Photo By Kendall Swank | A gun salute is delivered during a wreath laying ceremony at the Rock Island National...... read more read more
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – On August 14, 1945, as a world ravaged by war held its breath, a single announcement shattered the darkness and ushered in a new era.
“I deem this… the unconditional surrender of Japan,” President Harry S. Truman told a group of reporters, surrounded by his cabinet.
The moment President Truman delivered his historic announcement; a wave of euphoria swept across the globe. His words, relayed through the official channels, confirmed the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration, signaling the imminent end to years of unimaginable suffering.
Now, 80 years later, Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center helped celebrate Victory Over Japan Day, or V-J Day, as Col. Eloy Martinez, commander of RIA-JMTC, addressed a gathering at the Rock Island National Cemetery, with his words echoing across the hallowed grounds.
“We gather to pay tribute to the courage, sacrifice and enduring legacy of those who served in the most devastating conflict the world has ever known,” Martinez said. “Among these quiet headstones, we are reminded of the profound cost of liberty. Each marker tells a story of a life given in service, of dreams interrupted, of families forever changed. Ordinary Americans who answered an extraordinary call.”
The event honored the echoes of battles past, the valor of veterans, the steadfast dedication of the Soldiers carrying the torch today and the civilians of the Quad Cities who dedicated their careers to supplying the Allied Forces with everything they needed.
“From 1940 onward, Rock Island Arsenal transformed into a powerhouse of wartime production,” Martinez said. “Thousands of machinists, engineers, welders and clerks worked around the clock, driven by urgency and belief in the cause. They weren’t Soldiers in uniform, but they were warriors in their own right, fighting a battle of production, innovation and resolve.”
From the thunderous barrels of artillery to the precise mechanisms of small arms, the output of what is now RIA-JMTC flowed relentlessly. Throughout the conflict, artisans produced nearly 85,000 machine guns and 25,000 recoil mechanisms essential for various artillery, but RIA-JMTC’s impact extended beyond sheer volume.
Improved manufacturing techniques dramatically increased artillery carriage production, surging from 75 per year during World War I to an astounding 600 per month during WWII. The Arsenal also produced vital artillery pieces like the 75-mm pack howitzer, designed for portability in challenging terrain, and even pioneered solutions for transporting artillery in difficult conditions through research into mud sleds.
Innovation wasn’t limited to weaponry. RIA-JMTC spearheaded an exclusive project developing paracrates, paracaissons and parachests; more than 6,000 corrugated containers designed to airdrop critical supplies to troops behind enemy lines. The Arsenal also continued its cloth and leather mission, producing and overhauling over 60,000 miscellaneous leather items like holsters and gun barrel covers.
This massive contribution didn’t go unnoticed. RIA-JMTC earned its first Army-Navy “E” award for outstanding war production in September 1942, followed by four subsequent awards throughout the war.
“Every shell packed, every weapon assembled, every shipment sent contributed directly to the success of our armed forces,” Martinez said. “The Arsenal became a symbol of American ingenuity and unity, a testament to what a determined nation can achieve. But the story of World War II isn’t just about factories and production lines. It’s about the individuals who answered the call to serve, and then quietly returned to build the nation they had fought to protect.”
Martinez honored two of the many brave Soldiers from the Quad Cities who fought in WWII. Robert “Bob” Dahlene Swenson, a Quad Cities local from Moline, Illinois, who flew unarmed aircraft for 219 consecutive days during the campaign to recapture the Philippines, and Marion Wayne Lovell from Franklin, Illinois, who after storming the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, moved to Moline to pursue a career at Deere & Company. Both are now buried at Rock Island National Cemetery.
“Swenson and Lovell represent the countless Americans who transitioned from the horrors of war to building a peaceful and prosperous future,” Martinez said. “These men didn’t seek recognition, they sought purpose. They didn’t ask for praise, they asked what they could do next. Their stories remind us that the strength of a generation isn’t just measured in battles won, but in lives rebuilt, communities strengthened and futures forged from sacrifice.”
After Martinez, 99-year-old Roald “Mr. Z” Zvonik, a lifelong resident of Moline, Illinois, and a veteran of the South Pacific campaign aboard the USS LST 722, shared his poignant recollection of that day. The experience would shape a life of service. In 1950, Zvonik began his own career at Rock Island Arsenal, initially repairing vital WWII-era equipment like aircraft bomb sights, before transitioning to a role advising on armament in Germany and Vietnam. He would ultimately dedicate more than three decades to the Arsenal before retiring, building his own home, and becoming a master gardener focusing on roses.
The ceremony culminated in a solemn wreath-laying, a gun salute and the playing of taps, a poignant tribute to the fallen heroes whose sacrifices paved the way for peace.
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2025 16:45 |
| Story ID: | 545657 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
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