When, nearly a century and a half ago, some 20 odd acres of land along the banks of the Frankford Creek were acquired by the U.S. Army as the site, of an arsenal, little was dreamed then, that one day a mighty institution dedicated to the defense of the nation would develop.  However, through the years, the building of that institution has been achieved, so that today, Frankford Arsenal, second oldest of all the so-called “old line” arsenals in the United States stands way out in front among all installations engaged in the vital task of insuring the means to defend the nation and preserve the peace.  

This year marks the 140th anniversary of the first purchase of the land upon which the Arsenal stands today.  On May 27, 1816, a plot of 20 acres and 34 perches were acquired by the government from one Frederick Fraley and his wife Catherine, for the sum of $7680.75.  This tract of land was located at what is now the corner of Bridge and Tacony Streets.  It fronted on Frankford Creek, then a navigable stream leading to the Delaware River.  It was admirably chosen for its water transportation facility.  Since that historic purchase of 20 acres, the area expanded in 1837 by the acquisition of the Kennedy tract, in 1849 with the Haines tract, in 1917 with the Lenning tract and the Fitler tracts in 1943 and 1951.

Construction Starts
Construction of the original building was begun soon after the land was purchased and on July 12, 1816, Capt. Joseph Rees, the first commanding officer reported “the cellars for the officers and men’s quarters have been dug.  The wharf is completed and receiving stone.”  On December 16, 1816, Capt. Rees reported, “the barracks have been completed and the men have moved in.”  Thus, this was the first construction completed for the Frankford Arsenal.  In the original group of buildings finally completed there were 11 structures, as follows: commanding officer’s quarters, 1823; assistant officer’s quarters, 1823; storehouse, 1816; mess hall, bake house and kitchen, 1820; storehouse, 1820; commissary office, 1817; barracks, 1817; hospital, 1825; gun shop, 1820; wagon shed, 1820; and powder magazine, 1822.

In the 140 years, this tiny cluster of sturdy brick buildings has grown to approximately 234 buildings housing a wide variety of manufacturing operation laboratories and about 30 assorted types of ammunition shed, the whole covering 112 acres.  Indeed the Arsenal has come a long way since those early days.  Born out of the storm of the war of 1812, it has advanced successively after each of the nation’s great war efforts and emerged stronger than before.  As Brigadier General Joseph M. Colby, present Commanding Officer recently said: “Because of the demonstrated skill of its people and their contribution to the national defense, Frankford Arsenal has always emerged from these struggles with greater recognition and strength, as other organizations, due to lack of foresight and contribution have faded into insignificance and disappeared.”

Look at the Record
Let us look at the record… Until the War with Mexico in 1846, the chief Arsenal activities were repair of Artillery and Infantry equipment, proving and testing musket and rifle powder, and as a general storage and distribution depot for ammunition, small arms, artillery, and cavalry equipment.  From the Mexican War to the Civil War, the Arsenal engaged mainly in storage, preservation, and repair of Ordnance stores, fabricating small quantities of ammunition and other miscellaneous items.  The first power driven machinery was introduced in March 1853.

During the Civil War, the Arsenal served as a Depot, receiving, storing, inspecting, and distributing supplies of all kinds.  Appreciable manufacturing, especially of persecution caps, bullets, cartridges and other small arms ammunition items, required a peak personnel of 1,550. After the war, only 550 were retained.

In 1865, center fire cartridges were developed and in October ridge cases for caliber .50 ser-1866, manufacture began of cart vice ammunition. From 1886 to the Spanish American War, depot activities decreased but manufacture of service ammunition and the necessary tool fabrication continued.

During the Spanish American War, Arsenal output expanded—all departments working at least two shifts.  Important manufactures were small arms ammunition, sights and instruments of all kinds, fuses, primers, and shrapnel.  Small arms ammunition production averaged 37,000,000 round, annually.  This had increased to 60,000,000 rounds prior to World War I.

During World War I, the small arms ammunition production consisted of caliber .30 and .45 types.  Reports from the field and tests conducted elsewhere, proved the Arsenal’s ammunition superior to all others.  Therefore, the Arsenal manufactured all caliber .30 tracers, incendiary and armor piercing ammunition for the Army and Navy aircraft.  From January 1917 through November 1918, 232,000,000 rounds were produced.  Difficulties hampered early production of cases and primers.  Primers were found to be defective and a new primer, Frankford Arsenal No. 70, was developed.

Millions of Rounds
During this period, millions of rounds of artillery ammunition, including shrapnel and high explosives we manufactured, loaded, and shipped.  However, as production mounted, recurring explosions of primers endangered the neighborhood residents.  Areas surrounding the Arsenal, once sparsely settled, had become densely populated.  Consequently, for safety, loading at the Arsenal was discontinued and moved to less populated areas.

During World War II, greater emphasis was placed on caliber .50 ammunition.  The Arsenal developed new types off ammunition, prepared drawings and specifications, set up quality standards, and conducted proof testing.  Small arms ammunition inspectors were trained here.  Caliber .60 ammunition was developed, tested, and pilot lines were set up and operated.  Approximately 1,386,000,000 rounds of service ammunition were produced from January 1942 through August 1945.  In addition, many experiments and miscellaneous types, such as blank, dummy, and high pressure test ammunition were included.

In 1927, coincident with the acquisition of the Junghans fuse, experiments and developments of the mechanical time fuse began.  In the emergency period, before the declaration of World War II, Frankford Arsenal was the only manufacture in the nation of mechanical time fuses.  Development and production had progressed so steadily since 1928 that when fuses by the millions were required, the Arsenal could and did, train both District Ordnance inspectors and Contractors representatives in the necessary manufacturing techniques.

Production Doubled
In addition to this, under an Arsenal plan developed in 1936, using selected automatic machinery and with layouts rearranged on a straight line production basis, shell manufacture was revolutionized.  Production in most instances was doubled.

Such production peaks, never before attained, could have been attributed to the uplift in morale when Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States, visited and toured the Arsenal on 23 October 1940.

He was greeted by 10,000 persons, assembled on the Parade Ground, where he addressed them.  Such accomplishments demanded and got recognition.  The Arsenal received an “E” award, the ARMY-NAVY PRODUCTION AWARD, 30 September 1942, from Brigadier General James Kirk, then Chief of Automotive Maintenance, Office Chief of Ordnance, for the Undersecretary of War, Robert P. Patterson.  Other productivity can be gauged from the volume of personnel which in April 1943 had reached 21,705.

Gauge Developed
When Eli Whitney, in 1801 demonstrated the feasibility of interchanging parts in making firearms, government inspections thereafter entailed the gauging of all mechanical items, either manufactured or purchased.  Contractors in those days checked their work by comparing it with a government loaned model.  A satisfactory gauge system was not involved until after the Civil War.  After 1880, some gauges were supplied.  The first star gauges for checking rifle barrels were made here.  From 1860 to 1916, the master armorer at each Arsenal was responsible for gauges, for material, within the “technical responsibility” of the Arsenal’s mission.  Separate gauge units within Ordnance were creations of World War I.  This Arsenal’s Gauge Department was founded in 1917.  Previously, some of these functions had been carried by the Instrument Department.  Production experience during World War I made it imperative that gauges be designed to insure the interchangeability of all future manufactured material.  Frankford’s gauge mission was expanded in July 1923 to cover gauge design and inspection equipment for all Ordnance Corps items of Small Arms Ammunition, Artillery Ammunition, and Fire Control material.  Automatic, electronic, and pneumatic principles are applied to inspection.  Presently, the Gauge Laboratory is responsible for supplying all special final inspection gauges, standard final inspection gauges, and measuring equipment for mission material.

Pitman Dunn Beginning
Although early history of the Arsenal refers to a “Laboratory,” laboratory work, as presently understood, began in 1864.  In April of that year, after discussion with the DuPont Powder Co., Captain Theodore T. S. Laidley, the Arsenal’s 17th commander, conducted experimental tests of the effect of powder explosions on the iron framework of buildings.  The Laidley Laboratory was built in 1868.  Testing powder, submitted by commercial concerns, was its main purpose.  With the adoption of smokeless powder by European governments about 1892, Captain John Pitman was assigned to study this sensational development, and organize a chemical laboratory.  Powder standards were established with such striking success that in 1896, Captain B. W. Dunn, inventor of Explosive D (ammonium picrate) was appointed to organize a study of all types of explosives.

In the same year, Mr. Williams, a Welshman and a Fellow of the Royal Society, became the Arsenal’s first chemist.  In July 1906, he was granted Patent No. 825,168 for progressive burning smokeless powder, a development as sensational as smokeless powder itself.  From 1900, the Arsenal Laboratory was regarded as the explosives center of the United States.  All commercial and government agencies consulted and used its facilities.  During World War I, the Laboratory supervised explosives manufacturing and handling, developed and standardized armor piercing bullets, cartridge cases, and compositions for tracer bullets.  In 1934, the Laboratory became the non-ferrous metallurgy center for the Ordnance Department.

Further Progress
Pursuing the fundamental theory that “if you can’t see ‘em, you can’t hit ‘em,” manufacture of precision sighting instruments was recognized as a major Arsenal activity as far back as 1894.  For example, the panoramic sights for the 3 inch field gun were first assembled in the Arsenal in 1903.  From that year onward development of these sights and telescopic sights continued.  Consolidation of various related activities resulted in formation of the Instrument Department in 1910.

Thus the Arsenal could make its own optical devices and as the years passed, develop standardization and interchangeability of various elements.  Space does not permit a more detailed description of this fascinating topic.  Suffice it however, that optics play a vital part in the Arsenal’s program of operation.

Fire control, another of the Arsenal’s important missions, has been a function since 1900.  It is interesting to note that the Fire Control Instrument Group comprises nearly 30 percent of the Arsenal personnel.  Formed in December 1950 as a consolidated section, this group has national mission responsibilities for practically everything pertaining to this extremely vital business.

Thus, in brief is the story of Frankford Arsenal, born a lusty infant 140 years ago and grown to a giant of strength.  Born a pioneer of the Delaware Valley, and remaining a lighthouse of inspiration not only to the Ordnance Corps, but to the citizens of Philadelphia and the entire United States.

As seen in the Bridesburg Bulletin May 25, 1956