Watervliet Arsenal

	Watervliet Arsenal
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	Template:Infobox NRHP/conv
	File:Watervliet Arsenal museum.GIF Historic Iron Building
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Location	Broadway; Watervliet, New York
Coordinates	Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Area	142 acres (57 ha)
NRHP reference No.	[[[:Template:NRHP Focus]] 66000503]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 13, 1966
Designated Template:Infobox NRHP/conv	November 13, 1966

Watervliet Arsenal (WVA)
Watervliet Arsenal (WVA)
	File:Official U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal unit insignia.png
Active	July 14, 1813 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	U.S. Army
Type	Arsenal
Role	Manufacturer of large caliber cannon, howitzer and mortar systems
Part of	U.S. Army Materiel Command, U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command
Website	https://www.wva.army.mil
Commanders
Current; commander	Col. Jason W. Schultz, PhD

File:TACOM DUI.gif

TACOM distinctive unit insignia

File:16-inch coast artillery gun stamped Watervliet Arsenal 1921.jpg

A 16-inch M1920 coast artillery howitzer, stamped Watervliet Arsenal, 1921

File:New York - Watervliet - NARA - 68145273 (cropped).jpg

Aerial view of the aersenal in 1937

The Watervliet Arsenal (WVA) /ˈwɔːtərvliːt/ is an arsenal of the United States Army located in Watervliet, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River. It is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, and today produces much of the artillery for the army, as well as gun tubes for cannons, mortars, and tanks. It has been a National Historic Landmark (NHL) since 1966.^[1]^[2]

Watervliet Arsenal falls under its headquarters, the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command under the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

The arsenal was founded on July 14, 1813, to support the War of 1812. It was designated as the Watervliet Arsenal in 1817. It occupies 142 acres (57 ha) of land, approximately 8 miles (13 km) north of Albany, New York. The location is adjacent to the Hudson River. The site contains manufacturing, administrative offices and storage areas. It houses the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command Benét Laboratories, which does product development, improvement, research, and testing for all artillery related engineering.

Introduction

WVA supports the U.S. Army’s fighting force with direct fire tank guns, indirect fire artillery cannons, mortars and components, sustainment parts, and spares for all weapon systems produced at WVA.

Tenant activities

The Arsenal has the historic Iron Building, which served as the home of the Watervliet Arsenal Museum. The museum was closed in October 2013 for security reasons.^[3]

Recruiting Station Albany, the headquarters of a United States Marine Corps recruiting station, is located on the Arsenal.

In February 2009, the headquarters of the United States Army Recruiting Battalion Albany relocated to Watervliet Arsenal from its old location on Wolf Road.

History

1813–1823

The arsenal was chosen to be built at the edge of the village of Gibbonsville, directly opposite Troy, New York. It was chosen to be built there due to its key location on the Hudson River, only 60 miles (97 km) from Lake Champlain, 140 miles (230 km) from New York City, and a short distance via the Mohawk River to Lake Ontario. During the early stages of the War of 1812, attacks could be expected from many key ports and other locations.

At the time, the Colonel of Ordnance was Decius Wadsworth. He designated the arsenal to produce fixed ammunition and small articles of equipment including gun carriages, drag ropes, ladles, wormers, sponges, and shot. The original plot of land acquired by the Department of Ordnance was 12 acres (49,000 m²). Construction began in the summer of 1813 on fourteen buildings: south and north gun houses, a brick arsenal, two stables, a guard house, commanding officer's quarters, a woodshed, two enlisted men's quarters, a hospital and one office. The cost for the land was US$2,585.

1880s

File:Leslie's Weekly - Forging Ironwork for Gun Carriages at the Watervliet Arsenal, West Troy, N.Y. - importantevents00franrich 0082.jpg

Woodcut titled "Forging Ironwork for Gun Carriages at the Watervliet Arsenal, West Troy, N.Y." in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, circa 1895

Nearly 70 years after the arsenal produced its first products, it gained national prominence when it became the Army's first large caliber cannon manufacturer in the late 1880s. During this period, production changed from the manufacturing of saddles and gun carriages to cannons. Remnants of this period are still in operation today, via the continued use of historic Building 110, "The Big Gun Shop," for manufacturing missions. This gun shop once produced 16-inch guns and many other weapons for the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps.

1970s-present

A considerable turning point in the modernization of Watervliet Arsenal was the construction of the radial forge in the 1970s, a $7 million dollar expenditure.^[5]^[6]^[7]

As of 2023 Watervliet Arsenal is manufacturing cannon barrels for the M1 Abrams tank.^[8]

Watervliet Arsenal released plans to replace the iconic rotary forge on June 23, 2023 as part of its modernization plan under the U.S. Army Materiel Command's planned modernization of the U.S. Army's organic industrial base. Additionally, Watervliet Arsenal plans on replacing its paint booth with an automated booth that will expand capacity and capabilities.

On July 31, 2023, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Charles Schumer announced the U.S. Congress and U.S. Army's allocation of $1.7 billion in investment in Watervliet Arsenal. This is the largest investment since REARM in the 1980s and is geared towards improving facilities, equipment and professional development and skills training of employees.

Commanding officers


No.	Portrait	Name (rank shown highest while in command)	Dates of Command
-	No image available	Cpt. Thomas L. Campbell	Interim Commander July 14, 1813 - 1816
1	No image available	Maj. James Daliba	November 14, 1816 - May 1, 1824
2	File:Lt. Col Talcott.jpg	Lt. Col. George Talcott	September 1, 1824 - January 25, 1835
3	File:Lt. Col. William J. Worth.jpg	Lt. Col. William J. Worth	January 26, 1835 - April 30, 1838
4	File:Col. Rufus L. Baker.jpg	Col. Rufus L. Baker	October 10, 1838 - October 10, 1851
5	File:Maj. John Symington.jpg	Maj. John Symington	October 10, 1851 - June 23, 1857
6	File:Maj. Alfred Mordecai.jpg	Maj. Alfred Mordechai	June 23, 1857 - May 14, 1861
7	File:Col. William A. Thornton.jpg	Col. William A. Thornton	May 15, 1861 - December 25, 1863
8	File:Brig. Gen. Peter V. Hagner.jpg	Brig. Gen. Peter V. Hagner	December 25, 1863 - December 3, 1880
9	File:Lt. Col. A. R. Buffington.jpg	Lt. Col. A. R. Buffington	December 3, 1880 - November 2, 1881
10	File:Col. Alfred Mordecai, Jr.jpg	Col. Alfred Mordechai Jr.	November 2, 1881 - May 12, 1886
11	File:Col. James M. Whittemore.jpg	Col. James M. Whittemore	June 5, 1886 - November 11, 1889
12	File:Lt. Col. Francis H. Parker.jpg	Lt. Col. Francis H. Parker	November 21, 1889 - December 12, 1892
13	File:Lt. Col. Isaac Arnold.jpg	Lt. Col. Isaac Arnold	December 19, 1892 - February 14, 1898
14	File:Col. Alfred Mordecai, Jr.jpg	Col. Alfred Mordechai Jr.	February 23, 1898 - May 8, 1899
15	File:Col. Joseph P. Farley.jpg	Col. Joseph P. Farley	May 26, 1899 - February 17, 1903
16	File:Lt. Col. Shaler.jpg	Lt. Col. Charles Shaler	February 18, 1903 - July 13, 1903
17	File:Col. Daniel M. Taylor.jpg	Col. Daniel M. Taylor	July 14, 1903 - March 31, 1905
18	File:Lt. Col. Ira MacNutt.jpg	Lt. Col. Ira MacNutt	May 1, 1905 - January 7, 1908
19	File:Col. William W. Gibson.jpg	Col. William W. Gibson	January 20, 1908 - February 17, 1918
20	File:Col. John E. Munroe.jpg	Col. John E. Munroe	March 1, 1918 - September 3, 1918
21	File:Col. Charles G. Mettler.jpg	Col. Charles G. Mettler	September 3, 1918 - March 10, 1919
22	File:Col. J. Walker Benet.jpg	Col. J. Walker Benet	March 11, 1919 - May 28, 1921
23	File:Lt. Col. William I. Westervelt.jpg	Lt. Col. William I. Westervelt	May 31, 1921 0 September 1, 1923
24	File:Col. Edwin D. Bricker.jpg	Col. Edwin D. Bricker	October 1, 1923 - July 30, 1929
25	File:Col. Herman W. Schull.jpg	Col. Herman W. Schull	September 9, 1929 - February 27, 1932
26	File:Maj. Charles A. Schimelfenig.jpg	Maj. Charles A. Schimelfenig	February 28, 1932 - July 31, 1932
27	File:Col. Gilbert H. Stewart.jpg	Col. Gilbert H. Stewart	August 1, 1932 - September 12, 1938
28	File:Col. Richard H. Somers.jpg	Col. Richard H. Somers	November 14, 1938 - July 17, 1940
29	File:Brig. Gen. A. G. Gillespie.jpg	Brig. Gen. A. G. Gillespie	July 19, 1940 - March 31, 1945
30	File:Col. Clarence E. Partridge.jpg	Col. Clarence E. Partridge	April 1, 1945 - April 30, 1946
31	File:Col. John C. Raaen.jpg	Col. John C. Raaen	May 1, 1946 - September 2, 1947
32	File:Col. Harry N. Rising.jpg	Col. Harry N. Rising	September 4, 1947 - August 15, 1952
33	File:Col. Richard Z. Crane.jpg	Col. Richard Z. Crane	September 1, 1952 - August 31, 1954
34	File:Col. Elmo S. Matthews.jpg	Col. Elmo S. Matthews	September 20, 1954 - June 30, 1958
35	File:Col. Walter M. Tisdale.jpg	Col. Walter M. Tisdale	August 13, 1958 - January 31, 1962
36	File:Col. Keith T. O'Keefe.jpg	Col. Keith T. O'Keefe	February 1, 1962 - July 31, 1965
37	File:Col. Fred Kornet Jr.jpg	Col. Fred Kornet, Jr.	August 1, 1965 - September 14, 1967
38	File:Col. Arthur H. Sweeny, Jr.jpg	Col. Arthur H. Sweeny, Jr.	November 1967 - August 19, 1968
39	File:Col. William Mulheron, Jr.jpg	Col. William Mulheron, Jr.	December 20, 1968 - June 30, 1971
40	File:Col. Christopher S. Maggio.jpg	Col. Christopher S. Maggio	July 15, 1971 - August 31, 1973
41	File:Col. Richard H. Sawyer.jpg	Col. Richard H. Sawyer	September 9, 1973 - July 24, 1975
42	File:Col. Malcolm V. Meekison.jpg	Col. Malcolm V. Meekison	July 25, 1975 - August 29, 1976
43	File:Col. Church M. Matthews, Jr.jpg	Col. Church M. Matthews, Jr.	September 21, 1976 - September 8, 1978
44	File:Col. Robert W. Pointer, Jr.jpg	Col. Robert W. Pointer, Jr.	September 8, 1978 - July 14, 1980
45	File:Col. Gerald R. Wetzel.jpg	Col. Gerald R. Wetzel	July 14, 1980 - July 19, 1983
46	File:Col. Edward V. Karl.jpg	Col. Edward V. Karl	July 19, 1983 - January 22, 1986
47	File:Col. Robert T. Walker.jpg	Col. Robert T. Walker	January 22, 1986 - July 14, 1988
48	File:Col. Joseph H. Mayton, Jr.jpg	Col. Joseph H. Mayton, Jr.	July 14, 1988 - July 19, 1990
49	File:Col. Michael J. Neuman.jpg	Col. Michael J. Neuman	July 19, 1990 - March 20, 1992
50	File:Col. Bernard P. Thomas.jpg	Col. Bernard P. Thomas	March 20, 1992 - March 31, 1994
51	File:Col. John R. Hostettler.jpg	Col. John R. Hostettler	March 31, 1994 - May 22, 1996
52	File:Col. John C. Rickman.jpg	Col. John C. Rickman	May 22, 1996 - July 9, 1998
53	File:Col. Gene E. King.jpg	Col. Gene E. King	July 9, 1998 - July 11, 2000
54	File:Col. John R. Cook.jpg	Col. John R. Cook	July 11, 2000 - July 11, 2002
55	File:Col. Donald C. Olson.jpg	Col. Donald C. Olson	July 11, 2002 - July 29, 2005
56	File:Col. Kevin R. Moore.jpg	Col. Kevin R. Moore	July 29, 2005 - July 11, 2008
57	File:Col. Scott Fletcher.jpg	Col. Scott Fletcher	July 11, 2008 - July 9, 2010
58	File:Col. Mark F. Migaleddi.jpg	Col. Mark F. Migaleddi	July 9, 2010 - July 18, 2013
59	File:Col. Lee H. Schiller, Jr.jpg	Col. Lee H. Schiller, Jr.	July 18, 2013 - July 28, 2016
60	File:Col. Joseph R. Morrow.jpg	Col. Joseph R. Morrow	July 28, 2016 - July 24, 2018
61	File:Col. Milton G. Kelly.jpg	Col. Milton G. Kelly	August 21, 2018 - July 21, 2020
62	File:Col. Earl B,. Schonberg, Jr.jpg	Col. Earl B. Schonberg, Jr.	July 21, 2020 - July 22, 2022
63	File:Col. Alain G. Fisher.jpg	Col. Alain G.Fisher	July 22, 2022 - July 25, 2024
64	File:Col. Jason W. Schultz, PhD.jpg	Col. Jason W. Schultz, PhD	July 25, 2024 - Present

References

↑ ^{Jump up to: 1.0} ^1.1 "Watervliet Arsenal". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. 2007-09-11. http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=359&ResourceType=District.
↑ Robert W. Craig and Lauren Archibald (October 1985). [[[:Template:NHLS url]] "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Watervliet Arsenal"] (pdf). National Register of Historic Places Inventory (National Park Service). Template:NHLS url. and Template:NHLS url (4.77 MiB)
↑ Crowe, Kenneth (8 August 2014). "Plans dropped for revamped Watervliet Arsenal Museum". Albany Times Union. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Watervliet-Arsenal-Museum-won-t-reopend-5676595.php.
↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP.
↑ "Watervliet Arsenal: What just happened?" (in en). 7 June 2012. https://www.army.mil/article/81038/watervliet_arsenal_what_just_happened.
↑ "FINAL RCRA FACILITY INVESTIGATION REPORT MAIN MANUFACTURING AREA WATERVLIET ARSENAL, Watervliet, New York". US Army Corps of Engineers. https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/401034A/Report.RCRA.401034A.2000-11-01.RFI_Volume_1.pdf.
↑ Defense, United States Congress Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of (1973) (in en). Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1974: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, Ninety-third Congress, First Session, on H.R. 11575, an Act Making Appropriations for the Departartment of Defense for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1974, and for Other Purposes. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. RA1-942. https://books.google.com/books?id=tYr09tIiD3oC&pg=RA1-PA942.
↑ Michaels, Daniel. "At a Steam-Age Arsenal, U.S. Army Forges Cannons for a Digital Era, War in Ukraine". WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-a-steam-age-arsenal-u-s-army-forges-cannons-for-a-digital-era-war-in-ukraine-68e51440.

External links

Template:NYMilitary Template:National Register of Historic Places in New York

Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 158: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

[nhlsum-1] {Jump up to: 1.0} ^1.1 "Watervliet Arsenal". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. 2007-09-11. http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=359&ResourceType=District.

[nrhpinv2-2] Robert W. Craig and Lauren Archibald (October 1985). [[[:Template:NHLS url]] "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Watervliet Arsenal"] (pdf). National Register of Historic Places Inventory (National Park Service). Template:NHLS url. and Template:NHLS url (4.77 MiB)

[3] Crowe, Kenneth (8 August 2014). "Plans dropped for revamped Watervliet Arsenal Museum". Albany Times Union. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Watervliet-Arsenal-Museum-won-t-reopend-5676595.php.

[nris-4] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP.

[5] "Watervliet Arsenal: What just happened?" (in en). 7 June 2012. https://www.army.mil/article/81038/watervliet_arsenal_what_just_happened.

[6] "FINAL RCRA FACILITY INVESTIGATION REPORT MAIN MANUFACTURING AREA WATERVLIET ARSENAL, Watervliet, New York". US Army Corps of Engineers. https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/401034A/Report.RCRA.401034A.2000-11-01.RFI_Volume_1.pdf.

[7] Defense, United States Congress Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of (1973) (in en). Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1974: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, Ninety-third Congress, First Session, on H.R. 11575, an Act Making Appropriations for the Departartment of Defense for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1974, and for Other Purposes. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. RA1-942. https://books.google.com/books?id=tYr09tIiD3oC&pg=RA1-PA942.

[8] Michaels, Daniel. "At a Steam-Age Arsenal, U.S. Army Forges Cannons for a Digital Era, War in Ukraine". WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-a-steam-age-arsenal-u-s-army-forges-cannons-for-a-digital-era-war-in-ukraine-68e51440.

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