Y. City, Pentagon; Dahlgren on alert.
2002
Herbert H. Bateman Chem-Bio Center dedicated.
2003
New NITMAC building is dedicated.
(Oct. 1) Management of the Dahlgren base transferred from NSWCDD to Naval District Washington (NDW); facility redesignated as Naval District Washington West Area.
2005
Ground broken on base’s new bowling alley.
(Oct. 1) NDW West Area becomes Naval Support Activity South Potomac.
(Nov. 3) New NSASP command officially commissioned on Dahlgren parade ground.
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