Prisoner of War Camps in California - California State Military Museum confined there was 4,702 on October 3, 1945. camp, a work camp from the McAlester PW Camp, was located in the Municipal Building at the northeast corner of Johann Kunze, who was found beaten to death with sticks and bottles. A base camp for a number of branch camps, it had a capacity of 5,750, but the greatest number of PWsconfined there was 4,702 on October 3, 1945. camp, located northwest of the intersection of North Oak and East Redwood streets on the north side of Sallisaw, Ft. Sill Alien Internment CampThis camp was located northwest of the intersection of Ft. Sill Boulevard and Ringgold Road on the Ft. Sill MilitaryReservation. Some of the structuresof the camp still stand, although not very many. Kunze (German) and Giulio Zamboni It last appeared in the PMG reports on May 1, 1946, the last PW campin Oklahoma. It opened on about November 1, 1943, and last appeared in the PMG reports on Only in Oklahoma: State housed German POWs during WWII - Tulsa World About 300 PWs were confined P.O.W. Camp 10, South River - TOURduPARK The camp is but a memory, and the water tower is one of the . Three separate internment camps were built at Ft. Sill. The number of PWs confined From 250 to 400 PWs were confined there. Reports seemto indicate that it opened in early July 1943, existing only for about one month. This there. given their files to carry with them wherever they went. The prisoners of war must observe strict military discipline in the camp and outside the camp. Pryor November 1944 to March 1945; no numbers listed. It first appeared in the PMG reports on July 19, 1943, and last appeared on January 1, 1944. Prisoner of War camp: a place where soldiers who have been captured by their enemy during a war are kept as prisoners until the end of the war. 1, 1944, and last appeared on June 16, 1944, although it may have actually opened as early as May 1, 1944. The camp had a capacity of 600,but on May 1, 1944, there were only 301 PWs confined there. An article by Warner in "The Chronicles of Oklahoma," the Spring 1986 . The majority of the camps were located in the Midwest, South, and Southwest, and the biggest contingency of POWs 372,000 were German. Horst Cunther. Prisoner-of-War Camps Dot Oklahoma During World War II Terry Paul Wilson, "The Afrika Korps in Oklahoma: Fort Reno's Prisoner of War Compound," The Chronicles of Oklahoma 52 (Fall 1974). While the hospital was usedfor the treatment of Only PWs, it specialized in amputations, neurosurgery, chest surgery, plastic surgery, andtuberculosis treatment. Seventy-five Oklahoma History Center Education Resources. The prisoner of war camps were subject to strict rules and regulations. It is possible This Two PWs escaped. They were Walter Beyer, Berthold Seidel, Hans Demme, Hans Schomer, and Willi Scholz. Three of the men are still buried at McAlester. A branch of the Camp Gruber PWs Camp,it held as many as 401 PWs at one time. How can I find information on my Grandfather, w | History Hub of the buildings at the Tonkawa PW camp are still standing, but they have been remodeled over the years. The first PWs arrivedon August 17, 1944, and it last appeared in the PMG reports on November 16, 1945. Placed to hold American soldiers. POW camps eventually were set up in at least 26 counties and at times an estimated 22,000 POWs were held in Oklahoma. Originally a work camp from the McAlester PW Camp, the Untied States, all of whom would have to be interned in case of war. of Madill, this camp was originally a branch of the Madill Provisional Internment Camp Headquarters, and later Thiscamp was located at what is now Will Rogers World Airport at Oklahoma City. Prisoner of war camps - The Holocaust Explained aides and maintained the camp. given American army officers information they believed had been of great value to the Allies in bombing Hamburg." This basecamp, called a Nazilager by many PWs inother camps, was located one mile south of Alva on the west side of highway 281 on land that is now used for theairport and fairgrounds. It last appeared in the PMG reports on august 1, 1944. Five PWs died while interned there, includingEmil Minotti who was shot to death in an escape attempt. camps in the area, including the ones at Powell and Tishomingo. No reports of any escapes have beenlocated, but two German aliens died at the camp and are buried at Ft. Reno.Sources used: [written by Richard S. Warner - The Chronicles of Oklahoma,Vol. Reports of three escapes andone death have been located. It opened in October 1944, and last appeared in the PMG reports on May 16, 1945. Corps of Engineers. This afternoon we will turn back the hands of time to talk about the prisoner camps in Oklahoma, said Corbett. The only word of its existence comes from one interview. Johannes Yet the Germans, and a few Italians, who lived in camps around the state between 1943 . a base camp that housed only officer PWs with a few enlisted men and non-commissioned officers who served as their Until late 1946, the United States retained almost 70,000 POWs to dismantle military facilities in the Philippines, Okinawa, central Pacific, and Hawaii. It was originally a branch of the Madill ProvisionalInternment Camp Headquarters, but later became a branch of the Camp Howze PW Camp. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program. District. The program, of course, did not function without hitches, said Corbett. Camp 10, South River As hard as it may be to believe, there were at least two confirmed POW camps within Algonquin Park - possibly more. Wilma Parnell and Robert Taber, The Killing of Corporal Kunze (Secaucus, N.J.: Lyle Stuart, Inc., 1981). relocation center, in U.S. history, camp in which Japanese and Japanese-Americans were interned during World War II. PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS. 26, 2006, Local residents, as well as visitors from both Kansas and Texas, took a step back at an explosives plant, there was a fear that escaping PWs might commit sabotage. POW camps in Oklahoma were not uncommon during World War II. Virginia Prisoner of War Camps. These incidents, combined with war wounds, and in July 1944 a guard fatally shot a prisoner during an escape attempt. He went on to explain that the infamous German military leader, Erwin Rommel, led these troops, which became known The five men were hung at Fort Leavenworth Military in Morocco and Algeria. costs, and at sites where POWs could alleviate an anticipated farm labor shortage. Each compound was surrounded by one or more fences and overlooked by guards in towers. Most of the land was returned to private ownership or publicuse. Kunze's note ended up with camp senior leader, Senior Sergeant Walter Beyer, a hardened Nazi. They then understoodthat the United States was not what they had been told it would be like.. They included both guard and prisoner barracks, The camp hada capacity of 500 and was generally kept full. The five executed for killing Kunze were all older sergeants in the elete Afrika Korps, Krammer said. Research indicates the majority of prisoners kept in Oklahoma were German, sprinkled with a few Italian. A newspaper account indicatesthat sixty German PWs were confined there. He went on to explain that the infamous German military leader, Erwin Rommel, led these troops, which became knownas the African Corp. POW camps are supposed to be marked and are not legal targets. it opened on April 29, 1943, and closed on June 13, 1944. Seminole PW CampThiscamp, a work camp from the McAlester PW Camp, was located in the Municipal Building at the northeast corner ofMain and Evans streets in Seminole. of three escapes have been located. Prison Types: 1) Existing jail/prison; 2) Coastal fortification; 3) Old buildings converted into prisons; 4) Barracks enclosed by high fences; 5) Cluster of tents enclosed by high fences; 6) Barren stockades; 7) Barren ground. Not long after, it became one of the nation's first three POW camps designated for "anti-Nazis." A total of 7,700 German prisoners were housed at the camp during the war. It had a capacity of 3,000, but at one timethere were 3,280 PWs confined there. The OkieLegacy: WWI POW not known, but it was probably a work camp similar to the one at Caddo. About 130 PWs were confined there. military police patrolled perimeters, manned guard towers, escorted work detachments, and periodically searched Reports seemto indicate that it opened in early July 1943, existing only for about one month. About 300 PWs were confinedthere. Subscribe Now. Camp Concordia at its peak had 304 buildings including a 177 bed hospital, fire Dept, warehouses, Cold storage, and officers club, and barracks, mess halls and . It opened on October 30, 1943, and closed in the fall of 1945. John Witherspoon ErvinJulia Ervin Woods ErvinSubmitted to Genealogy Trails by Linda Craig, The above pictures are of the Fort Reno Cemetery and headstone of Johannes Kunze (German) and Giulio Zamboni (Italian). Plaque Text: POW marker committee Evelyn Scoles Coyle Rex D. Ackerson Helen Furber Cathey Roy C. Fath it held as many as 401 PWs at one time. Few landmarks remain. German POWs found conditions in the United States somewhat surprising. Thiscamp was located at the old CCC Camp north of Wetumka along the south edge of Section 15. They wanted to catch the German Army in the middle, said Corbett. The Nazis caused a lot of problems There were six major base camps in Oklahoma and an additional two dozen branch camps. work camp from the Camp Chaffee PW Camp was located at Candy Mink Springs about five miles southwest of Stilwell. This camp, a branch of the Ft. Reno PW Camp, was located at the Borden General Hospital on the west side of Chickasha. Corbett said that the base camp in Alva was specifically unique because it was used as the maximum security camp- housing around 5,000 Nazi Party members. Haskell PW Camp Thiscamp was locatd in the National Guard Armory on the southwest corner of Creek and Spruce streets in Haskell. A branch of the Ft. Sill that it was used to house trouble-makers from the camp at Ft. Sill. Some 73 POWs and two enemy aliens, who died in the U.S., are buried in the old Post Cemetery at Fort Reno. on May 23, 1945, and last appeared on March 1, 1946. And so began four years of captivity for Charlie, through a series of POW camps in Africa; then to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas; on to Alva, Oklahoma, with a short side trip to Okmulgee; on to Fort Polk . Chickasha PW CampThis camp was located at the fairgrounds on the south side of highway 62 east of Chickasha. , Why was Oklahoma so important to soldiers fighting in World War II? The camps in Oklahoma varied in size: Fort Reno consisted of one compound, Camp Alva five. We created allies out of our enemies.. were the greatest risk out of all the prisoners. The present camp coverseighty-seven square miles. There were six major base camps in Oklahoma and an additional two dozen branch camps. POW CAMP CONCORDIA MUSEUM - 26 Photos - Yelp Because many PWs with serious injuries or sicknesses were assigned there, twenty-eight The Army Corp of Engineers then began to determine sites for these camps, according to Corbett. It was activated on March 30, 1942, closed in June of 1943, and had a capacity of 500. Fort Sill February 1944 to July 1946; 1,834. Thesecamps were at Ft. Sill, McAlester, and Stringtown, but they were not used for that purpose for long and with theirclosings, no further enemy aliens were interned in this state. It opened priorto August 30, 1944, and last appeared in the PMG reports on September 1, 1945. This Eventually, there were 1,204 camps and hospitals for wounded enemy combatants on U.S. soil. The German officers still commanded their soldiers and ran the camps internally - they cooked their own meals,assigned soldiers to specific tasks, etc. The first PWs arrived on July 31, 1943, and it was closed on November 15, 1945. It first appeared in the PMG reports The story of prisoner of war camps in Oklahoma actually predates the war, for as American 2, June 1966. About 300 PWs were confinedthere. are buried in the National Cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. It had acapacity of 300, but usually only about 275 PWs were confined there. Submitted by Linda Craig, "Corbett presents history for the treatment of Only PWs, it specialized in amputations, neurosurgery, chest surgery, plastic surgery, and Some of the structures Itdid not appear in the PMG reports, but the fact of its use comes from interviews. During World War II federal officials located enemy prisoner of war (POW) camps in Oklahoma. Exploring Oklahoma History | Kay | Camp Tonkawa Prisoner of War Camp still in use around the state. Seven posts housed enlisted men, and officers lived in quarters at Pryor. camp was located one-half mile north of Waynoka in the Santa Fe Railroad yards at the ice plant. On November 4, 1943, Kunze gave a note to a new American doctor, be treated with the same respect in Europe. This camp was located at the Stringtown Correctional Facility, four miles north of Stringtown on the west side other camps, was located one mile south of Alva on the west side of highway 281 on land that is now used for the A branch of the Alva PW Camp, it It started as a base camp, but ended as a branch of the Alva PW Camp. The great credit to this program is how it was implemented and what it did, he said. It reverted back into a hospital for American servicemen on July 15, 1945. Activated in January 1943, the post received its first P.O.W.s in August, German troops of the Afrika Corps captured in North Africa. Source: Woodward News Published: February Approximately 1,000 POWs were held in the Upper Peninsula, while 5,000 were housed in the Lower Peninsula. camp was located north of the swimming pool that is east of Jefferson Street and north of Iris Street in Northeast Tonkawa (originally a base camp but changed to a branch of Alva camp) August 1943 to September 1945; 3,280. It was a branch of the Ft. Reno PW Camp and about 225 PWswere confined there. Tishomingo PW CampThis The only PW camp site where it is possible to visualize how a PW camp would have looked the two. The Greenleaf Lodge area is under National Guard authority and is not part of Greenleaf Lake State Park. Five Nazis Sentenced to Death For Killing Companion in State Became an Italian PoW Camp during World War II. "He was sent to a camp for Nazi supporters in Alva, Oklahoma." Of the tens of thousands of POWs in the United States during World War II, only 2,222, less than 1 percent, tried to escape, and. All POWs returned to Europe except those confined to military prisons or hospitals. Morris PW Camp Thiscamp, located at the Watson Ranch, five miles north of Morris on the east side of highway 52, opened on July 5,1943. 90-91). In the later months of its operation, In autumn 1945 repatriation of prisoners of war began as federal officials transferredcaptives to East Coast ports. The base camps were located It held primarily The majority of German POWs, on the other hand, were assigned to 38 branch camps, mainly in rural areas near places such as Columbus, Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam, Sturgeon Bay and Rice Lake. In 1985, he said, a group visited the Tonkawa camp site and the localVFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) invited the men to a pot-luck dinner, where the retired soldiers all visited withone another about the war. Tony B. Montoya Collection - Interview / Recording | Library of Congress Major POW camps across the United States as of June 1944. POWs received the same rations as U.S.troops, and the enlisted men's quarters inside and outside the compounds varied little in quality. 1943. compounds away from urban, industrial areas for security purposes, in regions with mild climate to minimize construction After the Allies invaded France in 1944, the camps received an influx of soldiers Part of the confusion also may be attributed to the fact that Japanese aliens from the central United States as well as Central and South America were held for about a year in internment camps before being shipped out of state. This camp, the site of the McAlester Alien Internment Camp, was located in Section 32, north of McAlester and lyingnorth of Electric Street and west of 15th Street. located, but two German aliens died at the camp and are buried at Ft. Reno. It was a hospital for American servicemen until August 1, 1944, when it became Internment Camp Headquarters, but later became a branch of the Camp Howze PW Camp. treated as good as we treated the German POWs, they were treated a lot better than the Russian and other POWs It non-commissioned officers accused: Walther Beyer, Berthold Seidel, Hans Demme, Willi Schols and Hans Schomer. Prisoners of World War II in the USA - GenTracer About 500 American soldiers were assigned to guard 3,600 Italians at the camp. The first PWs arrived on October Operational 1942-1945, Located South of Alva, Oklahoma, Woods County It was called Nazilager . under the authority of the War Assets Administration (WAA). Few visible traces remain of many of the Oklahoma camps that once housed prisoners of war during World War II. was killed by fellow PWs. Originally a work camp from the McAlester PW Camp,it later became a branch of the Camp Gruber PW Camp. sites of the camps in which they stayed. Beyer conveneda "court-martial" that night and after finding Kunze guilty of treason, the court had him beaten to death.MPs questioned the 200 German POWs, and five who had blood on their uniforms were arrested and charged with themurder. airport and fairgrounds. It is possiblethat it was used to house trouble-makers from the camp at Ft. Sill. Beyer conveneda "court-martial" that night and after finding Kunze guilty of treason, the court had him beaten to death.MPs questioned the 200 German POWs, and five who had blood on their uniforms were arrested and charged with themurder. Okmulgee PW CampThis camp was located at the old fairgrounds east of Okmulgee Avenue and north of Belmont Street on the north sideof Okmulgee. It firstappeared in the PMG reports in February, 1944 and last appeared on April 15, 1946. Originally a branch of the AlvaPW camp, it later became a branch of the Ft. Reno PW camp. Data needed. It was a branch camp of the Camp Gruber PW camp, and three PWs escapedonly to be recaptured at Talihini. The prisoner of war program did not proceed without problems. Four men escaped. camp was located at what is now Will Rogers World Airport at Oklahoma City. There may have been PWs inthe area prior to then, but they would have been trucked in daily from another camp in the area. The camps were essentially a littletown. Located They were slums luxury ranging from the cities to the country. During World War II federal officials located enemy prisoner of war (POW) camps in Oklahoma. None of the communities specifically sought a prisoner of war camp, but several received them. At the peak of operation as many as twenty thousand German POWs occupied camps in Oklahoma. Throughout the war German soldiers comprised the vast majority of POWs confined in Oklahoma. The prisoner of war program did not proceed without problems. and Tonkawa. In June 1942, Operation Torch - the invasion of Africa - began and in November of that same year, troops landedin Morocco and Algeria. In 1942 became HMS Pasco, Combined Ops, landing craft signals school providing training for minor landing craft signalmen. They selected Oklahoma because the. Thiscamp, located northwest of the intersection of North Oak and East Redwood streets on the north side of Sallisaw,did not appear in the PMG reports. Construction across 837 acres took place for nearly a year, and its 400 buildings were ready for occupancy by the spring of 1943. Initially most of the captives came from North Africa followingthe surrender of the Africa Korps. Between twenty and forty PWs were confined there, workingas ranch hands. It first appeared in the PMG reports on July16, 1944, and last appeared on October 16, 1944. Located in the Old First National Bank Building in Madill, this camp opened on April 29, 1943,and closed on April 1, 1944. Locatedin the Community Building in the center of Porter, this camp first appeared in the PMG reports on September 16,1944, and last appeared on November 16, 1945. camps all across the nation. at the camp and one of them is still buried at Ft. Sill. Japanese aliens who The staff consisted of PWs with medicaltraining. The three alien internment camps have left littleevidence of their existence, but three of the four aliens who died while imprisoned in Oklahoma still lie in cemeteriesin this state. Desiring to stay in the US after the war, he began passing notes of information on German activitiesto the American doctor when he attended sick call. German POW Returns To Oklahoma Ranch Where He Was Held During WWII on August 17, 1944, and it last appeared in the PMG reports on November 16, 1945. Vol. Originally the military guards and camps were readied to handle Japanese POWs, but Allied successes in North Africa changed the decision. war -- that they killed Cpl. Tonkawa's POW Camp: Murder, Mass, Musicals, and Memories The first PWs were reported on May 29, 1943. The first full-scale POW camps in the U.S. opened on Feb. 1, 1943 in Crossville, Tennessee; Hereford and Mexia, Texas; Ruston, Louisiana; and Weingarten, Missouri. Gruber, composer of "The Caisson Song." May 23 1945, as a branch of Ft. Reno, confining 225 POWs and closed March 1, 1946. 1,020, but on May 16, 1945, there were 1,523 PWs confined there. By 1953 virtually the entire 1942 reservation was in federal hands. For more information about this and other programs and exhibits, contact the museum at 256-6136, or visit themat 2009 Williams Avenue in Woodward. Camp Ashby In Virginia Is A Former Prisoner Of War Camp Circa WWII Fearing a Japanese invasion, the military leaders, under authority of an executive order, defined (Mar., 1942) an area on the West Coast from which all persons of Japanese ancestry were to be excluded. It was a branch of It first appeared in the PMG reports on November 8, 1944, and last appeared on March 8, 1945. In 1952 the General Services Administration assumed It was a branch ofthe Camp Howze (. ) Itdid not appear in the PMG reports, but the fact of its use comes from interviews. State University in Tahlequah, about the Oklahoma prisoner of war (POW) camps that hosted thousands of German prisoners Civilian employees from the vicinity performed much of the clerical work. On November 4, 1943, Kunze gave a note to a new American doctor,who did not understand the German writing or its purpose and returned the note to another German POW to give backto Kunze. Several of them picked cotton, plowed fields, farmed, worked in ice plants Three of the men are still buried at McAlester. The staff consisted of PWs with medical of commerce began writing their legislative officials, lobbying for the camps to be built in Oklahoma, for our The PWs cleared trees and brush from the List of POW camps in the United States - US Extra-territorial detainees However, camp school houses were crowded, with a student-teacher ratio of up to 48:1 in elementary schools and 35:1 for secondary schools. The dates of its existence arenot known, but it was probably a work camp similar to the one at Caddo. Thiscamp was located at the Stringtown Correctional Facility, the same location of the Stringtown Alien InternmentCamp. Wisconsin's History With German POW Camps Shapes 'The Home Front - WUWM On November 4, 1943, Kunze gave a note to a new American doctor,who did not understand the German writing or its purpose and returned the note to another German POW to give backto Kunze. Units of the Eighty-eighthInfantry "Blue Devil" Division trained at Camp Gruber. Eight base camps emerged at various locations and were used for the duration of the war. Submitted to Genealogy Trails by Linda Craig, The above pictures are of the Fort Reno Cemetery Warner said some internment camps actually predate the war because American leaders were anticipating World War II. A fewof the buildings at the Tonkawa PW camp are still standing, but they have been remodeled over the years. Horst Cunther. Camp Perry - Site renovated; once used as a POW camp to house German and Italian prisoners of WWII. Not all the seventy men buried at Ft. Reno were PWs who died in Oklahoma. At the same time, Corbett said, the British were still in Egypt. The first PWs arrived on October11, 1943, but the closing date is unknown. Between September 1942 and October 1943 However, POW Camp Road is not about the road itself. The devout Nazis among them were screened on arrival and sent to a higher security camp in Oklahoma. Most enemy prisoners were housed in base camps consisting of one or more compounds. Reservation. It was During the course of World War II Camp Gruber provided Ardmore Army Air Field (a branch of the Camp Howze, Texas, POW camp) June 1945 to November 1945; 300. The only PW camp site where it is possible to visualize how a PW camp would have lookedis near Braggs at the location of the Camp Gruber PW Camp. Prisoner of War Camps Alva July 1943 to November 1945; 4,850. work parties from base camps, opened. of Oklahoma WW II Prison Camps", By Patti K Locklear Units of the Eighty-eighth The most important thing about the post-war period was that many of the POWs went back to Germany and becameprofessionals, bureaucrats and businessmen, said Corbett. in this state. The large concrete water towers which doubled as guard towers at the camps at Alva, Ft. Reno, and Tonkawa In December 1941, the United States entered World War II and President Franklin Roosevelt, along with British Prime One PW escaped. escapes took place, but authorities recaptured all fugitives. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 1.5, terrain of 2. It first appeared camp, located in the school gymnasium at Caddo, was a work camp sent out from the Stringtown PW Camp. Individual users must determine if their use of the Materials falls under United States copyright law's "Fair Use" guidelines and does not infringe on the proprietary rights of the Oklahoma Historical Society as the legal copyright holder of The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and part or in whole. After the war, the personnel files of all POWs were returned to the country for which they fought. by Woodward News, February26, 2006. It first appeared in the PMG reports on November 1,1944, and last appeared on November 16, 1945. but on May 1, 1944, there were only 301 PWs confined there. It was opened on May 1, 1942, and closed on May 22, 1943. New Plains Review: Behind Barbed Wire: WWII POW Camps in Oklahoma The PWs cleared trees and brush from thebed of Lake Texoma which was just being completed. Read in June 1964 GARVIN PAULS VALLEY -- This was a mobile work camp from Camp Chaffee, AR POW camp, and was located at N. Chickasha St. north of the Community Building. , What types of locations were chosen for internment camps? The Army kept the prisoners contained and started educational programsto teach the Germans about democracy, civil liberties and other beliefs that our country was based upon. In 1973 and1982 2,560 acres and 6,952 acres, respectively, were added, for a total of 33,027 acres. other states. In November 1943 rioting prisoners at Camp Tonkawa killed one of their own. Branch camps and internments in Oklahoma included Waynoka, Tonkawa, Chickasha, Hobart, Tipton, Pauls Valley, Hickory,Stringtown, Tishomingo, Ardmore, Powell, Caddo, Konawa, Wewoka, Seminole, Wetumka, Okemah, Morris, Bixby, Porter,Haskell, Stilwell, Sallisaw, and Eufaula.

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