Other short titles Second Vinson Act Public law 75-528 | Effective May 17, 1938 | |
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Long title An Act to establish the composition of the United States Navy, to authorize the construction of certain naval vessels, and for other purposes. Nicknames Navy Construction Act of 1938 Enacted by the 75th United States Congress | ||
The Naval Act of 1938, known as the Second Vinson Act, was United States legislation enacted on May 17, 1938, that "mandated a 20% increase in strength of the United States Navy". It represented the United States' response to the Japanese invasion of China and the German annexation of Austria.
The act was sponsored by Carl Vinson, a Democratic Congressman from Georgia who was Chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee. It updated the provisions of the Vinson-Trammell Act ("First Vinson Act") of 1934 and the Naval Act of 1936, which had "authorized the construction of the first American battleships in 17 years" (six battleships were authorised under the 1934 Act - BB55 to BB60), based on the provisions of the London Naval Treaty of 1930. The 1938 Act specifically authorised the construction of 105,000 tons of battleships (the first three Iowa Class ships were built under this authorisation), 68,754 tons of cruisers, 38,000 tons of destroyers and 13,658 tons of submarines (eight vessels were built under this authorisation - SS204 to SS211), together with various smaller vessels. It was followed by the Two-Ocean Navy Act of 1940.
Extract of 17 May 1938 Act
"...In addition to the tonnages of the United States Navy as agreed upon and established by the treaties signed at Washington, .... and at London, ... the authorized composition of the United States Navy in under-age vessels is hereby increased by the following tonnages: