"Highly Valued Employees"

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There are two ways to explore this exhibit.

(1) To view the exhibit chronologically, click on the "Help Wanted" link or image below. Then, at the bottom of each page, advance to the next story using the "Next Page" button.

(2) To view specific pages of the exhibit, click on any of the images or links below. Once you've viewed a page, you can navigate back here using the "Exhibit Home" button.

Newspaper clipping with headline that reads, “Munitions Handlers are Hired at Depot.” The subheading reads, “Need More Applicants to Qualify for Jobs; to Pay 65 Cents Hour.” The first line of the text visible reads, “Munitions handlers are being sought by the ordnance department...”

"Help Wanted": Introduction

Like many military installations during the war, the Sioux Ordnance Depot needed to hire a great number of people.

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Two women stand by a wooden ammunition box sitting on a conveyor belt. The woman facing the camera is looking down at the box. With her gloved hands, she holds the handle of the machine on top of the ammo box. The other woman wears a bandana over her hair and has her back to the camera.

"We Didn't Have Rosie the Riveters"

Women were highly-valued employees because of their contribtions to the Sioux Ordnance Depot during the labor shortage.

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A group picture of 37 men and women posed in three rows. The Commanding Officer sits in the middle of the first row.

"Everybody There was from Someplace Else"

Many racially and ethnically diverse people worked at the Sioux Ordnance Depot during WWII.

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A group of six black soldiers stands with their left arms facing the camera. Each shows the number of stripes on the edge of his sleeve, which records the years of their service.

"Their Work has Proven Invaluable"

Black soldiers from Fort Warren were highly-valued employees because they helped in the critical area of ammunition handling.

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Four men sit near a baling machine. They wear uniforms with an armband that says, “Italy.”

"They were Kind of Peace-Loving"

The Italian & German prisoners of war were highly-valued employees at the Sioux Ordnance Depot because of their contributions during the labor shortage.

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One man holds an ammunition shell, getting ready to roll it down a ramp to a stack of ammo. Two other men stand at the end of the ramp, one facing the camera and the other with his back to the camera. There is a pyramid shape of ammunition behind the three men.

"They Became an Indispensable Part"

Japanese Americans from the incarceration camps were highly-valued employees because of their contributions at a crucial point in the Sioux Ordnance Depot's history.

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A man in a military uniform shakes the hand of another man in a wheelchair, while presenting him with an award. The image is in black and white.

"Physical Impairments Cease to be Disabilities"

People with physical disabilities were highly-valued employees because the Sioux Ordnance Depot provided them the opportunity to prove their abilities.

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17 men and women pose next to a train car with a palette of boxes behind them. The Commanding Officer stands in the middle of them. The image is in black and white.

"End of an Era": Conclusion

Many historically underrepresented groups found employment at the Sioux Ordnance Depot and helped it stay open after WWII.

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Published: January 15, 2025 Last Updated: January 15, 2025

Author: Tatiana Moore Painter, UNK Graduate Student

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