MIDDLETOWN, Iowa -- Under cloudy skies and windy conditions, the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant held a Memorial Day Ceremony, May 26, to recognize and honor the 70 employees who have lost their lives while supporting their country.
Lt. Col. Aaron M. Wolfe, IAAAP commander, provided opening comments to a gathering of approximately 100 plant employees and guests.
"Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day, where we acknowledged and paid tribute to Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen who paid the ultimate sacrifice while answering the Nation's call to service," said Wolfe. "But it has often been patriots outside the military that have made the critical contributions that ensured victory for our troops."
The ceremony honored the employees who have lost their lives since ammunition production began at the plant in 1941. It was held at the Eagle Park Memorial, a monument which was erected in 2007, where the names are engraved in granite. During the ceremony, family members and plant employees placed a rose at the base of the monument to honor each victim.
"While this ceremony may be somber as we remember those whose lives were cut too short. It should also spark in us both celebration and gratitude, celebrating the love and friendship that the 70 people we are remembering today brought to our families and community," concluded Wolfe.
Maj. Gen. Paul S. Izzo (retired), President, American Ordnance LLC, provided remarks as the guest speaker.
"We honor today those who gave the ultimate sacrifice." said Izzo. "I know at times like these, words don't always say what we'd like them to say, but to all those who have lost a loved one, hopefully you can find some comfort in knowing that all of us here today share in your sorrow. We are all so very sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers remain for all who have given so much. All these heroic Americans and their families should never, ever fade from our memories. Their sacrifices allow us, all of us to live the kind of lives we are so blessed to enjoy today."
To honor the 70 employees who have died at IAAAP, many family members of victims from across Iowa and Illinois attended the ceremony.
LaVeta Smith, Dallas City, Illinois, represented the family of Sylvia Clark, who died in 1967 when she was 18 years old. Smith traveled with four family members who wore a sticker image of Sylvia on their clothing during the ceremony.
LaVera Leebold, Clark's sister, said the ceremony is important to her family. She said no one should forget the sacrifices the employees have made over the years.
Distinguished guests in attendance included Iowa State Senator Tom Courtney; Iowa State Representative Thomas Sands; Mayor of West Burlington, Iowa, Hans Trousill; as well as numerous leaders from the surrounding communities.
The ceremony featured a color guard and salute battery from a Burlington, Iowa, Veterans group, an invocation and benediction by Reverend Deb Kinney, First Presbyterian Church, and the reading of the names by Randy Kinney, Chief, Quality Assurance, IAAAP.
In November of 1940, 19,000 acres were acquired by the government in the Middletown, Iowa, area. Construction of the Iowa Ordnance Plant began in January 1941, and the first item rolled off the production line in September of 1942.
In 1963, the plant was renamed the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, and in 1998, American Ordnance, LLC, became the operating contractor.
The Iowa Army Ammunition plant is a subordinate installation of Joint Munitions Command, headquartered at the Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. JMC manages 14 ammunition manufacturing plants and storage depots that provide ammunition to all military services. Joint Munitions Command produces small-, medium- and large-caliber ammunition items for the Department of Defense, and is the logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition, and provides a global presence of technical support to U.S. combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed.
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