History of the Ammunition Industrial Base - JMC - U.S. Army

were made in the reverse nitration of TNT, toluene extraction from petroleum, mechanization of
loading, and the development and use of wood pulp, RDX and rocket powder. 40
During WWII doctrine had also evolved. U.S. Army field commanders paved the way
for advancing foot soldiers by use of massed artillery fire and aerial bombing instead of
exercising frontal infantry attacks. For example, in the first days of attacks on Cassino, U.S.
artillery units fired around 11,000 tons of shells which were accompanied by fire storms of
bombs from the air. Carpet bombing was also practiced across the theater. Therefore,
expansion of the artillery ammunition base started on a modest scale in 1940. During 1941
expansion gained momentum as work on 25 new plants began and existing plant capacities were
greatly increased. Thirteen of the new plants were for loading operations. Between January and
August 1942, construction started on an additional 25 plants. 41 The rate of artillery expenditure
during WWII required the operation of 60 artillery ammunition plants. See Appendix A for a
listing of ammunition facilities to include small arms, explosive, propellant, and LAP facilities
operated in WWII to support requirements.
In 1944, new ordnance directives ordered doubled the monthly production rate of
artillery in seven months and to triple the amount in 14 months. The OD warned leaders of high
expenditure rates and the need to produce more artillery and their predictions were accurate.
Leaders reacted quickly and continued building up the artillery base. Several plants that had
been shut down were reopened and re-equipped at record paces. During early 1945, heavy
artillery expenditure rates reached record highs. The total for all types and sizes of artillery
ammunition reached nearly 1 billion rounds. The value of artillery ammunition produced
between Pearl Harbor and V-J Day was nearly $7 billion at 1945 prices. In addition, over one
hundred million grenades and mines were produced along with 33 million bombs. 42
In comparison to artillery production small caliber ammunition was simpler and easier to
produce since it did not involve fuzes and loading of high explosives. Even so, the mass
production of high quality small arms ammunition required equally exacting measures to meet
quality specifications. Three major families of small arms ammunition were.30, .45, and .50
calibers with five main types: ball, armor piercing, armor piercing incendiary, incendiary, and
tracer produced over the course of WWII. Before WWII, Frankford Arsenal was the only plant
in the U.S. producing military grade small arms ammunition. Several commercial firms
(Remington, Western, and Winchester) made sporting ammunition, but the difference between
sporting and military ammunition was incomparable. In 1936 and 1937, ordnance reps met
frequently with Remington Arms Company with goals to have Remington expand its capacity in
the event of wartime emergencies and to also take over operation of proposed new government
plants. After discussions, President of Remington, Mr. C.K. David, agreed with a formal
statement of the plan drawn up by Frankford Arsenal. This was the first of many actions to rally
commercial small caliber ammunition producers to augment government capabilities. The rate
of small caliber expenditure during WWII required the operation of 16 GOCO plants. 43
In the late 1930s, Frankford obtained funding for new machinery and equipment due to
ordnance actions to modernize arsenals. In 1939, Frankford gained additional funding to expand
40 Ibid, 133-144.
41 Ibid, 107.
42 Ibid, 105.
43 Ibid, Chapter IX.
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