UMCD makes its last delivery of ton containers to UMCDF

UMATILLA CHEMICAL DEPOT, Hermiston, Ore. – The Umatilla Chemical Depot delivered the last stockpiled ton containers filled with mustard chemical agent today shortly before 11 a.m. to the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF).

A brief ceremony highlighting the event took place near the depot headquarters with employees and invited public officials.

“Today’s milestone marks the first time in more than 40 years that chemical weapons will no longer be stored at the Umatilla Chemical Depot,” said Lt. Col. Kris Perkins, depot commander. “Thanks to the efforts of our work force, we were able to safely and compliantly store, secure and ship more than 220,000 chemical weapons. I am very proud of the work force and our community partners in working together to achieve such a historic milestone.”

Depot officials are projecting the last remaining ton containers will be disposed of by the end of October, 2011.

Chemical weapons were brought to the depot in 1962 and have been in storage since that time. Destruction of the chemical agent stored at the depot began in the fall of 2004.

Today’s final shipment of weapons comes 70 years after the depot’s formation on Oct. 14, 1941. The depot received its first conventional weapons on Oct. 27, 1941, two months before the U.S. entered World War II. All of the conventional weapons were shipped from the depot in 1994.
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