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Show COMBAT STRENGTH THROUGH LOGISTICS Warner Cox gets big payoff. D Sm Pas &3, picas. ' June 2, 1989 SW tieliiim"l I : -'LV-. ... and pass the ammunition Heroes of the Bastogne Bulge (left), who visited Ogden Arsenal in March 1945, after their magnificent stand against the Nazis, show keen interest in the home front processing of the ammunition they had already used so efficiently. Below, a press operator seats and tightens the fuse of. a 37mm shell. OdOCTO 0 PDOQV Raised initially as Army brat, but later adopted by AF Ogden ALC Office of History Hill AFB's West Area has a unique and varied history. While today it houses the offices of the Ogden Air Logistics Center and a good portion of the base's management and clerical activity, it began as an Army ammunition depot. , In 1920, the U.S. Army decided to build an ammunition ordnance depot west of the Mississippi River in order to disperse its large stock of ammunition left over from World War I. The War Department authorized the purchase of 1,200 acres in March and the site selected lay partly on a large sand hill just east of Sunset, Utah. The location was an excellent choice at the time because of its position on main east-wetransportation lines, its dry climate and isolation from heavily populated areas. Construction of the Ogden Arsenal began in April 1920, under supervision of Ora Bundy, later mayor of Ogden (1930-34and was completed by the fall iy : st : ), of 1921. The main buildings were munitions magazines, an administration building, general warehouse, machine shop and a locomotive house. The installation was activated on April 22, 1920, with Maj. O.H. Presbrey as commander. Employment was about 20 civilians and a few military per' ' ' !'..' v V From 1923 to 1936, the arsenal was on inactive status due to a shortage of funds. On Feb. 5, 1925, TSgt. Joseph Zaine reported to the arsenal to assume command and in the next 10 years, he received several commendations for excellent performance of duty. He was probably the only enlisted man in command of a post in the U.S. Army. It was during this time that a freak wind storm hit the arsenal on June 16, 1929, leaving a trail of ruin and destruction. The storm destroyed all but six of the 35 ammunition magazines, but capriciousobservation tower standing. ly left the for rebuilding, so the aravailable not was Money senal gradually fell into ruin as tracks rusted and roads became overgrown with sagebrush. MSgt. Charles R. McDaniels relieved Sergeant Zaine on May 6, 1935. Sergeant Zaine retired after 75-fo- ot 33 years of service. Shortly after Sergeant McDaniels arrived, a board be reconstructed and enlarged. In 1936, the Army decided that it was necessary to build a plant for the production of aircraft bombs and high explosive shells. And the threat of war prompted Congress to provide the money. ' The Ogden Chamber of Commerce purchased the land and donated it to the government. By June 1938, both the Work Progress Administration and Public Works Administration were employed in reconstructing the post. Construction continued until 1942 and a total of $9.5 million was spent for 40 new warehouses, two shell loading plants, a small caliber assembly plant, a black powder pelleting plant, roads, ramps and a new railroad line. In September 1941, 20mm and 30mm artillery ammunition loading began and by January 1942, the linking of 30 and 50 machine gun caliber cartridge belts was in progress. The industrial operation was discontinued in 1943 and the arsenal became a master depot for storage and distribution of vehicles, artillery, small arms, parts and supplies, in addition to ammunition. At the height of World War II, the depot em- of land with an additional 771 acres located at Milployed approximately 6,100 civilians, more than half itary Springs near the mouth of Weber Canyon, now of them women, but only 35 military personnel. Pay under the Department of Interior. There were 630 permanent buildings, including 58 was not great, $4.96 a day to load boxcars. When the war ended, operations were greatly warehouses, 13,000 square feet each, four warereduced, employment fell to 1,200, and the arsenal houses of 24,000 square feet, 146 igloos and magaof the Tooele Ordwas redesignated a zines, 60 miles of railroad track and 51 miles of nance Depot. improved roads. Since becoming an independent service in 1947, The Korean War broke out in June 1950 and the depot was again designated the Ogden Arsenal and the Air Force had a requirement for an ammunition storage and distribution center and the newly desigoperations expanded greatly. manufacWest Area complex would serve the purpose in nated the During the war, Ogden engaged turing of ammunition including Mark II tracers, quite well. hand grenades, 60mm lumination shells, 37mm Acquisition of the Ogden Arsenal permitted the armaments. Ogden Air Materiel Area to forge ahead with an asshells, 81mm mortar shells and other The arsenal employed 3,000 people, again many signed mission of activation, equipping, training and of them women, only to fall to 500 after the Ar- dispatching of ammunition and explosive ordnance mistice was signed. disposal squadrons. The War Department announced in August 1954 By 1954, this mission included the capability to and discontinue would store, handle and transport Air Force airmunitions. that the arsenal operations All The first shipment of ammunition arrived at Hill the real estate would be transferred to Hill AFB. ordnance functions were to be transferred to Tooele on Sept. 1, 1955. On Sept. 1, 1957, Ogden was given Ordnance Depot; however, the railway repair shop responsibility of explosive ordnance disposal and on would remain. It still functions in the West Area. Jan. 8, 1960, the 2705th Airmunitions Wing was orTransfer of the physical plant and faculties oc- ganized with responsibility for all Air Force curred on April 1, 1955. Property totaled 2,700 acres r'SVMiiinii sub-dep- - ot . : Scfoty Get a grip on credit II of officers inspected the arsenal to decide if it should by Charles G. Hibbard sonnel. siKp WsSlpS tlitililf " piiiifii Use good judgment 34 OVJcrrior Worker is people person v ' |