Of the many struggles during the era of World Wars I and II, logistics of moving materiel from the United States to the Allies in Europe proved to be a costly and difficult endeavor. German U-boats plagued the Atlantic and were sinking ships virtually indiscriminately. Adoption of convoy systems wasContinue Reading
The history that leads to the Army Sustainment Command (ASC) is that of military logistics as a whole. Sun Tzu defined logistics as “A general science forming the most essential parts of the art of war.” Logistics has been a struggle that spans the age of war. From the ageContinue Reading
On a cold fall night at Rock Island Arsenal a Soldier named Sergeant Christiansen, who was described as “a giant” of a man with shoulders as broad as an elephant, found himself huddled near a fire while on guard duty at the Rock Island gate and wagon bridge. Meanwhile, hisContinue Reading
Of the many treasures on Arsenal Island, perhaps the most beloved one by the surrounding community is Quarters One. Designed by the second commander of the Arsenal, COL Thomas J. Rodman, Quarters One was constructed between 1869 and 1871. At the time that Rodman assumed command of the arsenal inContinue Reading
The history of the U.S. Government at Rock Island reaches back farther than 200 years and has many paradigm shifting events throughout. However, perhaps the single most important event occurred not at Rock Island, but in Washington D.C. on 12 JUL 1862. On this day, Congress established three new arsenalsContinue Reading
Rock Island Arsenal, and Arsenal Island has many storied individuals that have graced its history. Some were just simply passing through, while others lived and worked on the island. From the establishment of the Arsenal in 1862 to present, this installation has been known for its familial legacy and generationalContinue Reading
Springtime brings about certain memories for individuals on the Mississippi River. For most it is a time to get out and enjoy the sun after a gloomy and cold winter. However, for businesses and citizens who live near the river, it is a time of concern and worry over what’sContinue Reading
The M20 Super Bazooka was a modification and advancement on the pre-existing Bazooka and Panzerschreck following the end of the Second World War. The need for the modified system was established after 1942, when the Germans captured a large quantity of the original M1 Bazooka’s. The reverse engineered Panzerschreck wasContinue Reading
Known better as the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), the 38th Parallel was the approximate boundary which separates the free South from the communist North in Korea. It is the precursor to the modern Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which is situated mostly on or just north of the MDL. The line wasContinue Reading
Following the questionable 1804 Treaty, the fallout from the 1814 Battle of the Rock Island Rapids, and subsequent establishment of Fort Armstrong in 1816, tensions with local native populations were at a peak. Continued spats of engagements between settlers, Rangers, and Soldiers continued with isolated killings up thru 1832. FortContinue Reading
