Camp Claiborne facts for kids
Camp Claiborne was a large U.S. Army training camp in central Louisiana. It was used from the 1930s through World War II. The camp covered about 23,000 acres (93 square kilometers). It was located near the town of Forest Hill, close to U.S. Highway 165 and Louisiana Highway 112.
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History of Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne started on June 10, 1930. It was first called Camp Evangeline. This name came from the Evangeline District of the Kisatchie National Forest, where the camp was built. Later, it was renamed after William C.C. Claiborne. He was the first governor of Louisiana. In 1939, construction workers made the camp much bigger. It officially opened for use in 1940.
From 1939 to 1946, over half a million soldiers trained at Camp Claiborne. The camp was mainly used for basic training. Soldiers also practiced artillery skills there. This included using the nearby Kisatchie Precision Bombing Range. The camp also had an Engineering Unit Training Command. Special forces training happened here too. This included training for railroad battalions. The 34th Infantry Division trained at Claiborne. They were the first American soldiers sent to Europe during the war.
In 1941, before the United States joined the war, the camp was part of the Louisiana Maneuvers. This was a huge training exercise. About 400,000 soldiers took part. They pretended to be two different countries fighting each other. The two armies faced each other across the Red River. This exercise covered over 3,400 square miles (8,800 square kilometers). Some of it was in East Texas. Near the end of World War II, German prisoners of war (POWs) were held at the camp.
Many soldiers came from states like Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. They had never been to the South before. They had to get used to basic training. They also had to get used to the hot, humid weather. Camp Claiborne was a low-lying area. Nearby Camp Beauregard was similar.
Camp Claiborne was closed down and taken apart in 1945. The land was given back to the Kisatchie National Forest. It became part of the National Forest System. The U.S. Forest Service now manages this land.
Military Units at Camp Claiborne
Many different military units were formed or reactivated at Camp Claiborne. These included the 84th Infantry Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. The 101st Airborne Division also trained here.
One very important unit was the 761st Tank Battalion. This battalion was formed and trained at Camp Claiborne. They were also known as the "Black Panthers." They were the first all-Black tank battalion in U.S. Army history. The 103rd Infantry Division also started active service at Camp Claiborne in November 1942.
The Claiborne-Polk Military Railroad
To practice repairing railroads during wartime, the Claiborne-Polk Military Railroad was built. This railroad was about 50 miles (80 kilometers) long. It had 25 bridges, including one over the Calcasieu River. Soldiers also used it to learn about derailing trains.
The railroad ran from Camp Claiborne to Camp Polk. Construction began on September 4, 1941. The final spike was driven on July 11, 1942. In October 1942, the soldiers who built the railroad went to Iran. There, they helped operate the Trans-Iranian Railway. Today, you can still see the foundation of the locomotive shop and other old parts.
Soldiers called this railroad the "Crime and Punishment" railroad. It was built by the 711th ROB (Railway Operating Battalion) and Army engineers. The trains used old engines, some 40 years old. The freight cars were also very old. Some European cars had only four wheels. They did not work well on curves. Derailments happened so often that a crane was always pulled along. This crane would pick up derailed cars and fix the tracks.
Sometimes, even the crane would derail. The rails would sometimes sink into the swamp. Cars were lost in the quicksand. Engineers reported seeing the rails sway and vibrate after a train passed. It is said that one engine was lost in the quicksand and is still there. In some cases, buildings were built on top of lost equipment, using it as a base.
Old Buildings from Camp Claiborne
When Camp Claiborne closed in 1948, many buildings were given away or sold. They were moved to other places in the area. Some can be found in Forest Hill.
St. Catherine Church uses one of the old military buildings. It is located at the junction of U.S. 165 and Robinson Bridge Road.
The Camp Claiborne chapel was moved to Clarence. This is in Natchitoches Parish. It is still used for church services by the Clarence Baptist Church. The balcony in the church is now a storage area. It was once used by African American troops. They sat separately from white soldiers, who used the pews below.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Marksville bought an old building from Camp Claiborne. This was after World War II. They changed it into a rectory, which is a home for priests. Some buildings were also bought by Southeastern Louisiana University.
Camp Claiborne Today
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) now manages the land where the camp once stood. Not much is left of the original camp. You can see part of a gate. There are also a few scattered building shells. Some of these have been fenced off and sealed with metal sheets. Many of the old streets still exist. You can also find parking lots and foundations of the original buildings.
The USFS also takes care of the Claiborne Trail. This is a 26-mile (42-kilometer) trail system. It is used for hiking, walking, and biking through the area.
Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is checking the camp grounds. They are looking to see if it is possible to remove any old, unexploded bombs or shells.
