The Story of Hawthorne and the Ammunition Depot
Hawthorne
1929
The question becomes what are these two very early, small panoramas of the Naval Ammunition Dump at Hawthrone doing in the Shamberger Family Archives? A munitions dump in a populated city is not anything like any of his other books.
The connection might be Charles Hendel. He was a long time resident of Weepah, Nevada and was a primary source for Shamberger on that city. He also is confirmed to have given Shamberger photographs.
When Hendel left Weepah in 1929 he ended up working as a civilian contractor for the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot.
The connection might be Charles Hendel. He was a long time resident of Weepah, Nevada and was a primary source for Shamberger on that city. He also is confirmed to have given Shamberger photographs.
When Hendel left Weepah in 1929 he ended up working as a civilian contractor for the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot.
Hawthorne Army Depot (as the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot is called now) is a U.S. Army ammunition storage depot located near the town of Hawthorne in western Nevada in the United States. It is directly south of Walker Lake. The depot covers 147,000 acres and has 600,000 square feet of storage space in 2,427 bunkers. It is the "World's Largest Depot" and is divided into three ammunition storage and production areas, plus an industrial area housing command headquarters, facilities engineering shops, etc.
Hawthorne Army Depot stores reserve ammunitions to be used after the first 30 days of a major conflict. As such, it is only partially staffed during peacetime, but provision has been made to rapidly expand staffing as necessary. The depot is run by an independent contractor under an agreement with the government.
It was established after a major disaster occurred at the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot, in New Jersey in 1926. The accident virtually destroyed the depot, causing heavy damage to the surrounding communities, killing 21 people, and seriously injuring 53 others. A court of inquiry investigating the explosion recommended that a depot be established in a remote area within 1,000 miles of the west coast to serve the Pacific area.
Construction began on Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot in July 1928, and the depot received its first shipment of high explosives on 19 October 1930. When the United States entered World War II, the Depot became the staging area for bombs, rockets, and ammunition for almost the entire war effort. Employment was at its highest at 5,625 in 1945. By 1948, NAD occupied about 104 square miles. It also served as an important ammunition center during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Hawthorne Army Depot stores reserve ammunitions to be used after the first 30 days of a major conflict. As such, it is only partially staffed during peacetime, but provision has been made to rapidly expand staffing as necessary. The depot is run by an independent contractor under an agreement with the government.
It was established after a major disaster occurred at the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot, in New Jersey in 1926. The accident virtually destroyed the depot, causing heavy damage to the surrounding communities, killing 21 people, and seriously injuring 53 others. A court of inquiry investigating the explosion recommended that a depot be established in a remote area within 1,000 miles of the west coast to serve the Pacific area.
Construction began on Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot in July 1928, and the depot received its first shipment of high explosives on 19 October 1930. When the United States entered World War II, the Depot became the staging area for bombs, rockets, and ammunition for almost the entire war effort. Employment was at its highest at 5,625 in 1945. By 1948, NAD occupied about 104 square miles. It also served as an important ammunition center during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Today it has 414 administrative and storage buildings, and 2,094 magazines providing an explosive storage.
Security for the bunkers - over 3,000 during World War II - at the Naval Ammunition Depot was provided by the U.S. Marine Corps. Beginning in September 1930 and during World War II, 600 Marines were assigned to the facility. By 1977, that number had been reduced to 117; security is now contracted to a private company.
The mission and functions at the Ammunition Depot remained much the same over the facility's history. The mission, as stated in a 1962 Navy Command History, was to "receive, renovate, maintain, store and issue ammunition, explosives, expendable ordnance items and/or weapons and technical ordnance material and perform additional tasks as directed by the Bureau of Naval Weapons."
Although the staffing at the depot is now very minimal, it is always maintained to grow as necessary in case of a major conflict.
1. Joint Munitions Command website
2. Wikipedia
Security for the bunkers - over 3,000 during World War II - at the Naval Ammunition Depot was provided by the U.S. Marine Corps. Beginning in September 1930 and during World War II, 600 Marines were assigned to the facility. By 1977, that number had been reduced to 117; security is now contracted to a private company.
The mission and functions at the Ammunition Depot remained much the same over the facility's history. The mission, as stated in a 1962 Navy Command History, was to "receive, renovate, maintain, store and issue ammunition, explosives, expendable ordnance items and/or weapons and technical ordnance material and perform additional tasks as directed by the Bureau of Naval Weapons."
Although the staffing at the depot is now very minimal, it is always maintained to grow as necessary in case of a major conflict.
1. Joint Munitions Command website
2. Wikipedia