1940 Construction of this installation began, the installation is located on 1,452 acres. During World War II (WWII), the mission of Fort Gillem was to support the Army's needs for weapons and equipment, research and development, procurement, production, storage, distribution, inventory management, maintenance, and disposal. This installation also is a sub-post of Fort McPherson and supports the U.S. Army Forces Command readiness mission.

30 June 1946 A leaking, 500-kilogram, mustard-filled bomb was detected on a freight car located at the Georgia Railroad Freight Yard Delta Crossing, located at Dekalb and Delta Avenues, Atlanta, Georgia, and transported to the Atlanta Ordnance Depot (now Fort Gillem).