100,000th Visitor to the Training Center, Fort Knox, Ky.
Date:
1965
Description:
'Mr. L. B. Kerns from Morgantown, W. Va. signs the register at the Family Welcome Center in Fort Knox's Training Center after he had been informed that he and his family were the 100,000th visitors at the Center. Watching Mr. Kerns do the signing are his wife, and their son John. On the left is Master Sergeant Freddie Cox, the NonCommissioned Officer-in-Charge of the Center. The Kerns arrived November 5 to attend the graduation ceremony of their other son, James, who is completing his eight weeks of Basic Combat Training at Fort Knox with Company B, 13th Battalion, 4th Training Brigade. Their son will graduate November 6.''US Army Photograph'.
Dr. Irvin Stewart Accepts Army Civilian Award of Appreciation, West Virginia University
Date:
1959/10
Description:
'Major General Ralph W. Zwicker presents Dept. of Army Civilian Award of Appreciation to Dr. Irvin Stewart, former University President at brigade ceremony on drill field. President Stahr in civilian clothes on reviewing stand.'
'The following credit must be printed underneath each reproduction of this picture - Photograph from Press Association, Inc. - Trademark registered U. S. Pat. Off. Not to be syndicated, rented or loaned; This photo must not be used for advertising purposes without written permission; Made in U.S.A.'
Staging areas for new troops arriving in the ETO (European Theater of Operations), were known as "Cigarette Camps". Each camp was named after a brand of cigarette for security reasons. Referring to camps without any indication of geographical location help to block information leaks to the enemy. After V-E Day (Victory in Europe) the camps were converted to redeployment centers. An estimated 3 million American troops either entered or left Europe through the Le Havre area camps.
Major Elmer W. Prince of Morgantown, W. Va. at Camp Philip Morris, Le Havre, France
Date:
1946/03
Description:
United States Army Major Elmer Prince stands outside his two man tent in Camp Philip Morris. This "cigarette camp" could hold up to 35,000 men. In 1946, men in all camps were waiting for their number to be called to board a "Victory Ship" home. The port at Le Havre became known as the "Gateway to America".
Tented Billets at Camp Philip Morris, Le Havre, France
Date:
1946/03
Description:
While enduring the long waiting period to go home, most GIs had less than ideal living conditions, as one soldier wrote, "Under the floor of the tents the rats grew to cat size and sounded as through they were wearing boots when they tramped around while the men trying to sleep ..."
Red Cross Club at Camp Philip Morris, Le Havre. France
Date:
1946/03
Description:
The front of the Red Cross Club at Camp Philip Morris. Since camps did not have bathing facilities, the Red Cross shower room was usually the first place visited by soldiers with a 24 hour pass.
WAC and French War Bride Area At Camp Philip Morris, Le Havre, France
Date:
1946/03
Description:
A fence separates the WAC (Women's Army Corps) and French War Brides living areas from the rest of the camp. There were approximately 6,500 French War Brides, many left France with their husbands to live in America.
George Barrick Jr. of Morgantown, W. Va. on Army Base
Description:
Barrick was a student at West Virginia University serving in the army in World War II. He entered into active duty again after being commissioned a Second Lieutenant, ca. 1948. Barrick was killed in Korea, July, 1950.
Layne Ford, son of Gene and Ada H. Ford wearing army dress uniform. The photograph was taken while he was on leave for the holidays during World War II.
United States Army Air Corps 100th Division Camp, Charleston, W. Va.
Date:
ca. 1937
Description:
Pre-WWII photograph of the military camp from an album belonging to W. S. Wilkin.The 100th division was headquartered in Wheeling in 1924 and in Charleston in 1937, but was disbanded due to a lack of service in the interwar years. It was reactivated in November 1942 and sent to Marseille, France in October 1944 after extensive combat training. Today, the division serves as a major training command of the United States Army Reserve.
W. V. U. Men at Oakmont Camp, 5th Regiment U. S. Engineers
Date:
1917/07/20
Description:
The men are identified as:Back row: Allen Bowie, Harry Porter, Charles Riggs, Minter Wilson, Charles E. Hodges, R. H. V. Kay, Drage Doddrill, Frank M. Brewster, Uriah N. Orr, Jr.Lower row: Fitzhugh Donnally, Fred Unkefer, Sam Semple, Irwin Stone, Ronald Moist, Okey Keadle, Linwood T. Lawrence, Hubert L. McLaughlin.
U. S. Soldiers in Training at Seneca Rocks, W. Va.
Date:
1943/08/23
Description:
A group of soldiers are trained in mountain climbing at Seneca Rocks during WWII.The back of the photo reads:"Some of Uncle Sam's soldiers will be able to vie with the best of the Swiss mountain climbers. A new phase of strenuous ground training for combat units really gives our fighting men something to sweat about. High up in West Virginia's mountains, men of the U.S. Army get a short tough course on how to overcome obstacles no matter how high. When the men complete the short period of training they're tops in their field. Under the best tutors and instructors in the art of scaling walls of sheer rock, they learn all there is to know about cliffs and mountains- except yodeling.PHOTO SHOWS: The going gets tougher and tougher the higher they get. Here a group of soldiers leave the thicket to begin the hard climb over sheer rock to reach the peak of Seneca Rock."
