Sangamon Ordnance Plant (Illinois)-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

In the last post I wrote about the Dekalb Corn Company buying some of this ordnance plant in Central Illinois (near Springfield) as war surplus after the war was over.

The Sangamon Ordnance Plant  was a United States Army amminition manufacturing facility constructed and operated during World War II.  It was located west of Illiopolis in Sangamon County, Illinois, encompassing 20,000 acres.

It began as two separate plants, the Sangamon and the Oak Ordnance Plants, separated by Illinois Route  36 and operated by  Remington Rand and Johnson & Johnson respectively.  Prior to the end of the war, they were consolidated into the Sangamon Ordnance Plant operated by Remington Rand.

Construction began in early  1942, following the acquisition of local farms through eminent domain with the groundbreaking occurring in April 1942.

--GreGen

   

Government Project at Wilmington, Illinois

In the last blog entry, I mentioned that the DeKalb Wagon Works Company, in DeKalb, Illinois, was building thirty special truck bodies for the government project at Wilmington, Illinois.

This very likely was what became known as the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant.which opened in 1940.

--GreGen

Illinois Ordnance Plant and Works

From the July 29, 2010, Morris (Ill) Daily News "Tourists discover impact of WWII munitions."

The Elwood Ordnance Plant and Kankakee Ordnance Works were created to prepare the United States to meet the demand of the upcoming large scale warfare of World War II.  There were other plants converting to building the guns, planes, tanks and other items of fighting, but these needed bullets, shells and bombs.

In 1939, the U.S. Ordnance Department established a network of ammunition plants to be government-owned and contractor-operated.

In 1941, these were the 5th and 6th of the 60 that were built.  Kankakee was to manufacture TNT, DNT and raw materials to make explosions.  Elwood made artillery shells, bombs and other munitions.

An extensive internal railroad system moved the materials around in the 23,500-acre compound.  Many buildings, warehouses and bunkers were also built, providing many jobs for locals and attracting others to move to the area.  At its peak operation, the two places employed 17,000.

Tours are occasionally offered at the Joliet Munitions Plant as it is now called and the old Route 66 runs right past it. 

Just one more proof that the U.S. was preparing for war even before it entered it.

GreGen

Making Ordnance on the Homefront-- Part 1

From the Dec. 13, 2009, Des Monies (Iowa) Register "Honoring the home front" by Jane Scchorer Meisner.

THE DES MOINES ORDNANCE PLANT IN ANKENY (north of Des Moines)

Some 19,000, mostly women, worked the plant 24-hours a day producing eleven railroad cars worth of the munitions to win the war. Three former workers were interviewed for the article: Tina Baltran, 85, and Marge Swartfager, 89, explained the 72-steps to make a bullet. Bernice Muehlenthale used salt tablets to stay awake.

Today, John Deere now makes equipment in the old plant.

The Arkeny Area Historical Society is now developing an interactive mobile of the history of the plant.

The story of workers, next.

A 100% Effort Here on the Homefront. --GreGen

Bits of War: Ammo Plant Closes-- Buffalo Soldiers

Bits of War-- Some stuff about World War II. Right now, I am "catching up" on a notebook I have from 2009 before it gets to be too much history itself.


1. AMMO PLANT CLOSES-- The Kansas Army Ammunition Plant in Parsons, Kansas, closed March 4, 2009 after making its last bomb in December 2008. This is a World War II relic. Starting in 1942, its 7,000 employees turned outbombs and artillery rounds for that war as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars,

It covered 13,727 acres, had 681 buildings and was authorized in May 1939 with construction beginning in 1941. Even back then, the US was really preparing for war.


2. BUFFALO SOLDIERS-- The 92nd Division,the only all-black unit to see action in Europe, fighting in Italy. Nonety-two members received multiple medals with two Medals of Honor and two Distinguished Service Crosses, the nation's second highest award.

Even so, they had to battle Jim Crow laws back in their country.

You Just Wouldn't Think That Someone Who Put Their Life on the Line for Their Country Would Still Have to Put Up with These Laws. --GreGen