The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-08-13

explode In the furnace and p0SslDiy
foot tubs, flags, tents, tent stoves,
and mountain tents. Among thou
sands of other articles we're pack
kits, gasoline lanterns, emergency
rations, G. I. thread and needles,
compasses. pliers, sunburn cream,
chap stick, towels, and rubber pants.
Unique here was the fact that a
part Of the guard for daylight serv-
ice is made up of women: women
trained to do guard duty-to carry a
gun and use it. Police dogs aid the
guards at night.
Making Cartridges
Guns, cartridges, bombs and SIM
liar munitions, as well as war ma
chimes like tanks and armored
trucks, are made at the army's own
ordnance factories, or by private
manufacturers, under government
contract. One of these latter is the
Utah Ordnance plant in Salt Lake
City.
The plant area is about 5000 acres
with more than 175 buildings-10
miles of heavy track railroad and
II miles of surfaced road. Inner
and outer fences extend distance
of about 81 miles, most of which is
under "a hour surveillance by auxil-
larry military guard under direction
of the army.
This plant is the last word in a
modern line production system for
manufacturing small arms ammuni-
ton, such as 30-and so caliber ar
mor-piercing, tracer, incendiary and
ball shells. Here the principal cp-
creations are making the shell, the
bullet, and the prifner-bringing
them all together, and then filing
them with powder. The finished
ammunition is put into belts-or
clips and then packed in metal-lined
cases for shipment. ~
Outstanding in the plant is the
continuous rigid testing and check
ing-for on the efficient operation of
these munitions may depend the life
Of your son or husband. Finally a
certain percentage of each batch is
sent to the ballistics department,
where shells are actually fired in
guns used by the army and are
checked for accuracy, fire power
and penetration.
Tooele Ordnance Depot.
During war the various ordnance
manufacturing plants may ship di-
rect to the field Of action, but a
large part of the material must of
necessity be held in reserve in stor-
age. For this purpose the govern
ment has built huge storage depots
in strategic locations. These basic
supply depots are removed from the
seacoast for protection, yet so locat-
ed that war goods may be transport
ed swiftly by rail, highway or plane
to the points Of embarkation.
The army has built the Tooele
Ordnance depot at Tooele, Utah,
about 40 miles southwest Of Salt
Lake City. The depot, comprising
an area of some $4,000 acres, is
served by two transcontinental rail-
roads, giving quick access to the
Northwest, the San Francisco Bay
area and the Southwest impor-
tant ports for the Pacific theater of
war. Within the depot are $50 miles
Of hard surfaced highway and n
miles Of railway track. Five Diesel
switch engines handle freight cars.
The ordnance depot performs
three main functions first it is the
reserve storage for all munitions
including rifle and machine gun am
munition, shells and bombs Of all
sizes and weights. It stores re-
serves of ordnance equipment such
as pistols, rifles, machine guns, cam
non, trench mortars, and mobile
fighting equipment such as tanks,
jeeps, trucks and tractors.
Repair and Salvage.
Second, the ordnance depot is a
service organization. It puts equip
ment together, gets it ready for
shipment and ships it. It takes care