Fort Devens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Devens |
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|---|---|
| Part of United States Army | |
| Ayer / Shirley / Harvard, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
Old postcard of Army cantonment at Camp Devens
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| Coordinates | 42°30′26″N 71°40′00″W / 42.50722°N 71.66667°W |
| Type | Fort |
| Site information | |
| Owner | United States Army |
| Open to the public |
Partially |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1917 |
| Built by | United States Army |
| In use | 1917–present |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War Persian Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Fort Devens is an important United States Army base located in Massachusetts. It's mostly in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, and also partly in Harvard. Today, it serves as a training area for the Army Reserve.
This base was first built in 1917. It was used to train soldiers for many wars, including World War I and World War II. Because of some past activities, the land had some environmental issues. It was listed as a "superfund" site in 1989, meaning it needed special cleanup. Most of the land was sold in 1996, but the main part of the base is still used by the Army for training.
In 2011, Fort Devens had many people working there. This included soldiers, reservists, and civilians. It also had many training areas and ranges. Soldiers could practice with small arms, machine guns, and even rockets. A part of the old base is now a federal prison hospital called Federal Medical Center, Devens.
Contents
Fort Devens: A Historic Army Base
How Fort Devens Started
Fort Devens began as Camp Devens on September 5, 1917. It was named after Charles Devens, a judge and Civil War general. The camp was set up quickly to train soldiers for World War I. The government bought about 5,000 acres of land for the camp. This land was in Ayer, Harvard, Lancaster, and Shirley.
The location was chosen because it was a major train hub in New England. Building the camp was a huge project. Workers built a whole city for 10,000 soldiers. They built barracks, training buildings, and water systems. They built about 10 new buildings every day! Camp Devens trained over 100,000 soldiers during World War I. It also helped soldiers return home after the war.
In 1918, a serious flu outbreak, sometimes called the Spanish flu, affected the camp. Sadly, about 850 soldiers died from the flu at Camp Devens that year.
Fort Devens Between the World Wars
After World War I, Camp Devens became a place where over 150,000 troops returned home from France. For a while, it was used as a summer training camp for the National Guard and other military groups.
In 1931, Camp Devens became a permanent US Army base and was renamed Fort Devens. This happened thanks to Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers. She understood how important the base was for the local economy. During the Great Depression, many construction jobs at the fort were done by the Works Progress Administration. A few years later, an airfield was also built at Fort Devens.
Fort Devens During World War II
When World War II began in 1940, Fort Devens became a main center for all new draftees from New England. A huge building project started, adding over 1,200 wooden buildings and an airfield. Many famous Army divisions trained at Devens during the war.
Fort Devens also held prisoners of war from Germany and Italy from 1944 to 1946. It was also used to hold some people from other countries who were living in the U.S. during the war.
Fort Devens After World War II
After World War II, Fort Devens continued to be an active base. From 1946 to 1950, the 7th Infantry Regiment was stationed there. Some of these soldiers later went to fight in the Korean War.
From 1951 to 1996, Fort Devens was home to the Army Security Agency Training Center & School. This school trained soldiers in intelligence and security. The 10th Special Forces Group, a special operations unit, was also based at Fort Devens from 1968 to 1995. The base was a key training spot for Army Reserve and National Guard members too.
Fort Devens Closes and Reopens
In 1996, the main U.S. Army post at Fort Devens officially closed after 79 years. Most of the land was sold. The Federal Bureau of Prisons used some land for the prison hospital. The Massachusetts National Guard also got some land. A large part was bought by MassDevelopment to create a new community.
Since the military base closed, many old buildings have been updated. New homes and businesses have been built. There are also schools, a hotel, restaurants, and a golf course.
Later, Fort Devens became a United States Army Reserve installation. This means it's still an active training site for Reserve and National Guard forces. In 2008, the Army decided to build a new training center there. This center, called the David S. Connolly Armed Forces Reserve Center, opened in 2011. It has three large buildings and space for military vehicles. It supports many Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers and Marines.
In 2021, a company called Commonwealth Fusion Systems set up a large site at Fort Devens. They plan to develop and make equipment for fusion power, which is a new way to create energy.
Military Units at Fort Devens
Many military units are currently based at Fort Devens for training and operations. These include:
- 3411th Military Intelligence Detachment
- 401st Chemical Company
- Headquarters Company, 25th Marine Regiment
- Headquarters and Service Company & Weapons Company 1st Battalion, 25th Marines
- 3rd Battalion (Logistical Support Battalion), 313th Regiment
- 2nd Battalion (Training Support Battalion), 310th Regiment
- 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
- 77th Sustainment Brigade
- 804th Medical Brigade
- USNSCC Recruit Training Command New England (during summer)
- 756th Combat Engineer Company
Environmental Cleanup at Fort Devens
In 1989, Fort Devens was listed as a "superfund" site. This was because old fuel tanks had leaked chemicals into the soil and groundwater.
Since then, the Army has been working to clean up the area. They have been looking for and cleaning up chemicals in the water supply. Community members are also involved in discussions about how to protect the Nashua River from any contamination. Cleanup efforts are ongoing to make sure the land and water are safe.
Fort Devens Cemetery
Fort Devens has a cemetery where U.S. military personnel and their families are buried. It also has the graves of about 20 German and Italian prisoners of war who died there during or after World War II.
Some graves in the cemetery are very old. They were moved there from other forts after World War II. For example, the oldest grave is from 1817. It belongs to a soldier named 1st Lieutenant Robert F. Massie.
Fort Devens in Media
Fort Devens has appeared in popular culture:
- The famous radio show The Jack Benny Program recorded an episode at Fort Devens on December 20, 1942.
- The play "Court-Martial at Fort Devens" by Jeffrey Sweet is set at the fort. It tells a true story about two Black women soldiers during World War II who faced unfair treatment and were court-martialed.
Images for kids
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Barracks as seen from the air in 1995, now demolished
