Kansas Army Ammunition Plant
Encyclopedia
The Kansas Army Ammunition Plant (Kansas AAP) was a 13727 acres (55.6 km²) government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) facility, established in 1942, located in Parsons, Kansas
. The plant produced ammunition during World War II
, the Korean War
, and the Vietnam War
. The plant was deactivated on March 4, 2009 as part of the Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
. The plant was last operated by Day and Zimmerman, Inc.
for the US Army and the M795 155 mm projectile for the US Marine Corps.
(EPA) inspected the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant to determine if the site needed to be cleaned up via RCRA or CERCLA. On September 30, 2003 the EPA found that the contamination at the site was under control.
Parsons, Kansas
Parsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
. The plant produced ammunition during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The plant was deactivated on March 4, 2009 as part of the Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
. The plant was last operated by Day and Zimmerman, Inc.
Production
While in operation, the Kansas AAP produced a variety of ammunition, from basic artillery and mortal shells to sophisticated air dropped munitions with advanced guidance and control systems. Some examples of munitions produced include the Sensor Fuzed Weapon for the US Air Force, M720 and M768 60 mm mortarsMortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
for the US Army and the M795 155 mm projectile for the US Marine Corps.
Environmental impact
The United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) inspected the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant to determine if the site needed to be cleaned up via RCRA or CERCLA. On September 30, 2003 the EPA found that the contamination at the site was under control.