Des Moines Ordnance Plant

Book excerpt: The Des Moines Ordnance Plant (DMOP) operated during World War II and produced nearly four billion .30 and .50 caliber bullets from January 1942 through July 1945. The Des Monies Ordnance Plant was located near the small, rural Iowa community of Ankeny, which was located approximately 8 miles north of Des Moines, the state's capital and most populated city. Beginning with United States involvement with the Allied countries in 1940 with the Lend Lease Act, this thesis details the activities that occurred from conception to reconversion of the plat to civilian use in 1947. The United States industrial complex prepared for a war footing in the United States and increased ordnance production was necessitated by this action. The Des Moines Ordnance Plant was one of twelve throughout the Midwest that were converted to ordnance production or newly constructed for the same purpose -- Numerous industrial home front issues are encountered during the life of the plant such as; growth of federal authority, Industrial and community infrastructure needs, government land acquisitions, civilian displacement, the effect of a large industrial complex in rural United States, labor issues involving both the construction and production process, material attainment and finally reconversion of the facility following the war. Imbedded in these discussions is the impact that the newly constructed ordnance plant, which at its peak employed nearly 19,000 people, had upon the predominantly rural setting in and around Ankeny, Iowa.