Camp Shanks facts for kids
Camp Shanks was a very important Army base in Orangetown, New York. It was named after Major General David C. Shanks. This camp was the biggest U.S. Army camp used during World War II for sending soldiers overseas. It was located near the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River.
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Camp Shanks: A Key WWII Base
Camp Shanks was a huge gathering place for soldiers getting ready to leave New York for battles overseas during World War II. People called it “Last Stop USA” because it was the last place many soldiers stayed before heading into war. The camp was spread out over about 2,040 acres (8.25 square kilometers). It was the largest U.S. Army camp for sending troops abroad during World War II. About 1.3 million soldiers passed through Camp Shanks. This included 75% of the troops who took part in the D-Day invasion. In 1945, Camp Shanks also held German and Italian prisoners of war.
After the war, the old buildings at Camp Shanks were changed into homes. These homes were for soldiers who had returned from war and were going to college in New York City. This new community was called Shanks Village. It closed in 1954. The land where Camp Shanks once stood was then given back for regular civilian use. Today, a large highway called the Palisades Interstate Parkway goes through some of the land that was once Camp Shanks. In June 1994, the Camp Shanks Museum opened nearby. It helps people learn about the camp's history.
Building the Camp: A Race Against Time
On September 25, 1942, over 300 people from Orangeburg learned that their homes and farms were being taken. This land, about 2,040 acres (8.25 square kilometers), was needed right away to build a military camp. One hundred thirty families lost their homes. The United States needed to send many troops and supplies to Europe. So, it had to build more military bases around New York City. Colonel Drew C. Eberson was the main engineer for the construction.
Building Camp Shanks was a very fast job. It was finished between September 1942 and May 1943. It cost about $44 million. There were some problems during the construction, but a federal investigation later cleared the military and contractors. Camp Shanks officially opened on January 4, 1943. Colonel Kenna G. Eastman was its first commander. The soldiers lived in barracks that were 20 feet by 100 feet. These buildings had two rows of bunk beds and three coal-burning stoves for heat. Over 400 women from the Women's Army Corps (WAC) also worked at the camp. They did many jobs, like being clerks, mechanics, and warehouse staff.
Life at Camp Shanks: Preparing for War
Camp Shanks was one of three main staging areas on the East Coast. The other two were Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn and Camp Kilmer in New Brunswick, NJ. Together, these camps made the area the largest staging area in the world. A main job of Camp Shanks was to make sure every soldier and WAC had all their gear before going overseas. The final check at Camp Shanks found any problems. They would fix things or replace anything that was broken. At the start of the war, there were no big supply places in England. So, soldiers had to carry all their important items with them.
In the second half of 1944, Camp Shanks was sending tens of thousands of troops overseas. The busiest time was October 1944. During that month, 78,354 troops arrived, and 85,805 troops left. By the end of November 1944, all staging areas in the U.S. stopped their final equipment checks. Supplies could now be handled from depots in England. When soldiers were told they were on "Alert" status, they knew they would be leaving within twelve hours. They would remove their division patches. Their helmets were marked with a letter and number. This showed them where to march and which train car to ride in. It was a short train ride to the New Jersey docks. Then, a boat took the troops to a waiting troopship. Some sources also say troops marched four miles (6 km) to the Piermont Pier to board ships.
Camp Shanks as a Prisoner of War Camp
Camp Shanks also held prisoners of war. Between April 1945 and January 1946, it housed 1,200 Italian and 800 German prisoners. The first German prisoners arrived in June 1945. After the war ended, about 290,000 prisoners of war passed through Camp Shanks. They were processed there before being sent back to their home countries. The last German prisoner left on July 22, 1946. The camp officially closed that same month. Some of the buildings were then turned into homes for veterans going to school. The former camp was renamed Shanks Village.
