Iowa the heartland of America is know for its farming and agriculture. The hawk-eye state is home to the Iowa National Guard an important support system to our national security. Below are the military bases in Iowa and their locations.
Map of Military Bases in Iowa
Camp Dodge
Camp Dodge is located in Johnston, Iowa, which is very near the capital. This installation functions as the Iowa National Guard headquarters. Construction began in 1907 and it soon became a training ground for National Guard members. In 1917 however, demand for troops increased dramatically to support WWI, and the camp transformed into a regional training center. After the war, activity there dropped but increased again in support of the second World War, although it was only used as an induction center during that time.
This base was named after General Grenville M. Dodge who actually organized the first National Guard unit in Iowa in 1856 and was even a U.S. Congressman for Iowa for a term. It is home to Iowa’s emergency operations center, the State Police Academy, Joint Forces Headquarters, and the National Maintenance Training Center.
Fort Des Moines
Fort Des Moines has gone through many changes and uses since its creation. The original fort in Des Moines, Iowa, was dedicated in 1903. It housed both infantry and cavalry units until WWI when it became a place where African Americans trained to become Army officers. After the war, it was then converted into a veterans hospital, but then in WWII, it was repurposed again into a Women’s Army Corps training center. The post was deactivated in 1946 and reactivated in 1958. It has stayed open since then to house the Army Reserve.
Iowa Army Ammunition Plant
The Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, or IAAP, is also located in Des Moines County. This installation manufactures and delivers any items of large caliber for the Department of Defense. It is owned by the Army but American Ordnance operates it. This plant was established in 1940 and started producing ammunition in 1941 to support WWII until production slowed in 1945. Two years later production picked up again, and the plant started putting a larger emphasis on atomic bombs. The IAAP now produces several types of weapons and ammunition, including tank ammunition, mortars of medium and large caliber, and missile warheads.
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