WAR EFFORT This poster, produced by the French graphic designer Jean Carlu for the U.S. government in 1942, captures the spirit of the huge World War II-era expansion in facilities producing ammunition, explosives, hardware and even tanks. (Photo courtesy of the University of North Texas Digital Library)


the first time, these facilities were largely government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) manufacturing plants. Tis arrangement allowed private firms to contribute on a massive scale with mini- mal capital investment and without the risks


associated with owning capacity after the war.


Te War Department built a staggering 77 GOCO plants


from 1940 to 1942.


Tese facilities, producing ammunition, explosives, various hardware and even


tanks, were in addition to the existing government-operated arsenals and count- less civilian factories that had converted to wartime production.


In addition to the creation of GOCO plants, this period saw the establishment of a new type of


facility: maintenance


depots. Unlike the relatively small stor- age depots of the past, these factory-like facilities enabled the Army to conduct high-volume equipment repair, upgrade and refurbishment—essential capabilities


to sustain materiel in a protracted fight against the Axis powers.


Postwar international relations encour- aged the United States


to maintain a


large standing peacetime Army for the first


time arms in its history. Additionally,


unlike after previous conflicts, private industry continued to provide signifi- cant


and equipment while the


Army retained a sizable portion of its own industrial base. By 1962, 34 of the wartime contractor-operated ordnance


ASC.ARMY.MIL


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COMMENTARY


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