PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - Picatinny Arsenal employees observed the northern New Jersey military installation's 144th birthday on September 6.
Picatinny Arsenal is the Joint Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition, providing products and services to all branches of the U.S. military. Team Picatinny leads in the research, development, acquisition and lifecycle management of advanced conventional weapon systems and ammunition.
On September 6, 1880, the War Department established the Dover Powder Depot. Four days later, it changed the name to Picatinny Powder Depot. In 1907, the Army altered the name to Picatinny Arsenal and established its first powder factory on the site.
While continuing to produce munitions, the arsenal moved into research and development work with the start of a school to instruct officers in weaponry sciences in 1911 and the establishment of testing and control laboratories during the World War I era, and the beginning of a small, experimental plant for the design and development of artillery ammunition in 1919. In 1921, the arsenal took over responsibility for experimental work on fuzes.
The arsenal continued to realize its potential as a research and development facility in the years between the two world wars.
Major accomplishments of this period included better methods for storing smokeless powder, improved processing of cyclonite, more commonly called RDX, and the discovery of a new explosive, haleite. The discoverer was Dr. Ceorge C. Hale, the arsenal's chief chemist.
World War II interfered with the arsenal's efforts to concentrate on research and development. As one of the few facilities with the ability to manufacture munitions, it employed 18,000 people and ran three shifts turning out bombs and artillery shells. However, it still had its research triumphs, especially the development of a delay fuze for skip bombing and special bombs for dams and oil fields. It also pioneered production processes later transferred to munitions manufacturers around the country.
After World War II, Picatinny refocused its efforts on developing new weapons and munitions. Its support to the American forces in Korea included an improved bazooka and an illuminating rifle grenade. In periods of peace, the arsenal made important contributions to progress in the areas of radar, pyrotechnics, missiles, time fuzes, and nuclear munitions. When war broke out again, it gave troops in Vietnam a complete family of 40mm ammunition for grenade launchers and helicopter gunships.
In 1977, the Army recognized Picatinny's leadership in weapons and munitions development by headquartering its Armament Research and Development Command at the arsenal and giving it responsibility for developing small caliber weapons and munitions.
In 1983, the Army disestablished the Armament Research and Development Command and Picatinny became the home of the Armament Research and Development Center. In 1986, the name again changed to the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. Whatever the name, the installation leads the way in weapons and ammunition development.
Today, Picatinny's largest tenant organization is known as U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center.
Chris Grassano, Armaments Center Director sent the following message to the workforce in recognition of the installation's 144th birthday.
"Teammates,
"At times when someone celebrates a birthday, there may be an observation to the effect of, “It’s not so much how many years there are in your life, but how much life there is in your years.”
"On Sept. 6 Picatinny Arsenal will have its 144th Birthday, and while the Arsenal isn’t a person, it’s fair to say that it has had plenty of 'life' in the sense of its contributions and significance to the U.S. Army’s role in our nation’s defense.
"In an area that is now a part Picatinny Arsenal, ammunition was produced to support the American Revolution, but the government entity we now know as Picatinny did not exist until September 1880.
"Throughout its history, Picatinny’s role and activities have shifted and overlapped, ranging from a storage location for powder, munitions manufacturing with critical contributions during World War II and other conflicts, and more recently a greater emphasis on research and development.
"Throughout the decades of Picatinny’s existence, building on the achievements of those whose came before us is an ongoing process. Our efforts today--OUR part of Picatinny’s history--will also serve as a foundation for the progress of our future workforce.
"Picatinny’s birthday is more than just about the passage of time, or of the acreage upon which events occurred. It is also a celebration of that human drive and commitment, within all who have passed through the Canon Gates, both past and present, to excel in our mission to provide the best that we can deliver on behalf of our men and women in uniform. Picatinny Arsenal, Happy Birthday!"
Picatinny Arsenal's Commanding General and Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition, Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, also sent a message to the workforce.
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