United States. Panama Canal. Department of Operation and Maintenance. Special Engineering Division

On July 1, 1937, a Special Engineering Section was established in the Department of Operation and Maintenance for the conduct of the work required by the Public Resolution number 85 of the Seventy-fourth Congress, which was enacted and approved on May 1, 1936. At this time, Edward S. Randolph was appointed Design Engineer and placed in charge of the Section. The section was organized by the transfer of suitable qualified men from other divisions of the Canal organization.

On July 22, 1939, the Special Engineering Section became the Special Engineering Division. On January 6, 1941, Edwin E. Abbott replaced Randolph as the Design Engineer, for the Division. The Division was assigned the design and construction of the Third Locks Project in order to improve and enlarge the Panama Canal. The Division developed designs and conducted investigations and research relative thereto; prepared plans and specifications for the work; prepared contracts and supervised their prosecution; and planed for, supervised, and coordinated the work of all Panama Canal and contract forces engaged on the third locks project and appurtenant works. The Special Engineering Division was headquartered at Diablo Heights.

Russel L. Klotz was appointed Chief of the Special Engineering Division on June 2, 1945. Colonel James H. Stratton was appointed as Supervising Engineer on May 6, 1946, replacing Klotz. Colonel Howard Ker became the Supervising Engineer by 1949.

On June 30, 1949, the Special Engineering Division was abolished, and the operations performed by that unit which were to be continued in the interest of The Panama Canal were transferred to, or absorbed by, other departments and divisions of The Panama Canal.