Desert Training Center 194380th Infantry Division resting after extended desert maneuvers at Camp Iron Mountain in 1943Training at Camp Iron Mountain, 1942Desert Training Center map US Army 1943
Camp Iron Mountain was built in April 1942, to prepare troops to do battle in North Africa to fight the Nazis during World War II. At Camp Iron Mountain were stationed the 2nd Armored Division under General George S. Patton and the 80th Division. The trained troops went on to fight in the North African campaign. When completed the camp had 15 shower buildings, 26 latrines, 113 wooden tent frames, an amphitheater, a 4,000-gallon water tank tower and two 3,000 gallon water tank towers. Camp had 6 training ranges for rifle, handguns and machine guns. The camp closed on 16 March 1944. The army used live-fire exercises and warning signs are still on the site. The most preserved items at the camp are two stone outdoor chapel altars. One was built for Catholic church services and one for Protestant church service.[2][3][4]
Camp Iron Mountain Airfield landing strip was built near the Camp Iron Mountain to support the training activities. The runway was 4,500 feet long made of steel landing mats. Small planes were used to watch the desert survival training, gunnery practices, and tank tactics training. Also aircraft were used to coordinate tanks and other armored vehicles from the air. After the war the air strip became the Iron Mountain Pumping Plant Airport (72CL), that is still in use today.[5][6]
California Historical Landmark MarkerEdit
Marker on the Riverside, California site reads:[7]
NO. 985 DESERT TRAINING CENTER, CALIFORNIA–ARIZONA MANEUVER AREA (ESTABLISHED BY MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, JR.) – CAMP IRON MOUNTAIN – Iron Mountain Divisional Camp was established at this site in the Spring of 1942. One of eleven such camps built in the California-Arizona Desert to harden and train United States troops for service on the battlefields of World War II. The first major unit trained here was the 3rd Armored Division followed by elements of the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Armored Divisions. In all, one million men trained in the desert before the Training Center was officially closed in May 1944. The most unique feature built at this camp is the huge relief map built into the desert floor. It can still be seen (1985).
^californiahistoricallandmarks.com 985.4, Iron Mountain
External linksEdit
Media related to Iron Mountain Pump Plant at Wikimedia Commons
Training Center Boogie - Sony by John Malcolm Penn, song about : Desert training camps
September 01, 2023
camp, iron, mountain, camp, army, desert, training, center, riverside, county, california, main, headquarters, desert, training, center, camp, young, this, where, general, patton, armored, division, stationed, designated, california, historic, landmark, near, . The Camp Iron Mountain was a sub camp of the US Army Desert Training Center in Riverside County California The main headquarters for the Desert Training Center was Camp Young this is where General Patton s 3rd Armored Division was stationed Camp Iron Mountain was designated a California Historic Landmark No 985 6 Camp Iron Mountain is near the site of Camp Granite both are 45 miles 72 km miles East of Indio California off Interstate 10 and California State Route 62 near the Granite Mountains in San Bernardino County California In 1980 Camp Iron Mountain received the listing as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern from the Bureau of Land Management The listing was given as Camp Iron Mountain is the best preserved of the Desert Training Center Camps The Bureau of Land Management put up fences to protect the camp from Off road vehicle traffic Still at the camp today are a 200 x 175 foot contour training map some rock mosaics two church altars rock lined roads and walkways The camp is named after the near by Iron Mountains 1 Camp Iron MountainCatholic Chapel at Camp Iron MountainLocationnear Needles CaliforniaCoordinates34 06 04 N 115 09 32 W 34 1011 N 115 159 W 34 1011 115 159Area67 907 504 acresBuilt1942ArchitectUS ArmyCalifornia Historical LandmarkReference no 985 4Location of Camp Iron Mountain in CaliforniaDesert Training Center 194380th Infantry Division resting after extended desert maneuvers at Camp Iron Mountain in 1943Training at Camp Iron Mountain 1942Desert Training Center map US Army 1943 Main article Desert Training Center Camp Iron Mountain was built in April 1942 to prepare troops to do battle in North Africa to fight the Nazis during World War II At Camp Iron Mountain were stationed the 2nd Armored Division under General George S Patton and the 80th Division The trained troops went on to fight in the North African campaign When completed the camp had 15 shower buildings 26 latrines 113 wooden tent frames an amphitheater a 4 000 gallon water tank tower and two 3 000 gallon water tank towers Camp had 6 training ranges for rifle handguns and machine guns The camp closed on 16 March 1944 The army used live fire exercises and warning signs are still on the site The most preserved items at the camp are two stone outdoor chapel altars One was built for Catholic church services and one for Protestant church service 2 3 4 Contents 1 Camp Iron Mountain Army Field 2 California Historical Landmark Marker 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksCamp Iron Mountain Army Field EditCamp Iron Mountain Airfield landing strip was built near the Camp Iron Mountain to support the training activities The runway was 4 500 feet long made of steel landing mats Small planes were used to watch the desert survival training gunnery practices and tank tactics training Also aircraft were used to coordinate tanks and other armored vehicles from the air After the war the air strip became the Iron Mountain Pumping Plant Airport 72CL that is still in use today 5 6 California Historical Landmark Marker EditMarker on the Riverside California site reads 7 NO 985 DESERT TRAINING CENTER CALIFORNIA ARIZONA MANEUVER AREA ESTABLISHED BY MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE S PATTON JR CAMP IRON MOUNTAIN Iron Mountain Divisional Camp was established at this site in the Spring of 1942 One of eleven such camps built in the California Arizona Desert to harden and train United States troops for service on the battlefields of World War II The first major unit trained here was the 3rd Armored Division followed by elements of the 4th 5th 6th and 7th Armored Divisions In all one million men trained in the desert before the Training Center was officially closed in May 1944 The most unique feature built at this camp is the huge relief map built into the desert floor It can still be seen 1985 See also EditCalifornia Historical Landmarks in San Bernardino County California California Historical Landmarks in Riverside County California Camp Coxcomb Camp Granite Camp Clipper and Camp Essex Camp Coxcomb Camp Ibis California during World War IIReferences Edit BLM Camp Iron Mountain militarymuseum org Camp Iron Mountain The Desert Training Center The Place that God Forgot deserttrainingcenter com Camp Iron Mountain Preparing for Combat Overseas Patton s Desert Training Center By Matt Bischoff skytrail info Aeronautical californiahistoricallandmarks com 985 4 Iron MountainExternal links Edit nbsp Media related to Iron Mountain Pump Plant at Wikimedia Commons Training Center Boogie Sony by John Malcolm Penn song about Desert training camps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Camp Iron Mountain amp oldid 1170892818 Camp Iron Mountain Army Field, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
