Camp Toccoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camp Toccoa |
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| Stephens County, near Toccoa, Georgia, U.S. | |
Camp Toccoa in 1942
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 Camp Toccoa
Camp Toccoa
Location in the United States##Location in Georgia
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| Coordinates | 34°33′01″N 83°23′50″W / 34.5504°N 83.3973°W |
| Type | Military training base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940 |
| In use | 1941 – ca. 1946 |
Camp Toccoa was a special training camp for United States Army paratroopers during World War II. It was located about 5 miles west of Toccoa, Georgia. Soldiers who trained here learned how to jump out of airplanes with parachutes.
One famous group that trained at Camp Toccoa was the 506th Infantry Regiment. Their Company E, also known as "Easy Company," became very well-known. Their story was even told in the TV show Band of Brothers.
Building Camp Toccoa
How the Camp Started
The idea for a training camp in this area began in 1938. The Georgia National Guard and a government program called the Works Projects Administration (WPA) started building it on January 17, 1940. The camp officially opened on December 14, 1940.
A Name Change for Good Luck
The camp was first called Camp Toombs. It was named after a general from the American Civil War. However, Colonel Robert Sink, who led the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, didn't like the name. He thought it sounded too much like "tombs," which are graves. He worried it might make the young soldiers feel unlucky, especially after they traveled down a road called Route 13 and passed a "Casket Company."
Colonel Sink convinced the War Department to change the name. So, Camp Toombs became Camp Toccoa, which sounded much better!
Training for War
Life at Camp Toccoa
The U.S. Army took over Camp Toccoa in 1942. At first, there weren't many buildings, so most soldiers lived in tents. Later, permanent barracks (buildings for soldiers to sleep in) were built.
Jump Training and Rifle Practice
Soldiers first practiced jumping from planes at the nearby Toccoa airport. But after an accident, the airport's runway was found to be too short for safe takeoffs and landings. Because of this, all future jump training moved to Fort Benning, Georgia.
Camp Toccoa also didn't have its own place for rifle practice. So, trainees had to march about 30 miles to Clemson Agricultural College in South Carolina to use their shooting range.
Conquering Currahee Mountain
A big part of training at Camp Toccoa was running up Currahee Mountain. This mountain, which is about 1,735 feet tall, overlooked the camp. It was a very tough challenge!
This difficult run was shown in the TV series Band of Brothers. Soldiers would shout, "3 miles up, three miles down!" as they ran. The soldiers of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment even called themselves "Currahees." This name comes from a Cherokee word that means "standing alone." Currahee Mountain is so important that it's even on the insignia (symbol) of the 506th regiment.
Famous Units That Trained Here
Many important units trained at Camp Toccoa, including:
- 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 457th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
- 295th Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company (FA)
- 296th. Ordnance Heavy Main Company (CT)
A Visit from Bob Hope
In 1943, the famous comedian Bob Hope visited Camp Toccoa. He told the tough recruits, "You guys are so rugged, you look like Wheaties with legs!" After World War II ended, the U.S. Army gave Camp Toccoa back to the state in 1946.
After the War
New Uses for the Camp
In the late 1940s, Camp Toccoa was used as a camp for young people who had gotten into trouble. However, after many escapes, the camp was moved in the 1950s to a new location in Alto, Georgia.
Later, part of the old camp site became home to the Patterson Pump Company. This company makes large pumps for things like industrial use, floods, fires, and heating and cooling systems.
Remembering Camp Toccoa
Preserving History
Today, only one building from the World War II training camp remains: the mess hall where soldiers ate their meals.
In 2012, a group called the Camp Toccoa at Currahee not-for-profit foundation was started. Their goal is to honor the brave paratroopers who trained at Camp Toccoa. They also have a plan to restore some of the camp's old facilities.
The Colonel Robert F. Sink Memorial Trail
The path that paratrooper trainees used to run up Currahee Mountain is now a special trail. It's called the Colonel Robert F. Sink memorial trail. It starts at the old Camp Toccoa site and goes all the way to the top of Currahee Mountain.
A plaque at the start of the trail honors "Col. Bob" Sink. The trail is also used for the Annual Currahee Challenge, a race held every fall. People can choose to run three or six miles up the mountain.
See also
In Spanish: Campamento Toccoa para niños
