McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, McAlester

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McAlester was established as a Naval ammunition depot, which unlike Army depots, were designed to include munitions manufacturing as well as storage. Continually expanded during WW II and thereafter during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, McAlester was transfered to the Army in Historical Report Prepared by: Robert C. Mack and David A. Fey Prepared for Transmittal by: Robie S. Lange, HABS/HAER, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page ~

Executive Summary

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant is a government-owned, government-operated munitions manufacturing and storage facility located on a acre site near McAlester, Oklahoma. The installation is part of the Army's Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command (AMCCCM). One of two ammunition facilities constructed by the Navy in the plant was enlarged continuously during World War II and further expanded during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In addition to storage structures, the plant currently includes 102 production and 337 residential, administrative, and support structures. Since the U.S. Army has operated the plant for the production, renovation, demilitarization, and storage of conventional ammunition. There are no Category I or II properties at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

Category III properties include the "C-Tree School," a small schoolhouse that predates the plant construction, and typical examples of "barrel vault" and "Corbetta beehive" explosives storage structures. The barrel vaults served as prototypes for construction of storage facilities at other installations; the beehives were a test for this type of con- struction, which was not repeated at any additional Navy installations. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 3 CONTENTS Executive Summary PREFACE 1 1. INTRODUCTION 3 Scope 3 Methodology * . . 4 2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 14 Background 14 Site Selection and Pre-Military Land Use 17 World War II Construction 20 Post-World War II Development 3g Korean War Development 36 Vietnam War Development 38 Post-Vietnam Development 38 3.

PRESERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS 41 Background , 41 Category I Historic Properties 46 Category II Historic Properties 47 Category III Historic Properties 47 BIBLIOGRAPHY 50 APPENDIX 53 McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page ^ PREFACE This report presents the results of an historic properties survey of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (McAlester AAP). Prepared for the United States Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command (DARCCM), the report is intended to assist the Army in bringing this installation into compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of and its amendments, and related federal laws and regulations.

To this end, the report focuses on the identification, evaluation, documentation, nomina- tion, and preservation of historic properties at the McAlester AAP, Chapter 1 sets forth the survey's scope and methodology; Chapter 2 presents an architectural, historical, and technological overview of the installation and its properties; and Chapter 3 identifies significant properties by Army category and sets forth preservation recommendations. Illustrations and an annotated bibliography supplement the text. This report is part of a program initiated through a memorandum of agreement between the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of the Army.

The program covers 74 DARCOM installations and has two components: 1) a survey of historic properties (districts, buildings, structures, and objects), and 2) the development of archaeological overviews. Stanley H. Fried, Chief, Real Estate Branch of Headquarters DARCCM, directed the program for the Army, and Dr. Robert J, Kapsch, Chief of the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) directed the program for the National Park Service. Sally Kress Tcmpkins was program manager, and Robie S. Lange was McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page^ project manager for the historic properties survey. Technical assistance was provided by Donald C. Jackson.

Building Technology Incorporated acted as primary contractor to RABS/HAER for the historic properties survey. William A, Brenner was principal-in-charge and Dr, Larry D. Lankton was the chief technical consultant. Major subcontractors were the MacDonald and Mack Partnership and Jeffrey A. Hess. The authors of this report were Robert C. Mack and David A. Fey. The authors gratefully acknowledge the help of Major Theodore L. Roberts, director for Administrative Services, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, and staff members Garold Stevens and Jim Clark. The complete HABS/HAER documentation for this installation will be included in the HABS/HAER collections at the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, under the designation HAER No. OK-1. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page (o Chapter 1

Introduction Scope

This report is based on an historic properties survey conducted in of all Army-owned properties located within the official boundaries of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (McAlester AAP). The survey included the following tasks: Completion of documentary research on the history of the installation and its properties. Completion of a field inventory of all properties at the installation. Preparation of a combined architecturalr historical, and technological overview for the installation. Evaluation of historic properties and development of recommenda- tions for preservation of these properties. Also completed as a part of the historic properties survey of the installation, but not included in this report, are HABS/HAER Inventory cards for 28 individual properties.

These cards, which constitute HABS/HAER Documentation Level IV, will be provided to the Department of the Army. Archival copies of the cards, with their accompanying photographic McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 7 negatives, will be transmitted to the HABS/HAER collections at the Library of Congress. The methodology used to complete these tasks is described in the following section of this report. METHODOLOGY 1- Documentary Research The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (AAP) was one of several govern- ment-owned, government-operated facilities constructed during for the manufacture and storage of conventional ammunition.

Since the plant was part of a larger manufacturing network, an evalu- ation of its historical and technological significance requires a general understanding of the wartime ammunition industry. To identify published documentary sources on American ammunition manufacturing during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, research was conducted in standard bibliographies of military history, engineering, and the applied sciences. Unpublished sources were identified by researching the historical and technical archives of the U.S. Army Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command (AMCCCM) at Rock Island Arsenal.

In addition to such industry-wide research, a concerted effort was made to locate published and unpublished sources dealing specifically with the history and technology of the McAlester AAP. This site- McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page - specific research was conducted primarily at the AMCCOl Historical Office at Rock Island Arsenal, the Naval Facilities Engineering Com- mand, the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office, the McAlester Public Library, and the McAlester AAP, where the facilities Engineer and Real Property Office were particularly helpful. The State Historic Preservation Office provided an unpublished history of the site selection process and several newspaper articles. On the basis of this literature search, a number of valuable sources were identified.

These included several published studies on the construction and operation of ammunition plants and storage facili- ties, and World-War-II vintage construction photographs and newspaper clippings- Army records used for the field inventory included current Real Property Inventory (RPI) printouts that listed all officially recorded buildings and structures by facility classification and date of construction; the installation's property record cards; base maps and photographs supplied by installation personnel; and installation master planning, archaeological, environmental assessment, and related reports and documents. A.complete listing of this documentary material may be found in the bibliography. 2.

Field Inventory The field inventory was conducted by Robert Mack and Stuart MacDonald in February, Administrative assistance was provided by Major McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page ^ Theodore L, Roberts, Garold Stevens, and Jim Clark. Eugene Arpelar, Harold Gray, and Fred Mass served as escorts and guides. Field inventory procedures were based on the HABS/HAER Guidelines for Inventories of Historic Buildings and Engineering and Industrial 2 Structures. All areas and properties were visually surveyed. Building locations and approximate dates of construction were noted from the installation's property records and field-verified.

Interior surveys were made of the major facilities to permit adequate evaluation of architectural features, building technology, and production equipment. Field inventory forms were prepared for, and black and white 35 mm photographs taken of all buildings and structures through except basic utilitarian structures of no architectural, historical, or technological interest. When groups of similar ("prototypical") buildings were found, one field form was normally prepared to represent all buildings of that type. Field inventory forms were also 3 completed for representative post-1945 buildings and structures. Information collected on the field forms was later evaluated, condensed, and transferred to HABS/HAER Inventory cards. 3.

Historical Overview A combined architectural, historical, and technological overview was prepared from information developed from the documentary research and the field inventory. It was written in two parts: 1) an introductory McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page (0 description of the installation, and 2) a history of the installation by periods of development, beginning with pre-military land uses. Maps and photographs were selected to supplement the text as appropriate.

The objectives of the overview were to 1) establish the periods of major construction at the installation, 2) identify important events and individuals associated with specific historic properties, 3) describe patterns and locations of historic property types, and 4) analyze specific building and industrial technologies employed at the installation. 4. Property Evaluation and Preservation Measures Based on information developed in the historical overviews, properties were first evaluated for historical significance in accordance with the eligibility criteria for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

These criteria require that eligible properties possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and that they meet one or more 4 of the following: A. Are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. B. Are associated with the lives of persons significant in the nation's past. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page t \ C. Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, represent the work of a master, possess high artistic values, or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. D. Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in pre-history or history.

Properties thus evaluated were further assessed for placement in one of five Army histo. historic property categories as described in Army 5 Regulation Category I Properties of major importance Category II Properties of importance Category III Properties of minor importance Category IV Properties of little or no importance Category V Properties detrimental to the significance of adjacent historic properties. Based on an extensive review of the architectural, historical, and technological resources identified on DARCCM installations nationwide, four criteria were developed to help determine the appropriate categorization level for each Army property.

These criteria were used to assess the importance not only of properties of traditional historical interest, but also of the vast number of standardized or McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page pcototypical buildings, structures and production processes that were built and put into service during World War II, as well as of properties associated with many post-war technological achievements. The four criteria were often used in combination and are as follows: 1} Degree of importance as a work of architectural, engineering, or industrial design. This criterion took into account the qualitative factors by which design is normally judged: artistic merit, workmanship, appropriate use of materials, and functionality.

2) Degree of rarity as a remaining example of a once widely used architectural, engineering, or industrial design or process. This criterion was applied primarily to the many standardized or prototypical DARCCM buildings, structures, or industrial processes. The more widespread or influential the design or process, the greater the importance of the remaining examples of the design or process was considered to be. This criterion was also used for non-military structures such as farmhouses and other once prevalent building types. 3) Degree of integrity or completeness.

This criterion compared the current condition, appearance, and function of a building, structure, architectural assemblage, or industrial process to its original or most historically important condition, appearance, and function. Those properties that McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page i3 were highly intact were generally considered of greater importance than those that were not. 4) Degree of association with an important person, program, or event. This criterion was used to examine the relationship of a property to a famous personage, wartime project, or similar factor that lent the property special importance. The majority of DAFCCM properties were built just prior to or during World War II, and special attention was given to their evaluation.

Those that still remain do not often possess individual importance, but collectively they represent the remnants of a vast construction undertaking whose architectural, historical, and technological importance needed to be assessed before their numbers diminished further. This assessment centered on an extensive review of the military construction of the period, and its contribution to the history of World War II and the post-war Army landscape. Because technology has advanced so rapidly since the war, post-World War II properties were also given attention. These properties were evaluated in terms of the nation's more recent accomplishments in weaponry, rocketry, electronics, and related technological and scientific endeavors.

"Thus the traditional definition of "historic" as a property 50 or more years old was not germane in the assessment of either World War II or post-war DARCOM buildings and structures; rather, the historic importance of all properties was evaluated as completely as possible regardless of age. 10 oxi^^ton ester Army Ammunition Plant f ew.. '^ HAER fete^K-1 5ft te r -*Peote<? *fti C6 eQ be fl *9ori ^ tans ***ic 9h ^<? -*oo Pi-Or ^o. ^ts rr ' 0C? ttz *a ... ^%o, ^^t0ru^* ^* ' ns **c r -etf *fc Q *&fe'^a io Q> 9*ner<y -*es *Pfce fc *&re <*3 Pr<es c ' ^OiJf for " **>at ^( - C,t ' *u Pro, ^o iPe -3s *t.ior to 6e Qo ^p2 Q ^ ir , > ey. ^2 fo'**, tft.'is r *A>tt ^s n suo'Jeot ee/ to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page l^> an in-house review by Building Technology Incorporated.

It was then sent in draft to the subject installation for comment and clearance and, with its associated historical materials, to HABS/HAER staff for technical review. When the installation cleared the report, additional draft copies were sent to DARCOM, the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer, and, when requested, to the archaeological contractor performing parallel work at the installation. The report was revised based on all comments collected, then published in final form. NOTES 1. The following bibliographies of published sources were consulted: Industrial Arts Index, Applied Science and Technology Index, Engineering Index, Robin Higham, ed., A Guide to the Sources of United States Military History (Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, John E. Jessup and Robert W.

Coakley, A Guide to the Study and Use of Military History (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, "Military Installations," Public Works History in the United States, eds., Suellen M. Hoy and Michael C. Robinson (Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, pp. AMCCCOM (formerly ARRCOM, or U.S. Army Materiel Readiness Command) is the military agency responsible for supervising the operation of government-owned munititions plants; its headquarters are located at Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois. Although there is no comprehensive index to AMCCCM archival holdings, the agency's microfiche collection of unpublished reports is itemized in ARRCOM, Catalog of Common Sources, Fiscal Year 2 vols. (no pi.: Historical Office, ARRCOM, Rock Island Arsenal, 2.

Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service, Guidelines for Inventories of Historic Buildings and Engineering and Industrial Structures (unpublished draft, 3. Representative post-World War II buildings and structures were defined as properties that were: (a) "representative" by virtue of construction type, architectural type, function, or a combination of these, (b) of obvious Category I, II, or III historic importance, or (c) prominent on the installation by virtue of size, location, or other distinctive feature. 12 McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page lXo 4. National Park Service, How to Complete National Register Forms (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, January 5.

Army Regulation Historic Preservation (Headquarters, U.S. Army: Washington, 15 April 13 McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page l^ Chapter 2

Historical Overview Background

McAlester Army Ammunition Plan is a government-owned, government-operated (GO-GO) munitions manufacturing and storage facility located near McAlester, Oklahoma (Figure 1). The plant currently has over structures spread over nearly acres of rolling wooded terrain (Figure 2).

Originally designated the McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot*, construction of this facility began in August and the original construction contract was substantially complete by the end of The installation was expanded constantly throughout World War II, and actual first phase construction was not completed until One thousand seven hundred nineteen buildings were constructed during this period: munition storage magazines, 152 inert storage buildings, 199 permanent administra- tive and support buildings (Figure 2), and 94 temporary support facilities, A second major building period during the Korean War resulted in approxi- mately 300 additional magazines, 40 inert storage buildings, and 16 admini- strative and support buildings.

Twenty-one family housing units and 38 support facilities were added during the Vietnam War. At present, McAles- ter AAP includes 102 manufacturing buildings, storage buildings * This designation was retained until In the interest of brevity and clarity, the current designation of McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (AAP) will be used throughout this report. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant -p c <y fc c u <D > 0 O 0) O u 3 0 w , c RJ rH P4 -P H U3 , P C to r-i & C o H -p . H C Pu 2 *c ( n (U >I-P M M <D < <H *c J-i O QJ^ -P w *. <D W rH OJ O-H Sfe -H tf McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page H Figure 2: Administrative compound, McAlester AAP {Source Government Files, McAlester AAP.) McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page ^O (both magazines and inert storage), 29 administrative and industrial support buildings, 131 housing and conmunity support buildings, and 77 other miscellaneous structures. The entire facility was transferred to the Army in Naval ammunition depots, unlike those of the Army, were designed to include munitions manufacturing as well as storage. McAlester AAP, as a former naval depot, thus has a number of manufacturing functions in addition to its major storage capability. Included in its current manufacturing capa- bilities are projectile and cartridge loading ranging from to major caliber, rocket motor loading, bomb and mine loading, small arms relinking, and the demilitarization of obsolete ammunution.

SITE SELECTION AND PRE-MILITAKy IAND USE The citizens of McAlester had been seeking the construction of federal facilities since the late in an effort to counteract lagging coal and agricultural sales. They had no success until the spring of when, following declaration of war, Oklahoma Senator Elmer Thomas informed the community that the Navy would be building new inland ammunitions depots. The Navy's requirements included acres of level land, access to two railroads, good highway connections, and reasonable amounts of electric power. In addition, defense plants were to be located near areas with high unemployment and ready labor pools. Following much political maneuvering, McAlester was selected for one of two major new naval depots. y McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page a' Selection of the site was announced in early June The architect/ engineers selected included Shaw, Ness & Murphy of Chicago; Charles Deleuw of Chicago; and George M. Brown of McAlester. Construction of the plant by Brown, Root & Bellows of Houston, Texas, began in August. Prior to World War II the McAlester AAP site was used almost exclusively 2 for agricultural purposes, primarily grazing. The "C-Tree School," a small stone schoolhouse (Building 90) constructed in is the only existing structure that pre-dates the establishment of McAlester AAP (Figure 3). It is presently used as the office of the Building and Grounds Division of the Facilities Engineering Directorate.

Although the interior has been altered, the exterior of the building remains intact and serves as a significant reminder of the history of the site. The Navy planned the twin depots of McAlester and Hastings, Nebraska, as supplements to existing inland facilities at Hawthorne, Nevada, and Crane, Indiana- The new installations were to contain munitions manufacturing facilities as well as storage facilities. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page && Fi ure 3 : g . - C-Tree School, McAlester AAP. {Source: Field inventory photograph.) V McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER 5No. OK-1 Page ^ WORLD WAR

Construction

Construction of McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot began on August 15, Original plans called for 707 storage magazines*/ 70 inert storage buil- dings, two major-caliber loading plants, two medium-calber loading plants, and two bomb-and-mine filling plants. Within four months, plans were expanded to include and loading lines. Before the new buil- dings were completed, plans were again increased to include 333 additional magazines and 30 more inert storage buildings. Expansion of the depot continued uninterrupted throughout World War II. In November construction of two rocket-motor loading plants was autho- rized, and in May 127 additional magazines and 52 additional inert 4 storage buildings were begun. Buildings at McAlester AAP were grouped by function.

Ammunition production areas were placed near the center of the installation, with inert storage areas adjacent to them. Explosives storage areas and additional inert storage areas surrounded the production center. All production and storage areas were separated by distances sufficient to preclude sympathetic Many of the storage magazines at McAlester AAP are "triples." These include both beehive and barrel vault forms. Some of the literature treats each of the three triple sections as a separate building, while other articles treat each group of three as a single building. The latter practice is used in the current real property numbering system and will be followed in this report. Where necessary, quantities of magazines given in the literature have been adjusted to follow this practice.

i McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page M explosions and/or structural damage at any area in the event of an explo- sion at an adjacent area. Separation distances were calculated using standard spacing formulas equating distances in feet to quantities of explosives in pounds. Although construction cost was a concern, the high quality of building construction makes it clear that the Kavy intended McAlester AAP to be a permanent installation: most buildings were built with concrete structural systems and masonry exteriors. Construction of the depot was not without difficulties. Wet and unstable soil required that much of the overburden be removed before foundations could be poured.

A shortage of unskilled labor and, more importantly, a shortage of qualified masons to take advantage of locally available materials slowed progress. The shortage was so severe, in fact, that many of the inert storage buildings were constructed of poured concrete rather than masonry, as first planned. Such problems delayed the construction schedule by three months. Nevertheless, the depot was suffi- ciently complete to permit its commissioning in May Production Facilities: Individual production areas reflected industrial function and concern for safety. Typically, they featured linear arrangements of widely separated buildings interconnected by enclosed "ramps" that housed conveying and utility systems.

The bomb-and-mine filling areas, for example, extended approximately feet from the preparation building to the cooling shed. The major buildings along a typical bomb-and-mine line include the Bomb Preparation Building (Building X McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 3.5 the Explosives Box Opening Building (Building the Bomb-and-Mine Filling Building (Building also known as the Melt-Pour Building, and the Cooling Shed (Building all joined by ramps up to 800 feet long. Additional support facilities, such as the Lunch-and-Locker Building (Buil- ding and various receiving, shipping, and storage facilities complete the group (Figure 4).

The five other production facilities cartridges, cartridges, medium-caliber ammunition, major-caliber ammunition, and rocket motor loading) employed similar concepts in their layouts (Figure 5). Inert Storage Facilities: When construction of McAlester AAP began, 70 inert storage buildings of approximately square feet each were planned, but this number was soon increased to The shortage of masons led to the use of poured concrete for the structures, instead of clay 8 tile. The earliest buildings were grouped at manufacturing facilities (Groups and and at a centralized location (Group-51SH).

Explosives Storage Facilities: Because the primary purpose of McAlester AAP was for inland storage of explosive naval ordnance, the vast majority of buildings constructed during the World War II period were explosives storage facilities. Four basic types of magazines were constructed: (1) triple Corbetta beehives, (2) triple barrel vaults, (3) rectangular boxes, and (4) single barrel vaults. They are described as follows: p. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page <5*o Figure 4 Bomb and mine production area, McAlester AAP (Source: Government Files, McAlester AAP.) McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page an Figure 5: 4Omm production area, McAlester AAP. (Source Government Files, McAlester AAP.) 7* McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page *-% (1) Triple-Corbetta-beehive magazines are 52*-diameter, spheroid domes constructed of poured concrete approximately six inches thick. The dome rises to a central point approximately above the floor. The cubic footage of storage space thus created is nearly equal to that of standard 25' by 80' barrel vault magazines. The beehive shape, however, required only half the steel, one-third the copper, and two thirds the concrete of the more traditional forms. Construc- tion costs, however, were comparable to the barrel vault structures due to more extensive use of labor. The unique beehive design was developed by the Corbetta Construction Company at the suggestion of Col. B. F. Vandervort of the Army Corps of Engineers.

The first pro- totypes were completed in January and construction began in May The design was later refined to further reduce fiiaterial 9 requirements and to simplify construction procedures. Construction of the triple Corbetta beehives (Groups begun in late was completed by the end of The beehives were built in 220 groups of three each with a common rail loading dock (Figure 6). The entrances to the two outer magazines were spaced so that they would align with the doors to the rail cars. Construction began by placing a simple concrete hub at the center of the magazine, with the remainder of the base laid out around it- The same hub was used as the base for a pipe mast around which the forming and rein- forcing for the dome could be placed.

The dome was made totally independent of the slab, with circumferential stresses resisted by yi McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page <^9 Figure 6: Triple-Corbetta-Beehive magazine, McAlester AAP (Source: Government Files, McAlester AAP.) McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page _3 tension reinforcing. Concrete placement was accomplished by using a standard concrete paver rotated around the central mast. (2) The triple-barrel-vault magazines are approximately 30' long by wide with a maximum height of 12' (Figure 7), The concrete walls taper from 12" at the base to 6" at the peak.

The triple-barrel-vault magazines built during World War II incorporated a number of design modifications from the Navy's earlier "Standard Underground Storage Magazine." Foundations for the McAlester magazines were simply thickened areas of the floor slab, thus eliminating the need for massive spread footings, deep foundation walls, and tie beams. In addition, reinforcing steel was changed from bars to mesh. These design modifications resulted in a reduction of nearly two-thirds of the reinforcing steel required for each structure- The use of mesh also vastly reduced the work required to provide electrical grounding for the steel, since the wires already were welded together, forming sound connections.

Erection of the McAlester AAP triple-barrel-vaulted magazines (Groups 46IC) began in late and was completed by the end of The structures are in 120 groups of three each with a common rail loading dock. Magazines are approximately 13 feet apart at the spring-line of the vaults, making them separate structures except for a common front wall. Although foundation and reinforcing designs were simplified, the actual construction was accomplished using techniques 14 and steel forms developed in and at other installations. ? McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 3/ ^ Figure 7: Triple-barrel-vault magazine, McAlester AAP (Source: Field inventory photograph.) McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 (3) The rectangular-box magazines were erected late in World War II for m smokeless powder and the storage of completed projectiles (Figure 8). These magazines (Groups and are concrete boxes nominally wide, 50' deep, and 14' high. The interior is a single open space with roof support columns on approximately 17' centers. The expansive front wall has two sets of double doors and four pairs of glass-block windows. The other three sides and the top have earth fill. One hundred thirty-four of these magazines were completed in the months following the close of World War II. (4) The single-barrel-vault magazines were built in three forms.

The most common is the nominal 25* by 80* (actually, by barrel-vaulted magazine with a reinforced berm located across the entry drive from the door (Figure 9). There are 700 of these high explosives magazines (Groups 1AT-35AT), all of which were completed in Also completed in were 101 barrel-vaulted fuse and detona- tor magazines (portions of Groups which were nominally 25' by 20' and had no opposing berm. The last group of barrel-vaulted magazines (Group was not completed until These are twelve black-powder magazines, nominally 25* by that have a reinforced berm opposing the entry. Construction of the three types of single- barrel-vault magazines was identical to that of the triple vaults. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page 33 Figure 8: Rectangular magazine under construction, McAlester AAP. (Source: Government Files, McAlester AAP.) P McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. Page 3 M Figure 9: High explosive magazine, McAlester AAP (Source Government Files, McAlester AAP.) X McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page J* Technology Manufacturing began on September 4, and increased steadily until August During this period the plant demonstrated considerable flexibility, producing over 25 separate types of ammunition, including filled projectiles and bag charges from 5" to cartridges and cases from 3" to 6", and ammunition, three types of rockets, and a variety of mines.

Most of the load-assemble-and-pack (LAP) processes at McAlester AAP consis- ted of the final assembly of component parts and materials into completed ammunition. These processes were common to most LAP facilities, both Army and Navy, and have been described in the following way: The explosives, shell or bomb casings, cartridge cases, fuzes, primers, boosters, and detonators are received from outside manu- facturers. They are then inspected and stored. The loading and assembling of these materials is carried on as an assembly-line process. Various . . . "load lines" are maintained for the pro- cessing of each particular type of ammunition.

Thus a plant may have, in addition to one or more shell- or bomb-load lines, sepa- rate lines for loading such component parts as detonators, fuzes, primers, and boosters The main loading operation for shells and bombs is generally performed by either the melt-load or the press-load process. On the load line, the shell or bomb casings are cleaned, inspected, and painted. Large-caliber shells and bombs are usually filled by the melt-load process, the major operations of which consist in screening, melting, and pouring the main explosive or bursting charge into the shell or bomb cavity [Figure The most com- monly used bursting charge is which is readily melted either alone or with ammonium nitrate. After the TNT has hardened, the booster and fuze are inserted.

Some large-caliber shells are shipped to combat zones unfuzed, and the fuze is assembled in the field prior to firing the shell. In the case of fixed and semi- fixed rounds of ammunition, the projectile is assembled to the cartridge case, which contains the propellent charge and artil- lery^ primer. The final operations involve labeling and packing X McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 3 U or crating for storage or shipment. Inspection is carried on continuously at each stage of the operation. The operations performed on the lines loading shells by the press-load process differ somewhat from those where the melt- loading process is used.

The main explosive charge is loaded into the projectile in a rather than molten state, and consolidated into the shell by means of a hydraulic press. Press loading is most generally applied to small-caliber shells, such as those used in and cannon [Figure . . . Sag loading The loading of propellent charges into ammunition bags for semifixed and separate-loading ammunition is a far more simple operation and requires equipment quite different from that used in bomb- and shell-loading plants. The major operations involved in the bag-loading plants are the cutting and sewing of cloth bags of various sizes and the loading of these bags with specific amounts of smokeless powder for propellent charges or black powder for igniter charges.

In the bag-making department the cloth is spread and cut into specified sizes and shapes, depending upon the type of charge which is to be loaded. After identification of the charge has been printed on these pieces of cloth, they are sent to the sewing room to be made into bags by seaming on power sewing machines. An opening is left in the bag for pouring in the powder charge. The bag-loading lines are made up of buildings for the actual loading of the gunpowder and a number of widely spaced and bar- ricaded storage magazines. The bag-loading buildings are divided into small rooms with thick concrete walls between them for safety of the operators.

In these small rooms, each having only a limited number of operators, the explosive powder is carefully weighed and poured into the bags which have been transferred from the bag-making department. The bag is then closed on a sewing machine and is ready for final inspection and packing. For cer- tain types of ammunition, several bags are tied together,before packing, to form a charge made up of several increments. Between and ammunition lines and machinery were continually modified in response to the changing materiel needs of the war effort. The manufacturing area, for example, was changed from production of new cartridges to reworking of existing cartridges. Similarly the bomb-and- y McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 31 Figure 10: Melt-and-pour equipment, McAlester AAP.

(Source: Government Files, McAlester AAP.) McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 2<Z Figure 11: Press loading equipment, McAlester AAP. (Source Government Files, McAlester AAP.) # McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page ?9 mine area was modified to cast "Torpex" TOT, and aluminum) rather than "Amatol" (ammonium nitrate and resulting in the addition of powdered-metal handling facilities and the abandonment of ammonium nitrate facilities before they could be placed in operation. POST-WORLD WAR"

Development

The close of World War II led to a winding down of activity at McAlester AAP. Construction projects already in progress were completed and manufacturing capabilities were retained, but no new construction was undertaken and manufacturing operations ceased. To ease the unemployment caused by cessation of manufacturing, McAlester AAP was designated a center for salvage and renovation of munitions returned from overseas. McAlester 18 AAP also served briefly as a veterans' training center.

Korean War Development

The outbreak of the Korean War led to reactivation of the production faci- lities at McAlester AAP and the expansion of both the magazine and inert storage areas. New magazine construction followed previously established patterns and included 188 smokeless powder magazines (Groups plus 4P and 5P) similar to the rectangular boxes of the 83 high explosive magazines (Groups 36AT-38AT) similar to the 80' single barrel vaults; and 27 fuse and X McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page Wd detonator magazines (portions of Groups similar to the earlier 20' single barrel vaults. No further triple barrel vaults or Corbetta beehives were constructed.

Construction was started in and completed in Inert storage warehouses (Groups and also were built in They can be differentiated from earlier structures primarily by 20 their use of metal ridge vents rather than wood. A number of small buildings were built to provide storage, shop, and administrative facilities in scattered work areas. The only substantial building from this period, other than the magazines and inert storage warehouses, was a large (89,880-square-foot) one-story Storage Building (Building Korean War production processes were similar to those used in World War II. Some equipment was replaced, and other equipment was retooled to manufac- ture new sizes of munitions. There is little information, however, about the specific changes that were made.

All production areas were active during and and production was reduced in Large-scale loading ceased in and the base reverted to renovation and salvage 22 operations- X McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page H'

Vietnam War Development

The production lines of McAlester AAP were again activated during the Viet- nam War, and some modernization of manufacturing equipment was undertaken. Thirty family housing units were completed in including twelve single-family buildings for company grade and warrant officers, and nine 23 duplex buildings for noncommissioned officers.

Post-Vietnam Development

Following the end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, McAlester AAP again curtailed its production program. Unlike earlier periods, however, pro- duction did not cease entirely. The facility currently produces cartridges, 5" projectiles, APAM (antipersonnel, antimateriel) bombs, 24 500-pound bombs, and inert bombs. The McAlester facility was transferred from the Navy to the Army in November when the Army became the "Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition" for the U.S. Department of Defense. McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot was officially "disestablished" on September 19, and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant was established on October 1, Operations and 25 ammunition production were not significantly affected by the transfer. 7* McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page <-\ - NOTES 1. Meleo M. Schene, untitled history of McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot, pp. Unpublished report c. in files of Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City. 2. Capt. E,L. Woodside, "History of Naval Ammunition Depot, McAles- ter, Oklahoma, to 14 August p. 2. Unpublished report c. in files of Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP. Building the Navy's Bases in World War II, Vol. 1, (Washington, U.S.Goverbnment Printing Office, p. 4. Building the Navy's Bases, p. 5. Major George D. Rogers, "Military Explosives," National Safety News, 44 {July 22. According to the Ordnance Department's Safety Officer, "the guiding principals which were followed in laying out [a] plant are: 1.

Hazardous operations have been sepa- rated from each other by barricades or by placing them in sepa- rate buildings, 2, Operating buildings have been separated from each other by safe distances to prevent the spread of fires or explosions. 3. Operating buildings have been grouped into sepa- rate production lines whose sizes and capacities are based on efficient and ecomonical operation 4. Equipment layouts in operating buildings have been made with a view toward elimina- ting hazards from electrical installations, mechanical or static sparks, and fires from lightning or other causes. 5.

Change houses and bomb proof shelters have been provided where necessary for the comfort and safety of operating personnel." Although specifically designed for the Army, these same considerations were applied to Navy installations as well. 6. Engineering construction drawings for both World War II and Korean War construction activities, in files of the Facilities Engineering Office, McAlester AAP. 7. "Command History, U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, McAlester, Okla- homa, 1 January - 31 December unpublished report prepared by Administrative Services Office, McAlester Naval Ammu- nition Depot, pp. 2-3 in files of Administrative Services Of fee, McAlester AAP. Includes transcripts of several documents concerning the establishment of McAlester AAP. 8. Building the Navy's Bases, pp 9.

"Simplified Design for Munitions Igloos," Engineering News- Record , 131 (November 4, Contains an extended discussion of the techniques of contruction for both beehive and barrel vault magazines. Also see Lt.Col. C. H. Cotter, "Naval Ammunition Depot Near Hawthorne, Nev., Built to Serve the Pacific Coast," Engineering News-Record, 105 (November 20, 3* McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page ^3 and Paul Nissen, "Igloos of Concrete," Pacific Builder and Engineer, 47 (September 10. "DARCCM Installation Inventory of Military Real Property," computer printout, December 31, 11. "Simplified Design," pp. 12. Ibid., pp. 13. "DARCCM Installation Inventory." 14. "Simplified Design," pp. - 15. Engineering construction drawings. 16. "DARCCM Installation Inventory." 17.

"Hourly Earnings in the Ainnunition-Loading Industry, Monthly Labor Review, 60 (April 18. "CoTtimand History, pp. 19. DARCCM Installation Inventory." 20. Ibid. Verified by personal inspection by Robert C. Mack. 21. Ibid. 22. "Command History, I960," pp. - 23. "DARCCM Installation Inventory." 24. "Annual Historical Review, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, 1 Oc- tober - 30 September, pp. unpublished report prepared by Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP, in files of Administrative Services Office, Mcalester AAP. 25. "DARCCM Installation and Activity Brochure," unpublished, June 30, $ McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page Chapter 3

Preservation Recommendations Background

Army Regulation requires that an historic preservation plan be developed as an integral part of each- installation's planning and long-range maintenance and development scheduling. The purpose of such a program is to: Preserve historic properties to reflect the Army's role in history and its continuing concern for the protection of the nation's heritage. Implement historic preservation projects as an integral part of the installation's maintenance and construction programs. Find adaptive uses for historic properties in order to maintain them as actively used facilities on the installation. Eliminate damage or destruction due to improper maintenance, repair, or use that may alter or destroy the significant elements of any property.

Enhance the most historically significant areas of the installation through appropriate landscaping and conservation. To meet these overall preservation objectives, the general preservation recommendations set forth below have been developed: Category I Historic Properties All Category I historic properties not currently listed on or nominated to the National Register of Historic Places are assumed to be eligible for McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page ^S~ nomination regardless of age* The following general preservation recommendations apply to these properties: a) Each Category I historic property should be treated as if it were on the National Register, whether listed or not. Properties not currently listed should be nominated.

Category I historic properties should not be altered or demolished. All work on such properties shall be performed in accordance with Sections 106 and of the National Historic Preservation Act as amended in and the regulations of the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP) as outlined in the "Protection of Historic and Cultural Properties" {36 CFR b) An individual preservation plan should be developed and put into effect for each Category I historic property. This plan should delineate the appropriate restoration or preservation program to be carried out for the property. It should include a maintenance and repair schedule and estimated initial and annual costs.

The preservation plan should be approved by the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council in accordance with the above-referenced ACHP regulation. Until the historic preservation plan is put into effect, Category I historic properties should be maintained in accordance with the recommended approaches of the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page H^ o Revised Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings and in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer.

c) Each Category I historic property should be documented in accordance with Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) Documentation Level II, and the documentation submitted for inclusion in the HABS/HAER collections in the Library of Congress. When no adequate architectural drawings exist for a Category I historic property, it should be documented in accordance with Documentation Level I of these standards. In cases where standard measured drawings are unable to record significant features of a property or technological process, interpretive drawings also should be prepared.

Category II Historic Properties All Category II historic properties not currently listed on or nominated to the National Register of Historic Places are assumed to be eligible for nomination regardless of age. The following general preservation recommendations apply to these properties: a) Each Category II historic property should be treated as if it were on the National Register, whether listed or not. Properties not currently listed should be nominated. Category II historic properties should not be altered or demolished. All work on such properties shall be performed McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

OK-1 Page ^ in accordance with Sections 106 and of the National Historic Preservation Act as amended in and the regulations of the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP) as outlined in the "Protection of Historic and Cultural Properties" (36 CFR b) An individual preservation plan should be developed and put into effect for each Category II historic property. This plan should delineate the appropriate preservation or rehabilitation program to be carried out for the property or for those parts of the property which contribute to its historical, architectural, or technological importance. It should include a maintenance and repair schedule and estimated initial and annual costs.

The preservation plan should be approved by the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council in accordance with the above-referenced ACHP regulations. Until the historic preservation plan is put into effect, Category II historic properties should be maintained in accordance with the recommended approaches in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Revised Guidelines for 4 Rehabilitating Historic Buildings and in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer. c) Each Category II historic property should be documented in accordance with Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) Documentation Level McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No.

Page ^ II, and the documentation submitted for inclusion in the HABS/HAER collections in the Library of Congress.

Category III Historic Properties The following preservation recommendations apply to Category III historic properties: a) Category III historic properties listed on or eligible for nomination to the National Register as part of a district or thematic group should be treated in accordance with Sections 106 and of the National Historic Preservation Act as amended in and the regulations of the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation as outlined in the "Protection of Historic and Cultural Properties" (36 Such proper- ties should not be demolished and their facades, or those parts of the property that contribute to the historical landscape, should be protected major modifications.

Preservation plans should be developed for groupings of Category III historic properties within a district or thematic group. The scope of these plans should be limited to those parts of each property that contribute to the district or group's importance. Until such plans are put into effect, these properties should be maintained in accordance with the recommended approaches in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Revised * McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page q*^ Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings and in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer.

b) Category III historic properties not listed on or eligible for nomination to the National Register as part of a district or thematic group should receive routine maintenance. Such properties should not be demolished, and their facades, or those parts of the property that contribute to the historical landscape, should be protected from modification. If the properties are unoccupied, they should, as a minimum, be maintained in stable condition and prevented from deteriorating. HABS/HAER Documentation Level IV has been completed for all Category III historic properties, and no additional documentation is required as long as they are not endangered.

Category III historic properties that are endangered for operational or other reasons should be documented in accordance with HABS/HAER Documentation Level III, and submitted for inclusion in the HABS/HAER collections in the Library of Congress. Similar structures need only be documented once. CATEGORY

Historic Properties

There are no Category I historic properties at the McAlester AAP. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 3^ CATEGORY II HISTORIC PROPERTIES There are no Category II historic properties at the McAlester AAP. CATEGORY III HISTORIC PROPERTIES C-Tree School, Building 90 Background and significance. The C-Tree School is the oldest struc- ture on the McAlester AAP site. It was constructed in under the WPA and served the farming community that occupied the site prior to its purchase by the Navy in Originally a two-room school, this simple native-stone structure is now the office of the Building and Grounds Division of the Facilities Engineering Directorate.

Although the interior has been altered, the exterior of the building remains intact and serves as a significant reminder of the history of the site. Condition and potential adverse impacts. The C-Tree School is in good condition and receives routine maintenance and repair. There are no current plans to alter or demolish this structure. Preservation options. See the general recommendations at the begin- ning of this chapter for Category III properties. 9 McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 5) Explosives Storage Facilities, Building Groups and Background and significance.

Two types of explosives storage facilities, "Corbetta beehives" (Groups and "triple barrel vaults," (Groups are significant because of structural and functional innovations that resulted in economies of materials and ease of operation and access. Both types of structures were grouped in threes to allow construction of common walls and foundations, as well as rail access from a single loading dock. The "Corbetta beehive" was developed to reduce material requirements and to simplify the construction process. Although comparable to the more common barrel vault in storage capacity, the domed shape of the "beehive" required only half the steel reinforcement. McAlester AAP was the only Navy installation to utilize this unique structural innovation.

The "triple barrel vault" as constructed at McAlester AAP demonstrated a number of further structural innovations, including a common foundation slab in place of extensive footings, and the substi- tution of steel mesh for individual reinforcing rods, both of which resulted in significant reductions in the quantities of steel and concrete required.. Condition and potential adverse impacts. All of the explosives storage facilities are in good condition and receive routine mainte- nance and repair. The facilities have not been altered significantly. There are no current plans to alter or demolish any of these struc- tures. McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page Preservation options.

A representative example of each of these explosives storage facilities should be identified and preserved. See the general preservation recommendations at the beginnning of this chapter for Category III properties. NOTES 1. Army Regulation Historic Preservation (Headquarters, U.S. Army: Washington, 15 April 2. National Park Service, Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Revised Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, (Washington, Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, 3. National Park Service, "Archeology and Historic Preservation; Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines," Federal Register, Part IV, 28 September pp. 4. National Park Service, Secretary of the Interior's Standards. 5.

National Park Service, "Archeology and Historic Preservation." 6. National Park Service, Secretary of the Interior's Standards. 7. National Park Service, "Archeology and Historic Preservation." McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page $%

Bibliography

Published Sources Applied Science and Technology Index. Building the Navy's Bases in World War II. Vol. 1, (Washington, U.S.Government Printing Office, Cotter, Lt.Col. C. H. "Naval Ammunition Depot Near Hawthorne, Nev., Built to Serve the Pacific Coast." Engineering News-Record, 105 (November 20, Contains a discussion of design and spacing of magazines. Engineering Index. Fine, Lenore, and Remington, Jesse A. The Corps of Engineers: Construction in the United States, Washington, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Contains discussions of the design and construction of munitions storage facilities. Frey, Phil. "Paradox of McAlester's Depot of Death." Orbit Magazine (February 4, Higham, Robin, ed. A Guide to the Sources of United States Military History.

Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, "Hourly Earnings in the Anmunition-Loading Industry, Monthly Labor Review, 60 (April Contains an excellent overview of load-assemble-and-pack processes. "" Hoy, Suellen M., and Robinson, Michael C, eds. Public Works History in the United States. Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, "Igloos for Munitions Storage." Engineering News-Record, 127 (September 18, Describes construction of typical vaulted magazines. Industrial Arts Index. Jessup, John E., and Coakley, Robert W. A Guide to the Study and Use of Military History. Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, "Largest Shell-Loading Plant Goes Into Operation." Chemical & Metal- lurgical Engineering, 48 (August 89. Presents design rationale for loading building construction.

yt McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page jfq MacMorland, Ed. "Ordnance Supply System." Mechanical Engineering, 67 (December January February March The McAnad News, 1 (November 18, - March 15, U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, McAlester, Oklahoma. Numerous articles in this weekly newspaper describe the completion of construction activities and the opening of manufacturing lines. National Park Service. "Archeology and Historic Preservation; Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines," Federal Register. Part IV, 28 September pp. How to Complete National Register Forms. Washington, U. S. Government Printing Office; .

Secretary of Interior' s standards for Rehabili- tation and Revised Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, Washington, Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, Nissen, Paul. "Igloos of Concrete." Pacific Builder and Engineer, 47 (September Discusses "Standard Underground Storage Magazine" construction. Rogers, Major George D. "Military Explosives." National Safety News, 44 (July Contains information concerning safety considerations for ammunition plant layout. "Simplified Design for Munitions Igloos." Engineering News-Record, 131 (November 4, Contains extended discussion of construction of both triple beehives and triple-vaulted magazines at McAlester AAP. Thetford, Francis.

"The Navy's Unsinkable Arsenal." Oklahoma's Orbit, (December 1, Contains description of McAlester AAP in the early including some manufacturing information. Thompson, Harry C, and Mayo, Lida. The Ordnance Department: Procurement and Supply, Washington, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Includes excellent chapter on the operation and construction of government-owned, contractor-operated plants during World War II. Includes selected information on storage facilities. [U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, McAlester, Oklahoma, unnamed plant news- paper.] 1 (September 15, Describes activities at McAlester AAP from initial construction to mid-1944.

"Welcome to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant." Public Information Office, McAlester AAP, An informational brochure distributed at McAlester AAP, Includes background historical information. X McAlester Army Ammunition Plant HAER No. OK-1 Page 55 Unpublished Sources "Annual Historical Review, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, 1 October - 30 September Prepared by Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP, In files of Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP. Includes discussion of the transfer of the instal- lation from the Navy to the Army and of industrial processes in operation at that time.

"Annual Historical Review, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, 1 October - 30 September Prepared by Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP, In files o'f Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP. This is the most recent installation history. It includes information on industrial processes in operation at that time. "Command History, U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, McAlester, Oklahoma, 1 January - 31 December Prepared by Administrative Services Office, McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot, In files of Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP. Includes transcripts of historical materials compiled between and c. Also includes transcript of letter from Robert J. Bell, former mayor of McAlester, concerning establishment of the depot.

"DARCCM Installation and Activity Brochure." June 30, Admini- strative Services Office, McAlester AAP. Provides basic information on the history and activities of the installation. "DARCOM Installation Inventory of Military Real Property." Computer printout, December 31, In files of Administrative Services Office, McAlester AAP. [Engineering Construction Drawings of Naval Ammunition Depot, McAlester, Oklahoma.] Facilities Engineering Office, McAlester, Oklahoma. Includes detailed information concerning construction of facilities at McAlester AAP. Historic American Buildings Survey / Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service. Guidelines for Inventories of Historic Buildings and Engineering and Industrial Structures. Unpublished draft, Schene, Meleo M.

[HISTORY OF MCALESTER NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT.] (C. In files of Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City. A detailed description of the establishment of McAlester AAP from to the start of construction. Woodside, Capt. E. L. "History of Naval Ammunition Depot, McAlester, Oklahoma, to 14 August (c. In files of Admi- nistratiove Services Office, McAlester AAP. A detailed description of the establishment of McAlester AAP site selection through the end of World War II. Includes extended discussions of both construction and industrial processes. *

Appendix

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant . OK-1 DEPARTMENT OF THE K /t, MCALESTER ARMY AMMUNITION MCALESTER, OKLAHOMA REPLY TO ATTENTION OF SARMC-AS 24 February SUBJECT: DARCOM Historic Survey TO: Mr. Stuart MacDonald Mr. Robert Hack 1. For security reasons, the following areas will not be available for your historical survey: a. 50 PC b. 7 AT c. 8 AT 2. The exclusion of these areas should not affect your survey since the same types of structures are located in other areas to which you have access. 3. Your understanding of our position in this matter is appreciated. FOR THE COMMANDER: -^HEOfJCOT L Major(P), TC Director for Administrative Services