The World War II Ordnance Department's Government-Owned Contractor-Operated (GOCO) Industrial Facilities: Kansas Army Ammuntion Plant Historic Investigation.
Abstract
This report presents the results of an examination of historical records related to the construction and operations of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant (KAAP), Parsons, Kansas. The historical context was developed through thorough research into the archives at KAAP, local libraries, museums, and a series of oral history interviews. This report demonstrates that KAAP was a unique facility in the Ordnance Department's GOCO industrial program designed to provide munitions and materiel for European and American forces during Word War II. The facility was the first in the program to be funded by Congress and was an important producer throughout the war. It was perhaps the only one of the 77 GOC facilities to have come in under budget on construction. Throughout the war, KAAP was an important producer of bombs, shells, and components. Engineers and other employees at the facility contributed to the technological advancement of munitions production by designing and developing the first core melt machine, which, in conjunction with the volumetric melt-pour equipment developed elsewhere, greatly aided the war industrial effort by reducing labor requirements and increasing production of shells and bombs. In addition to the history of the facility itself, this report discusses the direct and indirect effects construction and operations had on the town Parson, Kansas, in particular and Labette County in general, in which Parsons and the facility are located.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA315686
Entities
People
- Steve Gaither