Camp Roberts, California facts for kids
Camp Roberts is a large military base in central California. It is used by the California Army National Guard for training. The camp is located on both sides of the Salinas River. It sits in parts of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.
Camp Roberts first opened in 1941. It was named after Corporal Harold W. Roberts. He was a brave soldier from World War I who received the Medal of Honor. Nearby towns include San Miguel and Bradley. The closest city is Paso Robles.
Contents
History of Camp Roberts
Building the Camp
Camp Roberts was built in 1940. It was created as a training center for soldiers during World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Martson led the building project. At its busiest in 1945, the camp housed 45,000 troops.
Naming the Camp
The camp was first called the Camp Nacimiento Replacement Training Center. Its name was later changed to honor Corporal Harold W. Roberts. He was a tank driver in World War I. He was given the Medal of Honor after he died for his bravery.
Training Soldiers for War
During World War II, Camp Roberts was one of the biggest training camps. About 436,000 soldiers learned to be infantry and field artillery troops there. A 750-bed Army hospital was also built at the camp to care for the soldiers.
Prisoners of War
The camp also held prisoners of war during World War II. German and Italian soldiers who were captured were kept there. Some Italian prisoners chose to work in special units at the camp.
After World War II
After World War II, the camp was mostly quiet. Only a few National Guard and Army Reserve troops used it for summer training.
The Korean War and Beyond
In 1950, the camp became active again for the Korean War. After that war, it became quiet once more. The U.S. Army later used the camp to test new weapons. The U.S. Navy also used the large area to train gunners with live firing.
Becoming a National Guard Base
The U.S. Army closed the camp in April 1970. In 1971, Camp Roberts was given to the California National Guard. It has been a training center for them ever since.
- The Camp Roberts Historical Museum is located on the base. It shares the history of the camp.
Camp Roberts Today
Modern Training and Renovations
Today, Camp Roberts is still a very active training site. Units from the California Army National Guard train there every year. Soldiers from the British Army also come to Camp Roberts for training.
Since 2014, Camp Roberts has been getting many updates. Old buildings from the World War II era are being taken down. This work started in 2012 for the buildings facing US Route 101.
See also
- Camp Laguna
- Yuma Test Branch
- Yuma Proving Ground
- California during World War II
