Umatilla Ordnance Depot: Difference between revisions
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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1941-2011) - A [[World War II]] Ordnance Depot established in 1941 near Hermiston, Hermiston County, Oregon. The Umatilla Ordnance Depot mission changed in 1962 and the name was changed to [[Umatilla Chemical Depot]] to reflect the new mission. Abandoned in 2011. | '''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1941-2011) - A [[World War II]] Ordnance Depot was established in 1941 near Hermiston, Hermiston County, Oregon. The Umatilla Ordnance Depot mission changed in 1962 and the name was changed to [[Umatilla Chemical Depot]] to reflect the new mission. Abandoned in 2011. | ||
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== Umatilla Ordnance depot == | == Umatilla Ordnance depot == | ||
The U.S. Army's decision to locate this Ordnance Depot in northeastern | The U.S. Army's decision to locate this Ordnance Depot in northeastern Oregon came because the area had a low population and lots of undeveloped lands. The 17,000-plus acres site was located along the Columbia River, along east-west railroad tracks and a major highway system. | ||
J. A. Terteling & Sons of Boise, Idaho obtained the prime construction contract in January 1941 and construction began that month. At the peak of the 35 million dollar construction project over 7,000 people were employed. The project involved construction of 1001 munitions storage igloos. The ends and sides of each igloo were ten inches of reinforced concrete, covered with two feet of dirt. There were two sizes of igloos, one 30 by 80 feet, and the other 24 by 61 feet. The igloos were designed to avoid catastrophic explosions of multiple igloos if one of them were to suffer an explosive accident. The igloos were designed to direct the force of an internal explosion upward not out so as to protect surrounding igloos. Staggered igloo placement added to the protection. The validity of these protections was tested on 21 Mar 1944 when 264 five-hundred pound bombs exploded in an igloo. Six civilian workers died in the blast but none of the adjacent igloos were damaged. | J. A. Terteling & Sons of Boise, Idaho obtained the prime construction contract in January 1941 and construction began that month. At the peak of the 35 million dollar construction project over 7,000 people were employed. The project involved the construction of 1001 munitions storage igloos. The ends and sides of each igloo were ten inches of reinforced concrete, covered with two feet of dirt. There were two sizes of igloos, one 30 by 80 feet, and the other 24 by 61 feet. The igloos were designed to avoid catastrophic explosions of multiple igloos if one of them were to suffer an explosive accident. The igloos were designed to direct the force of an internal explosion upward not out so as to protect surrounding igloos. Staggered igloo placement added to the protection. The validity of these protections was tested on 21 Mar 1944 when 264 five-hundred-pound bombs exploded in an igloo. Six civilian workers died in the blast but none of the adjacent igloos were damaged. | ||
== Umatilla Chemical Depot == | == Umatilla Chemical Depot == | ||
In 1962 the Depot was assigned new mission, receiving and storing chemical munitions, and a new name the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The Depot received and stored various military chemical munitions between 1962 and 1969 | In 1962 the Depot was assigned a new mission, receiving and storing chemical munitions, and a new name the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The Depot received and stored various military chemical munitions between 1962 and 1969 | ||
== Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility == | == Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility == | ||
A Chemical Agent Disposal Facility was constructed between 1997 and 2001 at the Depot to safely deactivated and dispose all of the stored chemical agents. In September 2004 Demilitarization operations began with chemical munitions transported from storage igloos to the demilitarization plant in Enhanced On-Site Containers (EONCS). The EONCS were resistant to fire, impact, puncture or crushing and 7,534 EONCS were delivered without incident. | A Chemical Agent Disposal Facility was constructed between 1997 and 2001 at the Depot to safely deactivated and dispose of all of the stored chemical agents. In September 2004 Demilitarization operations began with chemical munitions transported from storage igloos to the demilitarization plant in Enhanced On-Site Containers (EONCS). The EONCS were resistant to fire, impact, puncture, or crushing, and 7,534 EONCS were delivered without incident. | ||
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In October 2011 the demilitarization operations ended and on 17 Jul 2012 the U.S. Army held a deactivation ceremony at the depot. | In October 2011 the demilitarization operations ended and on 17 Jul 2012, the U.S. Army held a deactivation ceremony at the depot. | ||
== Current Status == | == Current Status == | ||
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Revision as of 10:57, 22 May 2022
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Umatilla Ordnance depotThe U.S. Army's decision to locate this Ordnance Depot in northeastern Oregon came because the area had a low population and lots of undeveloped lands. The 17,000-plus acres site was located along the Columbia River, along east-west railroad tracks and a major highway system. J. A. Terteling & Sons of Boise, Idaho obtained the prime construction contract in January 1941 and construction began that month. At the peak of the 35 million dollar construction project over 7,000 people were employed. The project involved the construction of 1001 munitions storage igloos. The ends and sides of each igloo were ten inches of reinforced concrete, covered with two feet of dirt. There were two sizes of igloos, one 30 by 80 feet, and the other 24 by 61 feet. The igloos were designed to avoid catastrophic explosions of multiple igloos if one of them were to suffer an explosive accident. The igloos were designed to direct the force of an internal explosion upward not out so as to protect surrounding igloos. Staggered igloo placement added to the protection. The validity of these protections was tested on 21 Mar 1944 when 264 five-hundred-pound bombs exploded in an igloo. Six civilian workers died in the blast but none of the adjacent igloos were damaged. Umatilla Chemical DepotIn 1962 the Depot was assigned a new mission, receiving and storing chemical munitions, and a new name the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The Depot received and stored various military chemical munitions between 1962 and 1969 Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal FacilityA Chemical Agent Disposal Facility was constructed between 1997 and 2001 at the Depot to safely deactivated and dispose of all of the stored chemical agents. In September 2004 Demilitarization operations began with chemical munitions transported from storage igloos to the demilitarization plant in Enhanced On-Site Containers (EONCS). The EONCS were resistant to fire, impact, puncture, or crushing, and 7,534 EONCS were delivered without incident.
In October 2011 the demilitarization operations ended and on 17 Jul 2012, the U.S. Army held a deactivation ceremony at the depot. Current Status
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