Item Number: A00651

Item Title: 20th century empty 1.75in artillery round from the Frankford Arsenal

Price: $49

Shipping: Not included

Provenance: US

Type:

Size: 1.72in diameter x 10in long

Sabot:

Fuse: Absent

Book:

Location Recovered:

Description:This round was in a group we bought last Summer. Most was Civil War, but there were a handful of WWI pieces and so I assume this is WWI era, but I don't know so if you do, please drop me a line. Case has a crack in it so the nose can be removed to see there is neither any propellant present nor a charge in the nose as the fuse is missing exposing an empty cavity. Has Frankford Arsenal headstamp.

The Frankford Arsenal was an entity unto itself, a virtual city within a city, and contained everything from its own police and fire departments, Buildings and Grounds, dining halls, as well as everything from maintenance and motor pool, to a complete medical facility. The Arsenal was part of the U.S. Arsenal System-dedicated military establishments spread throughout the country to perform specific military missions for the Government.

From the beginning, the Frankford Arsenal was involved in the design and manufacture of munitions. As military weapons became more complex, the Center's role expanded to cover the development of a whole range of the Army's more advanced weapon systems. The Arsenal contained the world-famous Pitman-Dunn Laboratories along with a number of other R&D departments. Arsenal scientists and engineers designed and developed everything from basic materials to LASER guided ballistics, all produced entirely in-house from the concept phase to the fielding of the equipment. New portable and imbedded computer applications saw the development of the LASER rangefinder, fielded artillery computational machines (FADAC) and radar systems. During the Vietnam War, experiments in caseless ammunition, far-infrared low-light-level technologies, and advanced LASER applications were under development.

During the presidential campaign of 1976, vice presidential candidate Walter Mondale stood in front of the Frankford Arsenal and promised that it would remain open. The Carter/Mondale ticket won the election but the promise was not fulfilled; the arsenal closed for U.S. government use in 1977.

The northernmost part of the site was assumed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for use as a boat ramp and fishing spot on the Delaware River. The southernmost part is currently being used as a light-industrial and office park.