General Electric Company Kokomo Plant During World War Two
Kokomo, IN
1942-1948

This page added 4-12-2024.

In 1942, the Kokomo, IN General Electric plant entered into production of U.S. destroyer escort motor driven generators.  Previously, the U.S. Navy had purchased the former Pittsburgh Glass factory on the southwest corner of East Valle Street and South Diamond Street for the manufacture of required war material.  General Electric leased the plant from the Navy and was contracted to manage the plant for production of ship borne generators it needed for the war effort.  At peak production there were 800 persons working in the facility. 

By late 1944 the plant had fulfilled its contractual requirements for ship borne generators and spent the remainder of the war building fractional horsepower motors for the Navy.  After the war ended GE continued to utilize the plant for continued manufacture of fractional horsepower motors.  However, on December 31, 1948, General Electric ceased production in the factory and it was turned over to War Assets Administration which began taking bids on it.  Like many old factories that were utilized to help win World War Two, the plant has had a succession of different owners since 1948.  It is still currently in use.

This image shows the early days of the facility when it was owned and operated by the Diamond Plate Glass Works.

 Below are examples of the types of ships the General Electric Kokomo, IN-built generators and fractional horsepower motors could have been used.

This is the Destroyer Escort USS Slater.  It is on display in Albany, NY.  It was for destroyer escorts that the GE Kokomo, IN plant was put into production.  Author's photo.

Fractional horsepower motors that were produced in 1945 could have been used in the ships below.

This submarine is the USS Cod which is on display in Cleveland, OH.  Author's photo

LST 393 is on display in Muskegon, MI.  Author's photo

Author's photo

The Destroyer USS Kidd is on display at Baton Rouge, LA.  Author's photo

The Former Kokomo World War Two General Electric Plant:  During World War Two, the General Electric plant in Kokomo, IN consisted of 20 buildings that contained 283,000 square feet of floor space.  It was all within a 23 acre site on the southwest corner of East Vaile Avenue and South Diamond Street.

This Google Satellite view shows the current view of the plant.  The Gm Components Holdings is 1.7 miles to the southeast of this location.  The Tipton Transmission 1 Plant 1 is thirteen miles to the south.  It is unknown which company or companies is currently occupying the facility.

This Google Street View shows the west end of the facility and is looking east along Vaile Avenue.

This Google Street View is looking south along the east side of the factory and west down Vaile Avenue. 

This and the next image show the east side of the facility from South Diamond Street.  Courtesy of Google Maps.

The Google Earth image that is shown next will show that the original Diamond Plate Glass Works buildings of red brick are still there.  The sheet metal covered buildings seen her from Diamond Street block the view of these historic buildings.  Courtesy of Google Maps. 

This Google Earth View looking west allows the viewer to see the original red brick buildings.

This Google Earth View shows the former World War Two General Electric plant looking Northeast.