Making Ordnance on the Homefront-- Part 3: "After a Couple Explosions I Got Out of There."

TINA BATTANI, 85, packer and public relations.

She was a graduate of Arkeny High School, Class of 1942, and her first job was packing 50-caliber bullets at the plant. They thought she was smart and moved her to where they put powder into the casings. "I went in there thinking I'd get more money. After a couple explosions, I got out of there."

She was transferred to public relations where she stayed until the plant closed.

Arkeny was chosen as the site for the ordnance plant because it was doubted that enemy planes could get all the way into the central part of the U.S..

The plant became its own community with a fire station,police station, laundry, print shop and huge cafeterias. After school, kids came and washed dishes.

The plant operated 24-hours a day and you could hear the noise from it all over town. At night, town residents often drove over to where the tracers were tested. They lit up when fired and you had a mini-fireworks display.

After the plant closed, many residents bought wooden boxes from it and several Arkeny homes were built using the wood from them.

More to Come. --GreGen