Middle East District Mission

Video by Clifford Davis
Anchored in History - Stories of America's Navy: Ep. 8 - Navy Innovator: Raye Montague (Pt. 1)
Naval History and Heritage Command
Oct. 1, 2024 | 40:41
For this multi-part episode, we highlight naval innovator Raye Montague, featured in the new NHHC publication "U.S. Navy and Innovation, 20th Century Case Studies."

Raye Montague's path to becoming an engineer was not without its challenges. Inspired by a submarine tour with her grandfather, she knew from a young age that this was her calling. However, growing up in the segregated South during the 1950s as an African-American, her mother warned her that she would face an uphill battle. She earned a degree in business and quickly found employment with the Navy in Washington, D.C., in 1956, where she flourished. Undeterred by a field dominated by men, Raye would learn on the job how to run a UNIVAC I computer and attend engineering and programming night classes, becoming a digital computer systems operator and systems analyst. With every continued obstacle, she persisted in overcoming it. Then, in 1971, given a task that would have taken two years on paper to sketch out the design of a warship, Raye would produce her crowning achievement: the first computer-designed warship in history, a draft for the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, and in only 18 hours and 26 minutes.

For more information about Raye Montague, visit: https://www.history.navy.mil/news-and-events/anchored-in-history/podcast-navy-innovator-raye-montague-pt1
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Mission

The Middle East District provides engineering, design, construction execution, and related services and support to mission partners in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR) to increase regional security and stability in support of enduring U.S. interests; on order, supports contingency operations.

 

The Middle East District is a subordinate element of the Transatlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

USACE Mission and Vision

OUR VISION: Engineering solutions for the Nation’s toughest challenges

OUR MISSION: The Middle East District provides design, construction, execution and related engineering and reach-back services to mission partners across the CENTCOM AOR in order to enable regional security and stability; on order provides support to contingency operations

OUR FOUNDATION: A professional team rooted in the Army Values reinforced by Trust, Dignity, and Respect throughout and dedicated to our mission and the organization

 

Our People