Camp Shanks
Encyclopedia
Camp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks (1861–1940) was a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 installation in and around Orangeburg
Orangeburg, New York
Orangeburg hamlet , in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Tappan; south of Blauvelt; east of Pearl River and west of Piermont...

 in the Town of Orangetown
Orangetown, New York
Orangetown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located in the southeast part of the county. It is northwest of New York City; north of New Jersey; east of the town of Ramapo; south of the town of Clarkstown; west of the Hudson River. The population was 47,711 at the 2000 census.-...

, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...

 and the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Dubbed “Last Stop USA,” the camp housed about 50,000 troops spread over 2040 acres (8.3 km²) and was the largest World War II Army embarkation camp, processing 1.3 million service personnel including 75% of those participating in the D-Day invasion.

Stationed at Camp Shanks

  • 103rd Infantry Division (United States)
  • 106th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
    106th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
    The 106th Cavalry Group was a mechanized cavalry unit of the United States Army in World War II. The 106th Cavalry Group had previously been known as the 1st Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Spanish American War and World War I and was constituted in 1921 as part of the Illinois...

  • 106th Infantry Division (United States)
  • 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)
    108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States)
    The mission of the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army. The mission of the brigade is to train and maintain a strategic crisis response air defense artillery brigade capable of deploying worldwide, on short notice, to provide air defense...

  • 14th Fighter Squadron
    14th Fighter Squadron
    The 14th Fighter Squadron is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-History:...

  • 15th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
    15th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
    The 15th Cavalry Regiment is a cavalry regiment of the United States Army. It was one of the Expansion Units originally established for the Spanish American War, but has been a general workhorse unit ever since.-Origins:...

  • 16th Armored Division (United States)
  • 186th Fighter Squadron
    186th Fighter Squadron
    The 186th Fighter Squadron flies the F-15C Eagle. It is a unit of the Montana Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 120th Fighter Wing.-World War II:...

  • 267th Combat Communications Squadron
    267th Combat Communications Squadron
    The United States Air Force's 267th Combat Communications Squadron is an Air National Guard combat communications unit located at Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.-Mission:...

  • 27th Special Operations Group
    27th Special Operations Group
    The 27th Special Operations Group is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...

  • 2nd Infantry Division (United States)
  • 32nd Signal Battalion (United States)
  • 33d Operations Group
    33d Operations Group
    The 33d Operations Group is the flying component of the 33d Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Overview:...

  • 31st Station Hospital
  • 357th Fighter Group
    357th Fighter Group
    The 357th Fighter Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. The 357th operated P-51 Mustang aircraft as part of the U.S. Eighth Air Force and its members were known unofficially as "The Yoxford Boys" after a village near their base...

  • 367th Fighter Group
    367th Fighter Group
    The 367th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with XII Tactical Air Command stationed at Seymour Johnson Field , North Carolina...

  • 36th Operations Group
    36th Operations Group
    The 36th Operations Group is the operational component of the 36th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces. The group is stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam....

  • 379th Air Expeditionary Operations Group
    379th Air Expeditionary Operations Group
    The 379th Expeditionary Operations Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces Central...

  • 390th Strategic Missile Wing
    390th Strategic Missile Wing
    The 390th Strategic Missile Wing was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command organization. Its mission was to maintain and operationally control intercontinental ballistic missiles ....

  • 401st Air Expeditionary Group
    401st Air Expeditionary Group
    The 401st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The 401 AEG may be activated or inactivated at any time...

  • 42d Air Division
    42d Air Division
    The 42d Air Division was a unit of the United States Air Force. It was established as the 42 Bombardment Wing on 8 February 1943. The wing first saw combat in September 1943. It was inactivated in 1991.-History:...

  • 441st Bombardment Squadron
    441st Bombardment Squadron
    The 441st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Mather Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 30 September 1989.-History:...

  • 442d Bombardment Squadron
    442d Bombardment Squadron
    The 442d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 15 September 1960.-History:...

  • 443d Bombardment Squadron
    443d Bombardment Squadron
    The 443d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 15 September 1960.-History:...

  • 444th Bombardment Squadron
    444th Bombardment Squadron
    The 444th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 15 September 1960.-History:...

  • 445th Operations Group
    445th Operations Group
    The 445th Operations Group is the flying component of the 445th Airlift Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Reserve Fourth Air Force. The group is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio....

  • 446th Operations Group
    446th Operations Group
    The 446th Operations Group is a United States Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 446th Airlift Wing. It is stationed at McChord Air Force Base, Washington....

  • 448th Fighter-Bomber Group
    448th Fighter-Bomber Group
    The 448th Fighter-Bomber Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 448th Fighter-Bomber Wing, stationed at Hensley Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 16 November 1957....

  • 452d Operations Group
    452d Operations Group
    The 452d Operations Group is the flying component of the 452d Air Mobility Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Reserve. The group is stationed at March Air Reserve Base, California....

  • 467th Bombardment Group
    467th Bombardment Group
    The 467th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Clovis Army Airfield, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 4 August 1946....

  • 48th Infantry Regiment (United States)
    48th Infantry Regiment (United States)
    The 48th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army first formed in 1917.-History:The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 48th Infantry, were mechanized infantry units assigned to the 3rd Armored Division in West Germany during the Cold War...

  • 48th Operations Group
    48th Operations Group
    The 48th Operations Group is the flying component of the 48th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The group is stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England.-Assigned Units:...

  • 490th Bombardment Group
    490th Bombardment Group
    The 490th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the III Bomber Command, being stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....

  • 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron
    509th Tactical Fighter Squadron
    The 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at RAF Alconbury, England. It was inactivated on 30 December 1992-World War II:...

  • 50th Infantry Regiment (United States)
    50th Infantry Regiment (United States)
    The 50th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.-Lineage:*Constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 50th Infantry.*Organized 1 June 1917 at Syracuse, New York.*Assigned 31 July 1918 to the 20th Division....

  • 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron
    511th Tactical Fighter Squadron
    The 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at RAF Alconbury, England. It was inactivated on 30 December 1992-World War II:...

  • 523d Fighter Squadron
    523d Fighter Squadron
    The 523d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 27th Operations Group stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico....

  • 524th Special Operations Squadron
  • 53d Troop Carrier Wing (World War II)
    53d Troop Carrier Wing (World War II)
    The 53d Troop Carrier Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the IX Troop Carrier Command, based at Camp Shanks, New York. It was inactivated on 12 August 1945....

  • 56th Field Artillery Command
    56th Field Artillery Command
    The 56th Field Artillery Command was a brigade size element of the United States Army. The unit was constituted in 1942 with the last period of active service being 1970 through 1991. It was the only unit to field the nuclear Pershing missile system. This unique mission required an almost "Super...

  • 58th Fighter Squadron
    58th Fighter Squadron
    The 58th Fighter Squadron is part of the 33d Fighter Wing, a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing for the F-35A, B, and C, organized under Air Education and Training Command's 19th Air Force, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

  • 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron
    59th Test and Evaluation Squadron
    The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron is an United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Air Combat Command 53d Wing, 53d Test Management Group at Nellis AFB, Nevada.-Overview:...

  • 60th Fighter Squadron
    60th Fighter Squadron
    The 60th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. It was last assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

  • 6th Armored Division (United States)
  • 6th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
  • 71st Fighter Wing (World War II)
    71st Fighter Wing (World War II)
    The 71st Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Missouri Air National Guard. It was inactivated on 31 October 1950.-Lineage:* Organized as 71st Fighter Wing on 11 Ocg 1943-Assignments:...

  • 75th Infantry Division (United States)
  • 93rd Evacuation Hospital (United States)
    93rd Evacuation Hospital (United States)
    The 93rd Evacuation Hospital was a make-over of the 61st Surgical Hospital and operated through World War II, Vietnam, and the Gulf War.-Service in World War II:The 61st Surgical Hospital was a 100 bed field hospital...

  • 97th Bombardment Wing (World War II)
    97th Bombardment Wing (World War II)
    The 97th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the IX Bomber Command, based at Camp Shanks, New York...

  • Forrest Guth
    Forrest Guth
    -External links:...

  • IX Tactical Air Command
    IX Tactical Air Command
    The IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...

  • RAF Bisterne
    RAF Bisterne
    RAF Bisterne is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south of Ringwood; about southwest of London...

  • USCGC Eagle (WIX-327)
    USCGC Eagle (WIX-327)
    The is a barque used as a training cutter for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. She is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in American military service, the other being the USS Constitution....


  • POW's

    Over 400,000 POW's were held in the United States and many were processed at Camp Shanks. The first prisoners of war to arrive at Camp Shanks were Italian. The prisoners spent from two weeks to several months there.

    Celebrities at Camp Shanks

    • Joe Louis
      Joe Louis
      Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...

      , Sargent - Heavyweight
      Heavyweight
      Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...

       champion of the world for approximately 12 years, spent time at the base and jogged around the streets of Orangeburg to keep in shape.
    • Benny Goodman
      Benny Goodman
      Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...

    • Betty Grable
      Betty Grable
      Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...

    • Dinah Shore
      Dinah Shore
      Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...

    • Ethel Merman
      Ethel Merman
      Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's...

    • Frank Sinatra
      Frank Sinatra
      Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...

    • Henny Youngman
      Henny Youngman
      Henry "Henny" Youngman was a British-born American comedian and violinist famous for "one-liners", short, simple jokes usually delivered rapid-fire...

    • Helen Hayes
      Helen Hayes
      Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...

    • Humphrey Bogart
      Humphrey Bogart
      Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....

    • Jack Benny
      Jack Benny
      Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...

    • Jackie Gleason
      Jackie Gleason
      Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...

    • Judy Garland
      Judy Garland
      Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...

    • Mickey Rooney
      Mickey Rooney
      Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...

    • Lionel Hampton
      Lionel Hampton
      Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...

    • Shirley Temple
      Shirley Temple
      Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...


    Sports at Camp Shanks

    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

     teams vs Camp Shanks Exhibitions games were held at Camp Shanks from 1943 - 1945.
    Teams included;
    • Brooklyn Dodgers
  • Chicago Cubs
    Chicago Cubs
    The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

  • New York Yankees
    New York Yankees
    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

  • Philadelphia Athletics
  • Philadelphia Phillies
    Philadelphia Phillies
    The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

  • St Louis Cardinals
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