Arsenal's WWI Veteran quietly retired

By John B. SnyderMarch 6, 2012

She served us well since 1916
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – To many oldtimers at the Arsenal, removing this 1916-era crane was bittersweet. Although she had not been used in many years, this 217-ton crane had moved millions of pounds of tubes since World War I. She is just another part of the historic Big G... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
She served us well since 1916
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
She served us well since 1916
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
She served us well since 1916
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
She served us well since 1916
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. -- Although she was a little overweight, having tipped the scales at more than 540,000 pounds, she moved with grace and precision providing support to our warfighters in every conflict since World War I.

The 217-ton crane that once aligned the ceiling in the historic "Big Gun Shop" was installed in 1916. Since then, she has moved millions of pounds of barrels ranging from the 16-inch guns for U.S. battleships to the artillery weapon systems that were widely used by U.S. forces in Vietnam.

Her last run was in 1982 and since then, she has quietly slept until February. Burt Crane & Rigging, a local company from Green Island, N.Y., lowered this once powerful crane and dismantled her on the floor where she once saw Arsenal workers toil to near exhaustion to provide our Nation's warfighters with guns that made them successful in every conflict since World War I.

The crane was removed last week to reduce the weight on the building's structure. During her tenure, this crane lifted and moved millions of pounds of tubes.

The Watervliet Arsenal (pronounced water-vleet") is an Army-owned and -operated manufacturing facility located in Watervliet, New York. The Arsenal is the oldest, continuously active arsenal in the United States having begun operations during the War of 1812.

Today's Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high tech, high powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark has an annual economic benefit to the local community in excess of $100 million.

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