Ralph A. Tudor
Encyclopedia
Ralph A. Tudor was a builder, civil engineer and Under Secretary of the United States Interior Department
. The Ralph A. Tudor Medal awarded by the Society of American Military Engineers
is named for him.
Ralph Arnold Tudor was born in Colorado and grew up in western Oregon. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1923 and was an officer in the Corps of Engineers
until leaving the army in 1929. He later worked for a number of construction companies in the San Francisco area where he specialized in road and bridge construction.
Tudor was acquainted with Douglas McKay
, a former governor of Oregon, who was appointed Secretary of the Interior by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
. In March 1953 McKay arranged to have Tudor appointed Under Secretary of the Interior. As Under Secretary, Tudor was responsible for much of the administrative work of the department. He helped select persons to run the various bureaus that were part of the Interior Department, including the Bureau of Mines, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville Power Administration
. Tudor coordinated the Department’s legislative program and was involved with a number of environmental issues that arose during the early years of the Eisenhower administration, including the Hells Canyon
and Echo Park controversies. Tudor served until September 1954 when he resigned to return to his construction business in California.
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
. The Ralph A. Tudor Medal awarded by the Society of American Military Engineers
Society of American Military Engineers
The Society of American Military Engineers is an organization for military engineering professionals. According to its , SAME was formed “in the interest of National Defense… bringing together all phases of U.S...
is named for him.
Ralph Arnold Tudor was born in Colorado and grew up in western Oregon. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1923 and was an officer in the Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
until leaving the army in 1929. He later worked for a number of construction companies in the San Francisco area where he specialized in road and bridge construction.
Tudor was acquainted with Douglas McKay
Douglas McKay
James Douglas McKay was an American businessman and politician from Oregon. A native of the state, he served in World War I before he became a successful businessman, mainly as a car dealership owner in the capital city of Salem. A Republican, he served as a city councilor and mayor of Salem...
, a former governor of Oregon, who was appointed Secretary of the Interior by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
. In March 1953 McKay arranged to have Tudor appointed Under Secretary of the Interior. As Under Secretary, Tudor was responsible for much of the administrative work of the department. He helped select persons to run the various bureaus that were part of the Interior Department, including the Bureau of Mines, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville Power Administration
Bonneville Power Administration
The Bonneville Power Administration is an American federal agency based in the Pacific Northwest. BPA was created by an act of Congress in 1937 to market electric power from the Bonneville Dam located on the Columbia River and to construct facilities necessary to transmit that power...
. Tudor coordinated the Department’s legislative program and was involved with a number of environmental issues that arose during the early years of the Eisenhower administration, including the Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon is a wide canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho in the United States. It is North America's deepest river gorge at and part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area....
and Echo Park controversies. Tudor served until September 1954 when he resigned to return to his construction business in California.