History Publications

The ASC History Office (and its predecessor command history offices) have composed an abridged illustrated history that tells the story of Rock Island Arsenal and the modern Arsenal Island. This story begins at the first contact of Europeans with the natives in the region and runs all the way until just before the Korean War.

The Illustrated History draws upon the numerous documents that the ASC History Office oversees to compose its narrative. These include the biography of Black Hawk, reports of land sales, diaries from the Rock Island Prison Barracks, accounts from the third arsenal commander, and so many more.

Additional sources include Flagler's Report to the Chief of Ordnance on the History of the Island of Rock Island, An Arsenal for Democracy, War's Greatest Workshop, and numerous other general Rock Island Arsenal histories and texts both internal and distributed to the public. For more information on these sources, contact the ASC History Office.

Published in the interest of the Rock Island Arsenal Employees. The Arsenal Record originally ran during the first half of the 20th century, these editions are made available here for public review. Click on the button to the left to be taken to the archive listing for this publication.

The Target was published from the 1960s through the 1990s. Presented in a newspaper format, The Target superseded the Arsenal Record. The publication is provided here as an archive copy.

The History Newsletter is a monthly publication that covers significant military history topics. Special Editions occasionally are produced focusing on key subject matter of significance to current events. In addition to historical articles, the newsletter includes monthly trivia, archive spotlight, and did-you-know factoids. It is published each month and is a proponent of the ASC History Office.

PS Magazine was a publication dedicated to educating the Army community of the importance of preventative maintenance and safety. It was first published in 1951 and continued until November 2019. Following November 2019, PS Magazine moved to online article publication and responses to reader questions. Front-and-center of the publication was MSG Half-Mast McCanick. MSG Half-Mast and PS Magazine were wholly created by Mr. Will Eisner. While PS Magazine is no longer published, it's helpful information and publication archive is available in the links provided below.

Since its inception, the Army Materiel Command (AMC) has been an ever-present entity at Rock Island Arsenal through subordinate commands. This began with Weapons Command (WECOM) when AMC was established. Since that time, it has grown to envelop a large portion of what makes Rock Island Arsenal what it is today. There is no audio for this presentation. The material was researched in a concerted effort by the ASC History Office.

Over the last 250 years, the Army has transformed itself to meet the needs of the Nation. Forged and tested through battles, the Army has been tested in combat and in peacetime through numerous conflict and humanitarian operations at home and abroad. Join us as we observe 250 years of Army evolution and excellence in this short video presentation.

Since two armies found themselves on the battlefield facing off against each other, there has been a need to supply that army. Men require materiel to make them a legitimate and effective fighting force. In this presentation of information, the history office examined the evolution of military logistics from Napoleon's Army to the present. There is no audio for this presentation. The material was researched in a concerted effort by the ASC History Office.