Jump to content
 







Main menu
   


Navigation  



Main page
Contents
Current events
Random article
About Wikipedia
Contact us
Donate
 




Contribute  



Help
Learn to edit
Community portal
Recent changes
Upload file
 








Search  

































Create account

Log in
 









Create account
 Log in
 




Pages for logged out editors learn more  



Contributions
Talk
 



















Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 See also  





2 References  














Camp Barkeley







Add links
 









Article
Talk
 

















Read
Edit
View history
 








Tools
   


Actions  



Read
Edit
View history
 




General  



What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Get shortened URL
Download QR code
Wikidata item
 




Print/export  



Download as PDF
Printable version
 
















Appearance
   

 





Coordinates: 32°2124N 99°5201W / 32.3567°N 99.8669°W / 32.3567; -99.8669
 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


photo taken at Camp Barkeley, Texas, on April 23, 1941

Camp Barkeley was a large United States Army training installation during World War II. The base was located eleven miles (18 km) southwest of Abilene, Texas near what is now Dyess Air Force Base. The base was named after David B. Barkley, a Medal of Honor recipient during World War I (a clerical error is believed to have caused the spelling discrepancy). The camp was 70,229 acres (284.21 km2) in size and had a population of 50,000 at its peak of operation.[1]

Construction of the camp began in December 1940 and was completed in July 1941. Before it was finished, the 19,000 man 45th Infantry Division began to occupy the camp. Other units that trained at the camp include the 11th Armored Division, and the 12th Armored Division. The Medical Administrative Officer Candidate School was established at Barkeley in May 1942.[1] In 1942, the Abilene Army Air Field opened nearby to train pilots. The field was renamed Dyess Air Force Base in 1956.

On February 1, 1944, the 1846th Unit POW Camp was activated at Camp Barkeley. At its peak, in March 1945, the POW camp housed 840 German prisoners.[1] According to Krammer, "the few escape attempts invariably found the German prisoners sleeping in the bandstand in Abilene's central park."[2]

Camp Barkeley was officially closed in September 1945 and dismantled. The land, which was leased, reverted to the original landowners.[1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Camp Barkeley" The Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved Aug 30, 2009
  • ^ Krammer, Arnold (1979). Nazi Prisoners of War in America. New York: Stein and Day. p. 130. ISBN 0812825713.
  • 32°21′24N 99°52′01W / 32.3567°N 99.8669°W / 32.3567; -99.8669


    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Camp_Barkeley&oldid=1226615846"

    Categories: 
    Closed installations of the United States Army
    Forts in Texas
    Military facilities in Texas
    Buildings and structures in Taylor County, Texas
    Infrastructure completed in 1941
    1941 establishments in Texas
    1945 disestablishments in Texas
    Hidden categories: 
    Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
    Coordinates on Wikidata
     



    This page was last edited on 31 May 2024, at 19:57 (UTC).

    Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.



    Privacy policy

    About Wikipedia

    Disclaimers

    Contact Wikipedia

    Code of Conduct

    Developers

    Statistics

    Cookie statement

    Mobile view



    Wikimedia Foundation
    Powered by MediaWiki