Sunflower: War Arsenal on the Prairie
Today, occasional controlled explosions can be heard from the former Sunflower Army Ammunitions Plant, as work progresses to remove unwanted buildings from land soon to be redeveloped. Just over 60 years ago, churches were moved to new locations, family homes and barns were razed and an entire town vanished to secure over 10,000 acres for the new military production facility. It was during this volatile time that the colossal war machine we know today as the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant exploded into existence.
Before the United States entered into World War II in 1941, many American industries began to retrofit their factories to support the Allied war effort. The last remaining remnants of the Great Depression vanished as factories across the nation geared up to support a world at war. The attack on Pearl Harbor not only signaled the entry of our nation into the war, but also emphasized the need to construct new military production plants. With support from local lobbyists such as businessman Kenneth Spencer, finding secure sites away from the U.S. coasts became the major factor in locating new ordnance plants. In Johnson County, the rural community of Prairie Center, Kansas, and approximately 150 surrounding farms were sacrificed for the war effort, bringing thousands of jobs and a booming war economy to northeastern Kansas.
Finding Sunflower
Located in the heartland of our nation, the property now known as the former Sunflower Army Ammunitions Plant (hereafter referred to as Sunflower) had all the key elements needed for the construction and operation of an ammunitions plant. The terrain was ideal for industrial purposes, with desirable flat lands, moderately wooded creeks and gently rounded hills. Abundant water resources including sprigs, creeks and the nearby Kansas River provided the water for the site, a major resource for the future plant. Access to the large labor market in both Lawrence, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, was also a key factor. Transportation both by rail and highway along with the secure location in the middle of thecountry all contributed to selection of the site near De Soto, Kansas. The site was originally chosen by the Bureau of Ordnance for the United States Navy on November 7, 1940. Plans called for a smokeless powder plant on approximately 2,500 acres. In April of 1941, the United States Army also became interested in the site for a possible ammunitions plant. The attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 intensified the need and the Army moved quickly. The decision for a new ammunitions plant in Kansas became official on February 26, 1941. The site chosen for the plant encompassed 10,747 acres of land purchased by the federal government.
The Rapid Rise of Sunflower
On May 2, 1942, the order to start construction of Sunflower (then called the Sunflower Ordnance Works and affectionately known as SOW) was issued. The Sunflower Ordnance Company (a partnership consisting of William S. Lozier, Inc. of Rochester, New York, as architects and Broderick and Gordon of Denver, Colorado, as construction contractors) was selected to build the site. Sunflower, while government owned, was to be operated by a private contractor. On May 23, 1942, Hercules Powder Company signed on to operate the facility, and they did so each time the plant was, in later years, reactivated.
The demand for labor started well before any powder was produced. Workers flocked to help convert the former farm land into a massive ammunitions plant. Plumbers, carpenters, truck drivers and all sorts of general laborers were recruited to build the plant’s infrastructure, including buildings, roads and a water treatment plant. Many workers were attracted to the high paying jobs and in some cases, to the draft deferments given to those who worked at defense plants.
Sunflower not only changed the physical landscape, but also the surrounding community. The higher wages paid by the plant shifted the community from an agricultural economy to one based on a booming war industry. Many local farmers stopped farming for the better wages offered at the plant. The new plant also forced other businesses in the area to raise their salaries in order to retain their workforce. Rapid population growth was also a problem, and soon the area was facing housing shortages and lack of sufficient transportation . However, for this nation at war, solutions were found. Bussing of workers began and onsite housing was planned. In 1943, the federal government built a 350-unit housing project known as Sunflower Village on the northeastern section of the site.
Despite challenges, the Sunflower Ordnance Works went into production on March 23, 1943. The immense property became the world’s largest powder and propellant plant. On September 11 of the same year, Sunflower workers celebrated as their first shipment of powder was completed. At the time, they were operating at 15 percent of the planned capacity.
Production Begins
Sunflower was originally built as a three-line manufacturing plant for the production of smokeless powder. Machinery and buildings for the making of rocket propellants were added in 1943 and 1944, increasing the plant to 8 production lines. Supporting facilities necessary for making nitric acid, oleum, nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose were also added. In April of 1945, an emergency call to the public was made for an additional 572 workers to keep up with the demand.
Sunflower still is the only plant in the country producing mass quantities of rocket powder for the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Forces. The war effort will lean heavily upon us in the next four to five months.
-- Lieutenant Colonel Donald R. Hyde, April 5, 1945
In 1945, the Sunflower Ordnance Works reached an all time peak employment of 12,067 workers including both men and many women. On May 8, 1945, the third anniversary of Sunflower, Germany surrendered unconditionally to Allied forces. Plant operations continued full force until the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II.
While the nation celebrated the end of the war, the victory was bittersweet for many employed at Sunflower. The end of the war signaled the declining need for powder and propellants. Hercules Powder Company continued under post-war contracts to produce propellants on an ever diminishing scale, and massive layoffs commenced. In September 1946, Sunflower was placed on partial standby. With this status, Sunflower continued to produce ammonium nitrate. By March of 1947, the contract with the Hercules Powder Company had expired and the contractor officially left the plant by June of 1948. By this time, the plant was placed on complete standby and only the Army Ordnance Corps remained to maintain the buildings and equipment.
Reactivation
Despite the end of World War II, world tensions remained high due to the philosophical and economic split between the capitalist “West” and the communist “East.” With the rise of the Korean Conflict, a partial reactivation of the plant was ordered in July of 1950. Manufacture of propellants began in June of 1951. Approximately 40 percent of the plant was reactivated to produce single, double and triple-based ammunitions including rocket propellants and cannon powder. By June of 1953, employment reached a high for this phase, at 5,271 employees.
With the signing of the Korean armistice in July of 1953, production continued but on a reduced schedule. Although at peace, the United States maintained a constant readiness in an ever increasing arms race with the Soviet Union. As the years passed, the need for powder and propellants slackened and by 1960, Sunflower was placed on standby status and many of the workers were let go.
During this time period, many of the resources at Sunflower were reevaluated by the Army. Sunflower Village was deemed in excess and in 1956, just under 200 residential buildings were sold. In 1960, the remaining structures and approximately 166 acres of land were sold to private interests.
On August 1, 1963, the Army officially renamed the site “Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant.” Shortly thereafter, on August 20, 1965, the Army announced that Sunflower would be reactivated to support the Vietnam conflict. The plant, at the time, had approximately 250 employees but soon 4,065 workers were employed and produced 145,000,000 pounds of propellant. Hercules Powder Company, renamed Hercules Inc. in 1966, remained the operating contractor.
Modern Warfare
In August of 1967, extensive modernization of a section of the plant was conducted to create a nitroguanidine production facility, which at the time was the first and only such plant in North America. Nitroguanidine is one of three principal components needed for tank and artillery ammunitions. Regular production of propellant continued until June of 1971, and then once again, Sunflower was placed on standby. The entire site was then slated for modifications and modernization. The construction for his new facility began in July of 1975 and was completed in 1979. Over 160 million dollars were spent to retrofit the new facilities and equipment, supporting increased nitroguanidine manufacturing, new acid manufacturing facilities and mechanized rolling units, as well as continuous paste preparation improvements. The desired production level during this time period was nine million pounds of nitroguanidine per year. In 1991, the plant had 723 workers and received one of its highest honors with more than 2 million hours worked without a “preventable” lost-time injury.
In 1992, Sunflower celebrated its 50th anniversary with the following:
…history has taught us a lesson that should never be forgotten: America must be prepared to defend freedom whenever it is threatened. Should the occasion again arise when armaments are necessary — and history says it will — America shall be ready and so shall Sunflower Army Ammunitions Plant.
Shortly after its 50th anniversary, the Army announced plans to end production of ammunitions at Sunflower. Production of nitroguanidine ceased at Sunflower on August 31, 1992, two years earlier than the Army originally planned. Many of the production workers were laid off, while the remaining workforce cleaned, repaired, decontaminated and preserved the equipment for possible reactivation. In 1998, the plant was deemed in excess of the Army’s need.
The Impact of Sunflower
The reign of Sunflower lasted through three major wars and several armed conflicts, adapting to the ever changing needs to support the nation at war. The future development of the former Sunflower Army Ammunitions Plant is still debated today but it is clear that this former war arsenal on the prairie will be remembered as a major contributor to 20th century war efforts, helping to shape world history from the heartland of our nation.
--ALBUM vol. 18, no. 2 (spring 2005)