Alabama Army Ammunition Plant

The Alabama Army Ammunition Plant (ALAAP, formerly called the Alabama Ordnance Works) was a United States munitions plant built and operated during World War II. The facility is located on the banks of the Coosa River, off Talladega County Highway 235 (Plant Road), just north of Childersburg in Talladega County.

The ALAAP was built in 1941 as a production facility for nitrocellulose (NC), trinitrotoluene (TNT), dinitrotoluene (DNT), tetryl, and single-base smokeless powder. The facility, operated by DuPont, had a peak production rate of nearly 40 million pounds of munitions per month. It also produced heavy water for the "Manhattan Project".

The facility ceased operation in August 1945 and was placed on standby status after the end of the war. During the war, the plant covered more than 13,000 acres.

After the end of the war, various portions of the plant were leased out for commercial operations, as the Coosa Industrial Park. Most of the original structures have been destroyed. The U.S. government retains responsibility for more than 2,000 acres of the facility.

The former plant area is now classified as a Superfund site.

References

• "Alabama Army Ammunition Plant" (April 24, 2013) Wikipedia - accessed January 23, 2015