Camp Roberts, California facts for kids
Camp Roberts is a large military base in central California. It is located along the Salinas River. The base is in both Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties. The California Army National Guard runs Camp Roberts today.
The camp opened in 1941. It is named after Corporal Harold W. Roberts. He was a brave soldier in World War I who received the Medal of Honor. Nearby towns include San Miguel and Bradley. The closest city is Paso Robles. Camp Roberts is about 25 miles southeast of Fort Hunter Liggett.
Soldiers from the California Army National Guard train here every year. Even the British Army uses Camp Roberts for training.
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History of Camp Roberts
How Camp Roberts Began
Camp Roberts was built in 1940. It was created to be a training center for World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Martson led its construction. By 1945, the camp was very busy. It housed 45,000 troops at its peak.
The camp was first called the Camp Nacimiento Replacement Training Center. But its name was soon changed. It was renamed to honor Corporal Harold W. Roberts. He was a tank driver in World War I. He earned the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
Camp Roberts During World War II
During World War II, Camp Roberts was a huge training ground. About 436,000 soldiers trained there. These soldiers were from the Infantry and Field Artillery. Camp Roberts was one of the largest training camps of the war. A 750-bed Army hospital was also built at the camp. This hospital helped care for the troops.
The camp also held prisoners of war. German and Italian soldiers captured during the war were kept there. Some Italian prisoners chose to work at the camp. They joined special groups called Italian Service Units.
After World War II
After World War II, the camp became less active. Only a few National Guard and Army Reserve troops used it for summer training. Then, in 1950, the Korean War started. Camp Roberts became active again to train soldiers.
After the Korean War, the camp was quiet once more. The US Army used it for testing new weapons. The US Navy also used the large camp. They trained gunners with live firing exercises. In April 1970, the US Army closed the camp.
Camp Roberts Today
In 1971, the camp 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.
Modern Updates at Camp Roberts
Since 2014, Camp Roberts has been getting major updates. Many old buildings from World War II are being taken down. The demolition of these old buildings started in 2012. These buildings faced US Route 101. A special landfill was created to safely store materials from the demolished barracks.
