Umatilla Army Ordinance Depot deactivated
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BOARDMAN, OR. - After 71 years of service the The Umatilla Army Ordinance Depot was closed. It was first put to use right after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
It supplied the military with weapons and ammunition through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Grenada and Panama conflicts, as well as Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In 1962, the base started storing chemical weapons to be destroyed.
Today's closing marks the end of all military operations.
Lt. Col. Kris Perkins, depot commander said, "It's all pride, when talking about his feelings as the base closed. It's really hard to portray 71 years of dedication from thousands of workers that gave their hearts and souls to the mission here and we did that in a one hour ceremony," he said.
The base will primarily become a training facility for the Oregon National Guard.
It supplied the military with weapons and ammunition through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Grenada and Panama conflicts, as well as Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In 1962, the base started storing chemical weapons to be destroyed.
Today's closing marks the end of all military operations.
Lt. Col. Kris Perkins, depot commander said, "It's all pride, when talking about his feelings as the base closed. It's really hard to portray 71 years of dedication from thousands of workers that gave their hearts and souls to the mission here and we did that in a one hour ceremony," he said.
The base will primarily become a training facility for the Oregon National Guard.
