Archives West Finding Aid

The Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot was a section of the army base at Fort Lewis, Washington. The depot served the United States Army from 1942 until 1963 as a primary facility to repair arms, missiles and vehicles. During World War II, this equipment was provided to Alaska and the greater Pacific area. At this time, almost half of the depot workers were Women Ordnance Workers (WOWs). The depot spanned 600 acres on the Fort Lewis property.

Construction on the base began in October 1941 and was operated by the 1st Battalion, 58th Quartermaster Regiment to repair army trucks. This project was funded by the 1939 protective mobilization plan. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of that year, additional construction took place in January and February 1942. Work began on May 6, 1942 under the command of Colonial Marmion Mills (1890-1964). In August 1942, the vehicle responsibilities were turned over to the Ordnance Corps. On December 26, 1942, the facility was renamed Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot. By 1943, the depot serviced an average of 1,000 vehicles a month. On February 16, 1943, Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot became one of the first depots in the country to employ women mechanics, trained at the center located on the Clover Park High School campus. WOWs came to represent 44% of the workers at Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot. In June 1944, the depot also employed German prisoners of war from the Fort Lewis POW camp and members of an Italian Service Unit.

On January 26, 1945, the U.S. Army engineers began construction on an archway to serve as a monument representing their contribution to the WWII victory. The project was completed in three weeks and was comprised entirely of salvaged materials. Prior to the completion of the Interstate 5 Highway in 1957, this arch served as the main vehicle entrance to the depot on the State Route 99. Although it is now unused, the original gate still stands. The depot is currently known as the Fort Lewis Logistics Center and continues to operate for deployment, repair, and salvage activities.