Camp Coxcomb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camp Coxcomb |
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Camp Coxcomb PX Meal in 1943
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| Location | near Indio, California |
| Built | 1943 |
| Architect | US Army |
| Reference no. | 985.3 |
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Camp Coxcomb was a special training camp for the U.S. Army during World War II. It was part of a much larger area called the Desert Training Center in Riverside County, California. This camp helped prepare soldiers for fighting in hot, dry places. It was located about 45 miles east of Indio, California, near the Coxcomb Mountains.
The main headquarters for the Desert Training Center was Camp Young. This is where General Patton's 3rd Armored Division was stationed. Camp Coxcomb was recognized as a California Historical Landmark (No. 985). The camp was open for about two years, from 1942 to early 1944.
Contents
Why Was Camp Coxcomb Built?
Camp Coxcomb was built in the spring of 1942. Its main purpose was to get soldiers ready to fight in North Africa against the Nazis during World War II. The desert environment in California was similar to the deserts in North Africa. This made it a perfect place for troops to practice.
Many different army groups trained at Camp Coxcomb. These included the 7th Armored Division and the 85th Infantry Division. The 93rd Infantry Division and the 95th Infantry Division also trained here. After their training, these soldiers went on to fight in the North African campaign.
What Was Camp Coxcomb Like?
When the camp was finished, it had many buildings and facilities. There were 39 shower buildings and 165 latrines (bathrooms). Soldiers slept in 284 wooden tent frames. The camp also had a tall observation tower and a large 40,000-gallon water tank.
For training, Camp Coxcomb had seven different ranges. These were used for practicing with machine guns and small firearms. Nearby, there was an area called the Palen Pass Maneuver Area. This area had special defensive structures built for training exercises.
Camp Coxcomb Army Airfield
Next to Camp Coxcomb was the Camp Coxcomb Army Field. This was an airstrip used to help with the training activities. The runway was 4,500 feet long and made of steel landing mats. It was located on the east side of California State Route 177.
Small planes used this airstrip for several reasons. They watched desert survival training and gunnery practices. They also helped coordinate tanks and other armored vehicles from the air. For a short time in 1951, the Coxcomb airfield was used as a private landing strip.
Camp Freda Quartermaster Depot
Near Camp Coxcomb was an old Santa Fe Railroad station. This station was turned into the Camp Freda Quartermaster Depot, also known as Camp Freda. It was located near the small town of Freda, California.
The U.S. Army made this small rail station into a major supply center. It supported Camp Coxcomb and other nearby Desert Training Center camps. All the troops training at Camp Coxcomb arrived at this rail depot. The depot stored important supplies like tanks, military vehicles, artillery guns, fuel, food, tents, and ammunition.
To help the thousands of soldiers in the area, there was also a field hospital. The 92nd Evacuation Hospital medical unit was first stationed at Camp Freda. It later moved to the Camp Desert Center Evacuation Hospital. Camp Freda closed in April 1944. Today, it is an unpopulated railroad siding with only a few old rock-lined walkways and concrete foundations left.
Historical Markers
There are markers at the site of Camp Coxcomb that tell its story. One marker on the Riverside, California site says:
- NO. 985 DESERT TRAINING CENTER, CALIFORNIA–ARIZONA MANEUVER AREA (ESTABLISHED BY MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, JR.) – CAMP COXCOMB – Camp Coxcomb was built here in the Spring of 1942. It was one of twelve camps in the southwestern desert. These camps trained U.S. troops for World War II battles. The Desert Training Center was like a real war zone. It covered parts of California, Arizona, and Nevada. Other camps included Young, Granite, Iron Mountain, Ibis, Clipper, Pilot Knob, Laguna, Horn, Hyder, Bouse, and Rice. Over 13 infantry divisions and 7 armored divisions, plus many smaller groups, trained in this tough environment. The Training Center operated for almost 2 years. It closed in early 1944 when the last units went overseas. In that short time, over one million American soldiers were trained for combat.
Another marker at the site adds more details:
- Camp Coxcomb was one of fifteen such camps built in the southwestern deserts. Over one million American soldiers were trained for combat here. The Sixth Armored Division was recognized for helping to free the Buchenwald concentration camp on April 11, 1945. This monument honors all soldiers who served here. It especially remembers those who died in battle, helping to end the Holocaust and defeat the forces of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. This plaque was placed on November 11, 1989, and rededicated on March 14, 2014.
Images for kids
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Soldiers at Camp Freda railroad siding
