Camp Grant (Illinois) facts for kids
Camp Grant was a big U.S. Army base near Rockford, Illinois. It was named after American Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant. This camp was open from 1917 to 1946. It covered a huge area, about 5,600 acres during World War I and 3,200 acres during World War II. It played a very important role in training soldiers for both World Wars.
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Camp Grant in World War I
Camp Grant opened in 1917. The first soldiers, called "draftees," arrived that September. These were men chosen to serve in the army. The camp quickly became one of the largest places in the United States for training soldiers during World War I. Its main job was to train infantry, which are soldiers who fight on foot.
The famous 86th Infantry Division, also known as the "Black Hawk" Division, was created at Camp Grant. After their training, many of these soldiers were sent to other army groups. While the 86th Division did not fight as a whole, some of its members did see combat. The 172nd Infantry Brigade was also formed here.
In 1918, a serious flu outbreak affected many people at the camp. Over 4,000 men got sick, and more than 1,000 sadly passed away in just one week. Camp Grant stopped being an active army base by December 1923. However, in January 1924, it was given to the Illinois National Guard.
Helping During the Great Depression
Between 1933 and 1935, during a tough time called the Great Depression, Camp Grant was used by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was a program that gave jobs to young men. They worked on projects like building parks and planting trees.
Camp Grant in World War II
In February 1941, Camp Grant was reopened for World War II. It became a place where new soldiers were checked to see if they were healthy enough to join the army. It also trained many people for the Army Medical Service. About 100,000 medical staff were trained at the camp during the war.
Camp Grant also held prisoners of war (POWs) during this time. About 2,500 POWs were kept at the camp. The base also employed around 6,000 civilians, which helped the local economy in Rockford. After the war, Camp Grant helped soldiers return to civilian life. It was a "separation center" where GIs (soldiers) were processed before going home.
After the Wars
Camp Grant officially closed for good in 1946. Today, much of the land where the camp once stood is now the Chicago Rockford International Airport. For a few years after the war, some of the camp's old barracks (buildings where soldiers lived) were turned into temporary apartments. These were used by soldiers returning home with their young families.
By the late 1940s, many of Camp Grant's buildings were torn down. In the 1950s, a lot of the remaining land was owned by Seth B. Atwood. He later gave the former Camp Grant rifle range to the Rockford Park District. This area is now known as Seth Atwood Park.
Camp Grant in Stories
Camp Grant has appeared in several books and TV shows:
- The book Taps for Charlie by Carl Brown is set at Camp Grant.
- It was mentioned in the TV show M*A*S*H by Colonel Potter.
- The camp was also mentioned in the series Boardwalk Empire.
- In Roots: The Next Generations, it is shared that Simon Haley, the father of Alex Haley, was stationed there during World War I.
