The Ironclad Board was an advisory board established by the Union in 1861 in response to the construction of the CSS Virginia by the Confederacy during the US Civil War. The primary goal of the Ironclad Board was to develop more battle-worthy ("ironclad") ships, leading to the construction a number of innovative designs, including the USS Monitor. The Board consisted of senior naval officers Commodore Hiram Paulding, Commodore Joseph Smith, and Commander Charles Henry Davis.
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Ironclad Board Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA