Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center |
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Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center with Military police
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| Location | Santa Anita Racetrack, Arcadia, California and San Gabriel Mountains |
| Built | Opened November 30, 1942 to November 1944 |
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The Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center, also known as Camp Santa Anita, was a special training center. It was built for soldiers during World War II. This camp helped prepare troops for combat.
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What Was Camp Santa Anita?
Camp Santa Anita was a large training area. It covered 1,029 acres of land. The camp opened on November 30, 1942. It was located near the San Gabriel Mountains. This area is north of East Pasadena, California and Sierra Madre, California.
Training for Soldiers
Soldiers at Camp Santa Anita learned important skills. They practiced shooting rifles and pistols. There was also a small range for anti-aircraft guns. These guns were used to shoot down enemy planes. An "infiltration course" was also part of the training. This was like an obstacle course. It helped soldiers learn to move through tough areas.
Main Base for Training
Most of the soldiers who trained at the rifle range came from a nearby base. This base was the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps's Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center. It was located at the Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, California. This racetrack is in Los Angeles County.
A Place with History
Before it became a training center, the Santa Anita Racetrack had another use. From March to October 1942, it was the Santa Anita Assembly Center. This was a temporary camp for Japanese Americans. They stayed there for a short time during World War II.
Prisoners of War
Camp Santa Anita also held German prisoners of war (POWs). These were soldiers captured during the war. Many of them were from Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps troops. They were captured during the North African campaign. The camp also had some Italian Service Units working there.
When the Camp Closed
The training range at Camp Santa Anita closed in 1944. The land lease for the camp ended in 1950.
