Blue grass army depot bases commissary exchange my. The chemical weapons originally stored at the depot consisted of various munitions and ton containers containing gb and vx nerve agents and hd blister agent. What drifted through the air ripped into their bodies, ruining their health, now workers at the umatilla chemical depot want to know whether is was nerve gas and what the army is not telling them. Umatilla chemical depot news and links injured worker. Umatilla chemical depot umcd united states nuclear forces.
In the 1880s competition from the oregon railway and navigation company led to a decline. After world war ii, the depot continued to store and supply munitions until 1962, when the installations name was changed to the umatilla. It makes our work day an hour shorter, which is pretty substantial in my book. Between 1962 and 1969, chemical weapons were received and. Between 1962 and 1969, chemical weapons were received and stored at the depot. There are lots of wonderful artifacts and history from the area currently on display, including information about the the construction of mcnary dam.
Army corps of engineers began planning the construction of the umatilla ordnance depot in the summer of 1940. The umatilla army ordnance depot stored and supplied munitions to the. All of the armys records on the 1999 incident are freely available to anyone for inspection at the umatilla depot, he says. Umatilla army ordnance depot stored and supplied munitions to the army until the early 1990s. Land use database the center for land use interpretation. Reservation, oregon, on behalf of the umatilla army depot reuse authority with financial support from the office of economic adjustment, department of. Construction of the umatilla army ordnance depot began in january. Defense base closure and realignment commission and was provided to unt digital library by the unt libraries government documents department. Remembering the men of camp stanfield northeast oregon now. The umatilla chemical depot in northeast oregon is nearing the end of its mission. Sierra army depot, herlong, lassen county, ca library of. Army umatilla chemical weapons depot hermiston, oregon.
Umatilla chemical depot to mark 67 years since massive. The umatilla chemical depot bunkers were used as storage for wwii and cold war era conventional ammunition of all types, as well chemical weapons such as containing gb and vx nerve agents and hd. The population in 2010 was 6,906, but the citys population includes approximately 2,000 inmates incarcerated at two rivers correctional institution. Hermiston, or 97838, usa, united states try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary. As many as 900 current and former workers at the umatilla chemical. Army chemical materials agency cma for the national research council to examine and evaluate the ongoing planning for closure of the four currently operational baseline incineration chemical agent disposal facilities and. The chemical weapons originally stored at the depot consisted of various munitions and 1 short ton 2,000 lb. The mission of the base hasnt changed at all over the decades. Just like dozens of other bases, it was established in 1941. For over 25 years, we have brought savings and promotions directly to active and retired military families worldwide. Hermiston after 70 years stockpiling the nations most nightmarish rockets, bombs and war chemicals, the umatilla chemical depots.
The museum has a rich history that covers the 156 years that the city of umatilla has been in existence. Roadtrippers the umatilla chemical depot, umcd based in umatilla, oregon, was a u. Last of umatilla depots chemical weapons destroyed, now the. Army installation in the united states that stored chemical weapons.
Army depot activity umatilla was one of the first world war ii ammunition supply depots constructed by the ordnance department, and the majority of its structures were built in 19411942. The depot incinerated its final container of mustard agent oct. Aaron walks in to find out what the operation consist of. Established in 1941, umatilla depot was one of the first ammunition storage depots begun under the armys preworld war ii mobilization program. After leaving the ccc, joe went to work on the construction of the umatilla army depot and continued working there until his retirement in 1973. Mccandlish, the plaintiffs lawyer, responds that he used foia after being denied access to the construction site on grounds that his requested visit to look at the accident scene was nonmissionrelated. The tally of accomplishments during the mccall years included creation of the department of environmental quality 1969, extensive research and solution to willamette valley fieldburning, blocking of shipment of additional tons of nerve gas to the umatilla army depot, creation of the willamette greenwaya 170milelong corridor of easements and park properties, the bottle bill 1971.
The umatilla chemical agent disposal facility destroyed nearly 4,000 tons of chemical agent since it began incinerating the material in september 2004. The umatilla chemical depot, umcd based in umatilla, oregon, was a u. The property was supposed to return to local control in 2015, but even today, much of the land remains in. The chemical weapons originally stored at the depot consisted of various munitions. The 17,000 plus acres was owned by local people and the blm. Army depot activity, umatilla, hermiston, umatilla county, or data pages. Like other installments of this era, umatilla army depot was established in support of world. Lois was born on april 7, 1932 and passed away on sunday, december 1, 2019. One of the states 23 port districts, the port of umatilla was created in 1940 to bring waterborne commerce to umatilla.
Aaron baker notices a umatilla chemical depot outreach building in downtown hermiston, oregon. Umatilla army depot, hermiston ticket price timings. The umatilla army depot near hermiston became a sprawling repository for munitions in hundreds of semisubterranean silos. For those of us for which umatilla army depot was just a name for some place. A stunning landscape of bunkers that once stored chemical weapons. Whats next for the 20,000 acre military installation. Umatilla army depot reuse authority umadra for more information go to the columbia development authority website. In 1962, the facility began to store chemical weapons as well, coincident with its name being changed to the umatilla army depot. The umatilla chemical depot, which armed and supplied soldiers through world war ii and wars in korea and vietnam, stored chemical. In october 2011, the army completed destruction of the last chemical munitions materials that had been stored at the umatilla chemical depot.
County historical society released a new hardcover pictorial history book entitled umatilla county memories. Armys umatilla ordnance depot stenciling and inspecting 155millimeter artillery shells. The umatilla chemical depot umcd was one of nine army. Umatilla chemical depot hermiston, oregon atlas obscura. Development authority waits to receive the former umatilla chemical depot from the u. It was taken by an oregon journal photographer in april 1943 the u. Discover umatilla chemical depot in hermiston, oregon. For 49 years the army has stored dangerous chemical weapons there. The army also constructed hangars and airfields at portland, astoria, newport, north bend, and floras lake. Cochranes history lists 22 papers and books published by 1920, which stood as. Carved out of the sagebrush 11 miles west of hermiston in 1941, the depot served as a world war ii repository for rockets, bombs and. The umatilla army depot lagoons site occupies about 20,000 acres in. Its pretty surreal when you go out there in the field.
Facility construction was completed in 2001, and the army began testing the facility. Lawyers for the workers at the umatilla chemical depot charge that investigators from the army and raytheon, a defense contractor, concealed. Arms plant workers contend army covered up gas leaks the. With rail lines nearby, plus a port on the columbia river, the site allowed easy movement of munitions while being inland enough to be safe from sea attacks. Umatilla chemical depot to mark 67 years since massive blast. Umatilla is also home to the only two strip clubs in eastern oregon. Construction on the site began in 1941, and within 10 months, the army base was operational. This is followed by a description of the organization of chemical warfare research. Fire burns across about half of umatilla army depot tri. In 1940, the us army selected a 16,000 acre plot of barren oregon sagebrush land for a new military installation.
During world war ii, she got a teaching certificate at the young age of 18. Initially christened the umatilla army ordnance depot at the time of its founding in 1941, the site was peppered with 1,000 storage bunkers spread over its 19,700 acres, which were used to secure conventional munitions. History and analysis of mustard agent and lewisite research. A fire burned across about half of the 7,500 acres of the former umatilla chemical depot before it was contained monday, according to the oregon military department. Let us be your host, and allow you to relax and focus on the people and travel experiences that really matter during your stay at our umatilla hotel.
Army depot activity, umatilla, hermiston, umatilla. All munitions had been safely destroyed by 2011 and base closure. The us army specifically picked this location in eastern oregon, because it was vast, had a low population, and was located near the columbia river, railroad tracks and major highway system. This book responds to a request by the director of the u. Eight decades of realpolitik herman j cohens latest book. It was established as an army ordnance depot in 1941. Review of closure plans for the baseline incineration. The depot began storing chemical weapons between 1962 and 1969, ending up with about 12% of the nations chemical weapons.
Construction of the umatilla army ordnance depot began in 1941. Oregon training center helps soldiers transition to infantry. Umatilla chemical depot the umatilla chemical depot, umcd based in umatilla, oregon, was a u. The umatilla chemical depot opened in 1941, to prepare for world war ii. Umatilla county depot plan district zoning umatilla army depot military zone depot industrial umatilla depot. Army identified twenty thousand acres straddling the umatilla and morrow county line, eight miles west of hermiston, as the site for a military munitions and supply depot. Umatilla chemical weapons depot, umatilla roadtrippers. Umatilla chemical depot umcd is a 19,728acre military facility located in northeastern oregon, on the border of morrow and umatilla counties.
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