Mr. Ronald V. Basey

Mr. Ronald M. Basey was born in Winnemac, Indiana on January 13, 1914. He entered Government service in September 1944 as an Industrial Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks.

His advancement was propelled by his ability to quickly grasp and solve difficult problems, his assertive application of experience, outstanding leadership, and management abilities.

At the end of the Second World War, Mr. Basey became actively engaged in the layaway of the ammunition production base which consisted of 37 plants and determining production based retention requirements. With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in 1950, he accepted the task of reactivating the ammunition base and the planning of ammunition production to support the United States and its allies.

After the Korean Conflict, he conducted studies pertaining to the difficulties encountered in reactivating the ammunition production base. Through this experience, he developed proposals that brought about the development of an extensive base retention plan which included provision for the careful layaway of the base, in order to improve ammunition readiness for future use.

Mr. Basey's greatest accomplishment took place when he was the Deputy Director of the Procurement and Production Directorate, Munitions Command from 1961 until his retirement in 1973. During this time he was recognized as one of the foremost experts in procurement and production matters for munitions. Through his technical guidance during the Vietnam Conflict, new production records were set. More ammunition was produced with fewer resources, in less time than in any other period in the history of the Army. He also persuaded the higher echelons of Government to modernize the U.S. ammunition base. Mr. Basey's dedication to duty has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the Ordnance Corps. Mr. Basey died in April 1974.