Utah Military Facilities

This page was last updated on July 10, 2025.

(This page is under construction, and for now is simply a place to put things...)

Overview

Utah has been the home of several rail-served military facilities, especially since World War II.

Utah was the home of at least six other very large military facilities, for all branches of the military. Utah was selected because it was the hub of cross-country rail lines and highways. It also helped that Utah's politicians were very well placed in the Democratic power structure.

These military facilities were the result of legislation that created the federally funded Reconstruction Finance Corporation, whose subsidiaries included the Defense Plant Corporation, which itself was responsible for numerous new railroad locomotives. Jesse H. Jones was the head of the RFC.

Under the newly passed legislation, the RFC was authorized to set up subsidiaries (federal agencies) to accomplish the goals of the preparedness program. Among the myriad of organizations established were Defense Plant Corporation, Defense Supplies Corporation, Metals Reserve Company, Rubber Reserve Company, United States Commercial Company, War Damage Corporation, Petroleum Reserves Corporation and Defense Homes Corporation. During World War II, more than 20 billion dollars was disbursed for the war effort under Jones. In addition, he was instrumental in establishing the new synthetic rubber and magnesium industries. Below are some highlights of Jones' efforts through these agencies to help America build its great "arsenal of democracy."

Defense Plant Corporation

Much of American industrial expansion during World War II was financed by the RFC through the Defense Plant Corporation. The War and Navy Departments, the Office of Production management, the War Production Board and the Maritime Commission would request what they needed and in turn, the DPC would ensure that the plants were constructed, equipped and operated. Jones negotiated the contracts for the construction and operation of the plants and managed the corporation along with Emil Schram and Sam Husbands, both of whom were presidents of the organization during the war.

From its inception in August 1940 through 1945, the Defense Plant Corporation disbursed over nine billion dollars on 2,300 projects in 46 states and overseas. Most of this money was used to build and equip new factories and mills. In general, the plants were leased to private companies to operate. In spending these billions, the government acquired a dominant position in several industries, such as aircraft manufacture, nonferrous metals, machine tools, synthetic rubber and shipping.

The materials and supplies produced during the war ranged from tiny jewel bearings to giant guns, tanks, ships and airplanes. In fact, about half of outlays were used directly or indirectly for aviation. Next to the Geneva, Utah steel mill, the most expensive single Defense Plant Corporation project was the $176,000,000 Dodge Chicago plant, which manufactured aircraft engines for the B-29 and B-32 airplanes. The plant's nineteen one story buildings stretched over 6,300,000 square feet -- about 145 acres -- of floor space. It was so large that it had its own steel forge and aluminum foundry and could take in raw material at one end and turn out finished engines at the other.

(Read the Wikipedia article about the Defense Plant Corporation)

Defense Supplies Corporation

Jesse Jones felt that Defense Supplies Corporation was the most versatile of the agencies set up under the RFC. He described it as a "catch-all, go-anywhere, do- anything organization." Over nine billion dollars in buying, lending and subsidizing was disbursed in the United States and 45 foreign countries. More than five billion dollars was used to buy, stockpile and distribute 200 kinds of commodities, ranging from abaca (Manila hemp), to silk and wool.

The Defense Supplies Corporation (DSC) was a subsidiary of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) during World War II. It was established to manage the procurement and supply of materials essential for the war effort, including commodities like wool, rubber, and other strategic resources. The DSC played a significant role in buying, stockpiling, and distributing these materials both domestically and in foreign countries. Ultimately, the DSC was dissolved in 1945, with its functions, assets, and liabilities transferred to the RFC.

The DSC was one of several subsidiary corporations created under the RFC to manage various aspects of wartime mobilization and resource management.

The DSC was tasked with procuring, stockpiling, and distributing strategic materials needed for the war effort. This included commodities like wool, rubber, and other materials critical for military production and civilian needs.

The DSC operated not only within the United States but also in 45 foreign countries, managing the flow of essential resources.

In 1945, with the war nearing its end, the DSC was dissolved, and its responsibilities and assets were transferred to the parent organization, the RFC. This transfer was formalized by a joint resolution of Congress according to Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center.

Hill Air Force Base

Sunset, Utah

Hill Air Forse Base was an outgrowth of Ogden Arsenal. Both the Ogden Arsenal and Hill Field (later Hill Air Force Base) had extensive warehoue facilities, all of which were served by a large rail network.

(Read the Wikipedia article about Hill Air Force Base)

Utah Historical Quarterly, Vol 33, No 2, Spring 1963, "Utah's Biggest Business: Ogden Air Materiel Area at Hill Air Force Base, 1938-1965" (PDF; 27 pages; 7.5 MB)

NSD Clearfield

Naval Supply Depot Clearfield

(Read more about NSD Clearfield)

Ogden Arsenal

Sunset, Utah

(Read more about Ogden Arsenal)

Small Arms Ammunition Plant

Salt Lake City

Tooele Army Depot

(Read more about Tooele Army Depot)

Utah General Depot/Defense Depot Ogden

(Read more about Defense Depot Ogden)

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