With the outbreak of World War Two, the area now known as Pine Camp was selected for a major expansion and an additional 75,000 acres of land was purchased. With that purchase, 525 local families were displaced. Five entire villages were eliminated, while others were reduced from one-third to one-half their size. By Labor Day 1941, 100 tracts of land were taken over. Three thousand buildings, including 24 schools, 6 churches and a post office were abandoned. Contractors then went to work, and in a period of 10 months at a cost of $20 million, an entire city was built to house the divisions scheduled to train here. Eight hundred buildings were constructed; 240 barracks, 84 mess halls, 86 storehouses, 58 warehouses, 27 officers' quarters, 22 headquarters buildings, and 99 recreational buildings as well as guardhouses and a hospital.
Construction workers paid the price, as the winter of 1941-42 was one of the coldest in North Country history. The three divisions to train at Pine Camp were General George S. Patton's 4th Armored Division (Gen. Creighton Abrams was a battalion commander here at the time), the 45th Infantry Division and the 5th Armored Division.
The post also served as a prisoner of war camp. Of those prisoners who died here, one Italian and six Germans are still buried in the Sheepfold Cemetery near Remington Pond.
Pine Camp became Camp Drum in 1951, named after Lt. Gen. Hugh A. Drum who commanded the First Army during World War II.
Fort Drum is located in the North Country, the picturesque Thousand Islands Region of Northern New York State. This installation is located in one of the most unique and beautiful areas in the United States. Fort Drum is approximately 30 miles from Canada, with the Great Lakes to our west and the Adirondack Mountains to the east.
Fort Drum has been used as a military training site since 1908, however the Army's presence in the North Country may be traced back to the early 1800's.
(http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/fort-drum.htm)
And, that's where Ralph G. Davitt was sent after completing boot camp at Fort Dix. And we have the postcard to prove it. Don't you think it is interesting that they had the soldiers fill out a card for the family? Do they do that now?
Ralph G. Davitt with Mrs. Moore, and Miss Ruben:
He did tell me that at one time he was an X-ray technician. Remember in a previous post, Uncle Bob wrote: He went from Fort Dix to Watertown N.Y. where he worked in the military hospital there. He did good work and I remember the story that some doctor there was so impressed with his knowledge and performance that he wanted him to go to med school.
This photo is interesting. Messy hair, eyes closed, no uniform...just his coat. Almost like he's being made to stand in the yard for an hour, though that is hard to believe!
Periodically, they'd go on maneuvers. The Army calls it a bivouac...which means rough camping with improvised shelters and tents.
3 comments:
that one photo with only a coat - bizarre and intriguing. halloween??
so glad you posted again... These are so cool. The one with the poor soul lying out for the xray is unbelievable!
Thanks for chiming in, Cara. That X-ray machine photo is pretty incredible. I'm sure there's a museum somewhere that has pictures of the old machines...but I've really never seen any. I wonder if Digger had to wear a lead apron or go behind a shielded wall or anything. I bet not.
When Greg and I were little every shoe store had an X-ray machine you stuck your feet (in the shoes) into so you could check the fit. It was pretty cool to see your skeleton feet and no one was concerned about it being dangerous.
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