General George S. Patton Memorial Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
General Patton Memorial Museum
Statue of Patton standing on tank treads with Willie (his pet dog), installed outside the General George S. Patton Memorial Museum
Established	1988
Location	62-510 Chiriaco Road Chiriaco Summit, California 33°39′42″N 115°43′20″W / 33.66167°N 115.72222°W / 33.66167; -115.72222
Type	Biographical museum

Camp Young
US Army Camp Young in 1943
Location	General Patton Memorial Museum
Area	3,279.89 acres (1,327.32 ha)
Built	1942
Architect	US Army

California Historical Landmark
Reference no.	985.1

Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The General George S. Patton Memorial Museum is a special place in Chiriaco Summit, California. It's a museum built to honor General George S. Patton. It stands right where the entrance to Camp Young used to be. Camp Young was a big training area during World War II, part of the Desert Training Center.

Inside the museum, you'll find many cool things! There's a large collection of tanks from World War II and the Korean War. You can also see items from General Patton's life and military career. Many of these items are about his time at the Desert Training Center. There are also things from the soldiers who trained there.

The museum also shows exhibits about the Colorado River Aqueduct. This is a huge system that brings water to California. You can also learn about local nature. A 26-minute video plays, telling the story of Patton's military service. It also explains how the Desert Training Center was created.

General Patton spent less than four months at the Desert Training Center. But his work there helped train over one million troops. The museum is located right off Interstate 10. It's about 30 miles (48 km) east of Indio. It's also about 1,000 feet (300 m) west of the Chiriaco Summit Airport.

Desert Training Center map US Army 1943

Discover the Patton Museum
California Historical Landmark
Images for kids
See Also

Discover the Patton Museum

What You'll See Inside

The museum is full of interesting exhibits. You can explore a wide range of tanks. These tanks were used in big conflicts like World War II and the Korean War. Imagine seeing these powerful machines up close!

You'll also find many personal items from General Patton's life. These are called memorabilia. They show what his life was like as a soldier and a leader. Many exhibits focus on his time at the Desert Training Center. This is where he helped prepare soldiers for battle.

The museum also has displays about the Colorado River Aqueduct. This amazing project brings water across long distances. There are also exhibits about the natural science of the desert. You can learn about the plants and animals that live there.

A special 26-minute video is shown at the museum. It tells the story of General Patton's military career. It also explains how the Desert Training Center was started. It's a great way to learn more about this important time in history.

Camp Young: A Training Ground

Camp Young was a very important place during World War II. It was the main headquarters for General Patton's 3rd Armored Division. This division was a group of soldiers who used tanks. Camp Young was where they practiced tank warfare.

General Patton was ordered to create this desert training center in March 1942. The main goal was to get troops ready to fight in North Africa. They needed to be prepared to face the Afrikakorps and Italian forces there. Camp Young was active during the war and closed in 1944.

Many different military groups were stationed at Camp Young. These included the 3rd Armored Division and the IV Corps Command. An Engineer Camouflage Battalion was also there. Soldiers trained at Camp Young and its smaller sub-camps. After their training, they would go overseas to fight.

Camp Young covered a large area, about 3,279.89 acres (1,327.32 ha). This land was acquired from the Department of the Interior. South and west of Camp Young, there were 13 ranges. These ranges were used for practicing with different weapons. Soldiers trained with mortars and small caliber firearms.

Air Support for Training

Camp Young also had air support from the Shavers Army Airfield. This airfield was built in April 1943. The United States Army Air Forces Fourth Air Force used it as a training base. Airplanes from this field helped support Camp Young's activities. They would fly over to help coordinate tanks and other armored vehicles.

Each smaller training camp also had its own airfield for air support. After the war ended, the Shavers Army Airfield was given to the local government. It is still used today as the Chiriaco Summit Airport (L77). It is located about one mile (1.85 km) northeast of Chiriaco Summit.

Other Training Camps and Hospitals

Camp Young was the main headquarters. It managed many other smaller camps and facilities.

California Divisional Camps:

California Depots – Hospitals:

Camp Freda – A supply depot and hospital
Camp Desert Center – A supply depot and hospital
Banning General Hospital – A hospital
Torney General Hospital – A hospital
Camp Goffs – A supply depot and hospital
San Bernardino Engineer Depot – A supply depot and hospital
Needles Station Hospital
Cherry Valley Hospital

Arizona Divisional Camps:

Camp Bouse (a secret camp during WW2)
Camp Horn
Camp Hyder
Camp Laguna and the Yuma Test Branch – both later became the Yuma Proving Ground
Several bombing and artillery ranges

Major Airfields:

Blythe Army Air Base – still used as an airport
Desert Center Army Airfield – still used as an airport
Thermal Army Airfield – still used as an airport
Rice Army Airfield – no longer in use
Shavers Summit Army Airfield – now Chiriaco Summit Airport

Minor Airfields:

Camp Coxcomb Army Field – no longer in use
Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field – no longer in use
Camp Essex Army Field – no longer in use
Camp Goffs Army Field – no longer in use
Camp Horn Army Airfield – no longer in use
Camp Ibis Army Field – no longer in use
Camp Iron Mountain Army Field – now Iron Mountain Pumping Plant Airport (72CL)
Laguna Army Airfield – used at Yuma Proving Ground

California Historical Landmark

There is a special marker at Camp Young. It is a California Historical Landmark. These markers tell us about important places in history. The marker for Camp Young – Desert Training Center sites says:

Camp Young – Riverside

NO. 985 DESERT TRAINING CENTER, CALIFORNIA–ARIZONA MANEUVER AREA (ESTABLISHED BY MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, JR.) – CAMP YOUNG – The D.T.C. was established by Major General George S. Patton, Jr. This was done to train American soldiers for battles in North Africa during World War II. The camp started in 1942 and covered 18,000 square miles. It was the largest military training ground ever. Over one million men were trained at its eleven sub-camps (seven in California).