Camp Horn, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camp Horn |
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Jeep at Camp Horn in 1943
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| Location | Camp Horn, Arizona |
| Built | fall of 1943 |
| Architect | US Army |
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Imagine a huge training ground in the desert. That's what Camp Horn was! It was a special camp for the US Army during World War II. Camp Horn was part of a much bigger area called the Desert Training Center. This center was mostly in Riverside County, California.
The main base for all this training was Camp Young. That's where famous General Patton's 3rd Armored Division was. Camp Horn was located in Arizona, near another camp called Camp Hyder. It was about 6 miles (10 km) west of Hyder, Arizona. You could find Camp Horn just north of the Gila River. It was also about 54 miles (87 km) east of Yuma, Arizona.
Most soldiers arrived at Camp Horn by train. They came from train stations at Camp Hyder or Sentinel, Arizona. Over 13,000 soldiers trained at Camp Horn and Camp Hyder together. For example, the 81st Infantry Division trained here from June to November in 1943.
Camp Horn was built in the fall of 1943. Its main purpose was to get soldiers ready for battles in North Africa. They needed to fight against the Nazis during World War II. When the camp was finished, it had everything the soldiers needed. There were shower buildings, restrooms, and wooden frames for their tents. It even had an outdoor theater! The camp also had firing ranges for target practice. Plus, there were big water storage tanks and a water treatment plant.
Near the camp, in Agua Caliente, Arizona, the army built a natural hot spring for the troops. This was on the land of the Agua Caliente Ranch. Today, you can still see some parts of Camp Horn. There are rock lines that show where walkways and roads used to be.
Camp Horn Airfield
Right next to Camp Horn, there was a small airport. It was called the Camp Horn Army Airfield. This airfield had one runway that was 4,500 feet (1,370 meters) long. The airfield closed in 1944, around the same time the camp did.
This landing strip was used to help with the training. Small planes, like the L-4 Piper Aircraft, would fly over. This helped soldiers watch the huge training grounds from above. Even today, if you look from the air, you can still see the faint outline of the runway. It runs in a northeast-southwest direction.
Dateland Air Force Field
Another important airfield near Camp Horn was the Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field. It was named after the nearby Dateland, Arizona road stop. This airfield also helped support Camp Horn's training. Its runway was long enough for larger planes to use for training exercises.
The United States Army Air Forces opened this field on January 1, 1943. It was used for Air Force training by the 3037th Army Air Force Base Unit. This landing strip was managed by the Yuma Army Airfield in Arizona.
Important Markers
There are special markers at these sites that tell their history.
One marker talks about Camps Hyder and Horn:
- Camps Hyder and Horn were set up in the fall of 1943. They were two of 15 desert camps built to train US soldiers for World War II. The Desert Training Center was like a huge practice battlefield. It covered parts of California, Arizona, and Nevada. Many different camps were part of it. Over a million American soldiers trained in this tough desert environment. The training center operated for two years. It closed in early 1944 when the last groups of soldiers went overseas. The 77th, 81st, and 104th Infantry Divisions trained at Hyder and Horn. This marker honors all the soldiers who served here. It especially remembers those who gave their lives to help end the Holocaust and defeat the armies of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. This marker was put up in 2002.
Another marker at the Camp Horn Monument remembers seven soldiers who died in a training accident:
- This marker says: "Here trained For Victory, Under Desert Skies, The 81st Infantry Division, The Wildcats 1943." It lists the names of seven privates who died: Robert J Vilella, Paul M. West, Earl S. Smith, James J. DeCarlo, Lynn Ramsey, Clyde B. Slayton, and Arden W. Bridges.
A marker at the Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field site explains its history:
- Dateland Army Air Field was started on January 1, 1943. It was chosen because water was available and it was close to the Yuma Gunnery Range. Construction finished on June 1, 1943. Dateland AAF was a smaller base connected to Yuma Army Air Field. Yuma was where the Army's advanced flying school was located. Other gunnery ranges were also set up nearby. The base was first for training with single-engine planes. But in September 1943, it changed to train with twin-engine planes. Troops were stationed here starting July 8, 1943. They provided security and kept the base running. They also helped several flying groups. For example, Mather Army Air Field based 60 B-25J gun ships here for a short time in late 1943 and early 1944. This monument honors all the soldiers and airmen who served here. It especially remembers those who died during training and in battles over Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. They helped defeat the Axis powers.
