Docent Narrative
 
 
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Docent Narrative

 This page is provided for one of the passengers to read aloud as your flight proceeds from waypoint to waypoint, so that all will have a better appreciation of the role the DTC played in preparing our nation to fight in World War Two.

 

1:  Camp Young

As discussed above Camp Young was the first to be inhabited, and served as the headquarters for the DTC/C-AMA.  The camp was established north of Highway 60-70 (bypassed by I-10), about three miles west of an abandoned general store.  The first units to arrive were required to set up their individual areas by erecting their tents, digging latrines, and otherwise organizing their space.  Soon other units began to arrive, along with their tanks and vehicles. 

Mr. Doran Sauers was with the I Armored Signal Battalion when it was assigned to provide communications for the newly activated I Armored Corps.  In April 1942, the Battalion boarded a train for the DTC.  The train trip took four days from Columbus, Georgia to Indio where they arrived on April 30, at 5:00 AM.  The trains were unloaded and the jeeps and light trucks were taken up to the campsite.  The highway to Camp Young from Indio was a two-lane black top road.  A water supply company had arrived first, and had tapped into the aqueduct.  A Staff Sergeant with this company pointed out to the Battalion their 4 acres of land for their camp site.  Then, the 6x6 trucks carried the rest of the men to the campsite, which took the rest of the day and into the night (personal communication Doran Sauers 2001). 

 The campsite was then prepared by clearing vegetation for rows of pup tents, organized by company.  Two-man tents were set-up for officers and pyramidal squad tents were set-up for the Battalion Headquarters and Company Headquarters offices.  An engineer battalion then arrived and bulldozed their area and set-up pyramidal tents, 6 men per tent.  These had folding cots.  They were arranged by company, on company streets.  Then, tarpaper buildings were constructed for battalion and company headquarters offices as well as mess halls and kitchens.  These buildings had double roofs for protection from the heat.  The mess halls and kitchens used gasoline-fired field stoves.  The mess halls and kitchens had open sides and no screens, but were surprisingly free of bugs and flies.  Then, wooden floors and frames for the pyramidal tents were constructed for each company and on officer’s row.  The wood framing made things quite “livable.” Each four officers shared a tent.  Water lines were then put in place for kitchens as well as the latrines and shower rooms.  All officers in the battalion were required to fly in observation aircraft once a month, per orders of Patton.  He wanted to be able to use any officer as an aerial observer (personal communication Doran Sauers 2001).

Eventually, the camp was one of the most permanent facilities, and contained the most improved quarters of the divisional camps.  Men from the 836th Engineer Aviation Battalion, for example, found Camp Young a vast improvement over Camp Rice.  The tents at Camp Young had floors and half walls, and were equipped with stoves (Merz n.d.).  Nevertheless, many of the troops were shocked when they reached their new home.  The isolation and lack of any real improvements was quite unlike anything they had experienced before. 

Patton, forever disdainful of officers commanding from the rear echelons, lived at Camp Young and established his headquarters in a simple, temporary, wooden building.  Early into his stay at the DTC, Patton explained to his officers the efficacy of training in such a harsh environment: “If you can work successfully here, in this country, it will be no difficulty at all to kill the assorted sons of bitches you meet in any other country” (Friends of the Museum n.d.).

The camp included a variety of facilities:

3,217 wood frame tents

126 shower buildings

151 latrines

231 administration buildings

93 mess halls

4 amphitheaters

5 open sheds

3 heating plants

2 fire stations

2 station hospitals

stockade

laundry

radio station

There were also several rifle and combat ranges to the south of the camp, on the other side of the highway.  In addition to the above, more than 50 warehouses of various sizes were in place, along with kitchens, PXs, garages, pump stations, officers’ clubs, various shops, post office, and coliseum.  Because of these facilities, most of the big shows put on by the USO and other entertainment groups took place at Camp Young.

Shortly after arriving at Camp Young, Patton established additional camps (including Iron Mountain and Needles) for the other divisions that would be arriving soon (Las Vegas Review Journal [LVRJ], 24 March 1985:4A).

 

2:  Shaver’s (Chiriaco) Summit Airport

A small air facility was constructed immediately adjacent to Camp Young, with a 5,500 by 300 feet landing strip.  The runway was paved, and several temporary buildings were constructed at the strip.  The land was owned by Joseph Chiriaco, who had arrived in the area with his family in 1933, and had built a small store and restaurant.  The little community was known as Shaver’s Summit (Riverside Press-Enterprise 4 May 1985).  Patton purchased 28 acres from Chiriaco for five dollars per acre.  Soldiers occasionally frequented the small settlement at Shaver’s Summit (now known as Chiriaco Summit), one of the few places where they could purchase beer (The Desert Sun 9 May 1985). 

Today, the strip is operated by Riverside County, and the property is leased to a private historical preservation group called the General Patton Army Airfield.  This private, non-profit organization describes itself as: “a unique one-of-a-kind living history attraction.” The group has re-used several of the buildings remaining from the operations at the airfield to create a museum.  The museum maintains a variety of World War II memorabilia, including aircraft, vehicles, documentary materials, photographs, and maps.  The museum is designed to be hands-on and interactive, and hopes to expand operations in the future.

 

3:  Desert Center

Although referred to as Desert Center Divisional Camp, there never was a full division assigned to Desert Center.  Instead, several support facilities were established near the small town. 

Desert Center Observer’s Camp
A medium-sized camp was established immediately north of the small town of Desert Center, along the road to Camp Coxcomb and Iron Mountain.  The installation consisted of an encampment complete with temporary housing structures (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1993:3).  It was here that the maneuvers were evaluated, and deficiencies pointed out.  The camp contained 112 tents, 5 shower buildings, and 8 latrines, and was supplied with water through a well and pump, and a 4,000 gallon storage tank.  The roads and some of the rock-lined walkways can still be seen from this facility.

18th Ordnance Battalion Campsite
 Located 5 miles east of Desert Center, this camp appeared to encompass a watering point.  The only structures reported included a capped well, a 50,000-gallon water tank, and a wooden tower. 

Desert Center Evacuation Hospital
 An evacuation hospital was established near the town of Desert Center, adjacent to the road to Eagle Mountain.  The hospital site remains in good condition today, and retains the same basic design and layout of divisional camps, although it is much smaller.  Many rock-lined walkways, roads, symbols, tent sites, and other activity areas remain in place.  In addition, a motor pool for the hospital site remains.  Rock alignments, military vehicle parts, and a solvent basin mark this location today (USACE 1996:14).

Station hospitals were relatively permanent facilities, and were generally located in towns or cities on the periphery of the DTC/C-AMA.  Evacuation hospitals, on the other hand, were more temporary in nature, and were found throughout the interior of the facility.  In addition, aid stations were scattered throughout the facility.  Medical detachments were generally assigned to each division, and they could be found in each divisional camp.  Hospitalization was by motor ambulance, train, or ambulance plane to the station hospitals.

Quartermaster Truck Site
 A quartermaster truck site was established near Desert Center.  A rock alignment for the 496th Medium Ordnance Company spells out “496 MEDCO.”

Supply was obviously crucial to smooth operation of the DTC/C-AMA.  Because troops were stationed in extremely remote locations, often for extended periods of time, temporary depots were established.  These advanced depots were to receive supplies from the larger supply facilities (such as the Base General Depot) and distribute them to the appropriate units.  This system seemed to work fairly well.  The major problem appeared to be the scarcity of certain classes of supplies.  Advance depots were located at Coachella, Needles, Yermo, and Yuma.  Smaller supply depots (such as this one at Desert Center) were established throughout the center to distribute the supplies to individual camps and units. 

 

4:  Camp Coxcomb

Located between California Highway 177 and the MWD aqueduct, Camp Coxcomb was originally constructed in the summer of 1942.  Among units known to have been stationed at Camp Coxcomb were the 6th and 7th Armored, and the 93rd and 95th Infantry Divisions.  The 6th Armored Division moved from Camp Rice to Coxcomb sometime in early 1943.  Camp Coxcomb was apparently more permanent than other camps, with wooden floors and screens in the post exchanges.  Facilities at the camp included 39 shower buildings, 165 latrines, 284 pyramidal wooden tent frames, one 40,000-gallon water tank, and one combination observation and flag tower.  There was also a relief map of the DTC/C-AMA and a stone altar. 

A show was put on by Rosalind Russell, Red Skelton, Pat O’Brien, and other stars.  About 250 women were brought along and danced with the troops on a portable dance floor surrounded by tanks. 

The 7th Armored Division was stationed at Camp Coxcomb during the expansion to a theater of operation in June 1943.  The 85th Infantry was transferred from Camp Pilot Knob to Camp Coxcomb, in August 1943.  In October 1943, the 95th Infantry Division arrived at Camp Coxcomb.  The 95th, for the first time, was able to use live ammunition during its training problems in the deserts surrounding the camp.  They trained in the use of Bangalore torpedoes, learning how to blast gaps in field obstructions.  They also conducted rolling barrage artillery and light aerial bombardment demonstrations, which conditioned the infantry for battlefield conditions.  By December, the division departed Camp Coxcomb.  They were the last division to occupy the camp, and were given the task of closing the target ranges and removing salvageable material. 

Seven ranges were constructed, and included infiltration courses and machine gun, rifle, and pistol ranges.  These ranges were located on the north side of the MWD aqueduct, at the foot of the Coxcomb Mountains.  Some of the adjacent canyons west of camp were also used for small-unit training.  In addition, an anti-aircraft artillery range was established east of Camp Coxcomb.

 

5:  Camp Granite

Camp Granite was established in the spring and summer of 1943, named for the nearby mountains (as most other camps were named).  The original camp was closer to the highway, but, because of flooding, was moved closer to the mountains.  The 90th and 104th Infantry Divisions were both assigned to Camp Granite, at different times.  Among the smaller units known to have been stationed at Camp Granite were the 76th Field Artillery Brigade and the 413th Infantry Regiment.  The 76th Field Artillery, in fact, was stationed at Camp Granite prior to the completion of the camp, and may have been there to assist in its construction.  During the XV Corps occupation of the DTC/C-AMA (July–November 1943), the headquarters of the XV Corps’ artillery was at Camp Granite.  The 951st and 183rd FA Battalions were stationed at Camp Granite. 

Facilities constructed at the camp include 40 shower buildings, 157 latrines, 191 pyramidal wooden tent frames, and one 50,000-gallon water tank.  There were a total of nine ranges south of the camp, all of which faced into the Granite Mountains.  The ranges were used for artillery, rifle and pistol, regimental, towed target (57 and 105 mm), and antiaircraft (.30 and .50 caliber).  When the C-AMA closed in spring 1944, the 1135th Engineer C Group was assigned the task of closing the target ranges at Camp Granite, and removing salvageable equipment. 

Camp Granite is located south across California Highway 62 from Camp Iron Mountain, near the base of the Granite Mountains.  The MWD aqueduct was located northeast of camp, and supplied it with water.  The camp was located near the Palen Pass area, where several large maneuvers took place.

 

6:  Rice Army Airfield

Rice Municipal Airport was acquired by the IV Air Support Command on September 29, 1942, and was operational by October 26, 1942.  Rice Army Airfield, like Desert Center, was a sub-base of Thermal Army Airfield.  The facility was in the heart of DTC/C-AMA operations, close to Camps Iron Mountain, Coxcomb, and Granite.  In order to house more than 3,000 men, the army constructed barracks, recreation and mess halls, power houses, hangers, and dormitories.  Two paved runways also existed, each measuring 5,000 by 150 feet.  During the construction of the camp, a 900-foot-deep well was dug to obtain water for the troops.  Unfortunately, the well hit hot mineral water that was unfit to drink.  Rice Army Airfield was located adjacent to the small railroad town of Rice, which consisted of a small cafe and store (Eberling 1997:3; U.S. Air Force Historical Division n.d.:1).

By May 1944, the airfield was assigned as a sub-base to March Field.  Rice Army Airfield was closed on August 2, 1944, and declared surplus in October.  The airfield was maintained for a while after this by a detachment of Squadron H from Thermal Army Airfield (US Air Force Historical Division n.d.:1).

Rice Army Airfield was a multifaceted facility, containing many important elements.  The airfield contains elaborate, improved-surface runways that are still clear today, along with an extensive apron and several airplane parking areas.  In addition, Rice Army Airfield contained several “permanent” buildings.  Although the buildings are gone today, their foundations remain.

 

7:  Camp Rice

A short-lived divisional camp was constructed in early 1942 adjacent to Rice Army Air Field.  The camp was occupied by the 5th Armored Division between August and October 1942, when the division was moved elsewhere.  The 6th Armored Division appeared to have replaced the 5th at Camp Rice.  The 6th detrained at Freda, and made their home at Camp Rice for the next 5 months.  The 6th Armored Division’s training began with field exercises, including training in night movement, and the use of maps and compasses.  Firing ranges were constructed soon after the division’s arrival.  Soldiers were trained in anti-aircraft firing, and first learned to use their anti-tank weapons.  Charles Barbour, who was with the 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, described the arrival of his unit:

“Open space was quickly transformed into the usual orderly, military array of canvas.  Sand, of course, was everywhere.  After some weeks truckload after truckload of plasterboard materialized from a gypsum processing plant some miles away; laid on smooth-out sand, it floored the tents after a fashion.  Troops got into the habit of shaking out their boots in the evening to evict possible desert denizens, and to secure small belongings from larcenous desert rats” [Barbour nd:7]. 

Barbour went on provided a description of some of Camp Rice’s facilities:

“It was hot when we arrived, and for a few weeks thereafter, and the burlap-screened Quartermaster-serviced open air shower facility a few miles from camp enjoyed great patronage — but only for a few weeks.  October, we found, brought its own brand of dry but freezing weather.  A No. 10 can of water set on top of a stove sufficed for washcloth bath.  Canvas water bags hung on a peg outside the tent became solid ice overnight.  It was a wise practice to start the day in multiple layers of clothing and shed gradually as the sun climbed higher.  The knit, tiny-visored skull caps designed to be worn under the helmet liner were cozy, with the ear flaps turned down.”

 

“Hissing gasoline lanterns provided light for friendly card games or private reading during the night hours.  Or, beer bottles in hand, one could squat on the hard sand and watch a movie shown on a fabric screen that billowed in the wind, producing a funhouse mirror-like image of the heroes and heroines, villains and villainesses.”

 

“We learned to punch nail holes in empty cartridge cans, set them in holes scooped in the desert’s surface, pour a little gasoline into the hole and light a flickering fire that would warm a can of C ration (the K was yet to come) or brew a canteen full of instant coffee on the home-made stove” [Barbour nd:8].

From Camp Rice, the reconnaissance squadron traveled across the desert perfecting its movement, extending as far south as Yuma, across the river into Arizona.  The 6th Armored then took part in maneuvers, against the 4th Armored Division in early 1943.  Following the maneuvers, the division moved to Camp Coxcomb, which had more amenities, including closed showers, and latrines.

Historical-period photographs of the camp indicate the presence of a relief map like the one at Camp Iron Mountain, except on a much smaller scale.  Camp Rice’s relief map was approximately 50 by 40 feet originally.  The relief map did not fare as well as that located at Camp Iron Mountain.  Its location was re-discovered in 1996 (Blake), but little remained. 

The Big Maria Mountains south of Rice were used extensively for live-fire activities (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1998:28). 

Much of the remains of the camp can still be found on the ground today.  Many of the camp’s streets remain, as do rock-lined walkways and features.  The camp is quite clear from the air. 

 

8:  Camp Iron Mountain

Established in the spring of 1942, Camp Iron Mountain was first occupied by the 2nd Armored Division.  Sometime thereafter, the 3rd Armored Division was stationed at the camp, its 23rd Armored Engineer Battalion constructing 40 miles of camp roads, along with firing ranges.  By late in the summer of 1942, the entire division took over the camp.  Camp Iron Mountain was also home to the 183rd Artillery Group, the X Corps Artillery, and the 941st FA Battalion between mid-1942 and mid-1944 (BLM 1984; Riverside Press-Enterprise, 11 September 1984:B-1).  The 941st FA Battalion, which arrived in August 1943, was responsible for the construction of one of the chapels at the camp.  According to one veteran of the battalion, each battery was required to establish their camp area.  To do this an area large enough to encompass two rows of tents and a battery street in the middle had to be cleared.  The men were required to re-plant every bush that had been up-rooted (personal communication Robert W. Hains 2000).  The 54th Evacuation Hospital was at Camp Iron Mountain from October 15 to November 27, 1943. 

During maneuvers conducted between August 29 and September 13, 1942, the Director Headquarters and Advisor’s Camp was located at Camp Iron Mountain.  These maneuvers involved the 3rd Armored Division, 7th Motorized Division, 5th Armored Division, 75th Field Artillery Brigade, and elements of the VII Corps (BLM 1984).  It is likely that many maneuvers were planned at Camp Iron Mountain, with the benefit of its large relief map.

 

9:  Camp Clipper

Camp Clipper was apparently a temporary camp, occupied by infantry divisions only.  Reports indicate that the 33rd Infantry Division occupied it after its construction in 1942, followed by the 93rd Infantry Division.  The temporary facility was used as a transition camp for the more permanent Camp Essex to the west.  Camp Clipper was used when one division was moving out and another was moving in, so that both units could be accommodated (as was the case with the 33rd and 93rd Divisions).  When Camp Essex was completed, Camp Clipper was closed. (Meller 1946:41).  Camp Clipper was located east of Camp Essex, north of the Essex airfield.  While Camp Essex had a predominantly north-south trend, Camp Clipper had a northeast-southwest orientation.

A private landowner, Jack Mitchell, lived in the nearby mountains.  He built a road from the caverns where he lived (now known as Mitchell Caverns) to the main highway to the south.  Prior to the war, the Mitchell family provided tours of the caves, and had a small resort.  Mitchell apparently worked out an arrangement with the army, in which he rented some of his cabins to the families of officers stationed at the nearby camp.  In addition, troops were allowed to visit the small resort, which was a 17-mile march from Camp Clipper and 2,700 feet higher in elevation.  Troops from both the 33rd and 93rd Infantry Divisions visited Mitchell Caverns on several occasions (Mitchell 1964:117–126).

 

10: Essex Airfield

Although a less permanent airfield than those of Rice or Desert Center, the facility adjacent to Camp Essex consisted of several runways, taxiways, and parking areas.  This tactical airdrome was constructed by the 835th Engineer Battalion, Aviation.  The field was largely a natural surface.  Some of the taxiways were constructed with a sand and cement mix, but most of the runways were simply cleared and compacted by watering.  The main runway measured 4,000 by 150 feet.

Today, any buildings that may have existed have all been removed or destroyed.  The only remnants of the facility include roads, cement foundations, airplane taxiways, tie-down areas, and runways.  The airfield retains its distinctive shape, clearly visible from the air, with the various plane parking and revetment areas located at the end of the barbells at the end of the runways. 

 

12: Camp Essex

Established in 1942, Camp Essex used the nearby Camp Clipper as a temporary staging area for divisions when one was moving in and another was moving out.  The 33rd Infantry Division was first assigned to the camp, followed by the 93rd Infantry Division.  The 93rd was an all-Black division, at a time when segregation was still in effect in the U.S. Army.  Following the departure of the 93rd Division in January 1944, the camp was occupied by Italian POWs in May.  By October, the POWs were gone, and the camp was closed (Mitchell 1964:126–127).  Camp Essex was located close to the small railroad towns of Essex and Fenner, and was bordered on the southwest by Essex Road.  Facilities at the camp included 36 shower buildings, 191 latrine buildings, 149 pyramidal wooden tent frames, an outdoor theater, and a 500,000-gallon water reservoir.  The camp was equipped, as many were, with elevated water tanks.  There were apparently several ranges southwest across Essex Road from the camp, although no traces of them are currently apparent.  The camp was closed by the 827th Tank Destroyer Battalion, which left in February 1944.

 

13: Goffs

The siding of Goffs was established in 1883 by the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad.  Soon thereafter, a station and turntable were built.  During the war, the War Department leased an area of track from the Santa Fe Railroad (which had acquired the line), and constructed 2,675 feet of tracks branching off the leased track.  Military facilities at Goffs also consisted of an ammunition storage area and a campsite.  Three administration buildings (100’x20’), two warehouse buildings (96’x40’), two sheds (96’x40’), and a temporary building (100’x20’) were constructed in and around Goffs.  The foundations of several of these buildings exist immediately east of town. 

The campsite at Goffs was apparently the temporary location of the 7th Infantry Division, which was housed approximately one mile from the small community.  Goffs was also the location of the 58th Quartermaster Regiment beginning sometime in 1942.  The 58th, like other units, was stationed in pup tents.  Today, several rock-lined walkways and other features from this camp remain a short distance from the railroad siding.

The ammunition storage facility, consisting of 10 ammunition storage igloos was located 3 miles south of Goffs.  An explosives dump was located at the base of Goffs Butte, on the southwest side.  The ordnance consisted of 80 tons of materials, including rockets, grenades, and land mines.  Some rock alignments can still be seen in this area as well. 

 

14: Camp Ibis

Camp Ibis was located along U.S. Highway 95, stretching nearly three miles north to south (Figures 68–69 in Volume I).  Camp Ibis was constructed in winter 1942–1943.  Temporary facilities consisted of 28 shower buildings for enlisted men, and 14 for officers; 173 latrine buildings; 97 single, 127 double, and 100 triple wooden tent frames; a 50,000-gallon, concrete water reservoir; and a 50,000-gallon, wooden, elevated storage tank.  In addition, the camp contained 23 ranges, including ones for moving targets, pistols, rifles, and .50-caliber machine guns.  There were also several combat ranges, vehicle combat ranges, and transition courses.

Camp Ibis (Figure 70 in Volume I) was first occupied by the 4th Armored Division.  In November 1942, the 4th arrived in the DTC, detraining at the Freda siding.  Their headquarters was established at Camp Ibis.  The division eventually became part of Patton’s Third Army beginning in February 1944.  The 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion was a part of the division while at Camp Ibis, and one of its soldiers provided a not-so flattering description of the camp:

The luxury of barracks life [the unit was sent from Camp Hood, Texas] was short-lived, as we moved out after about two months to entrain to the Mohave Desert.  There we rejoined forces with the 4th Armored Division at Camp Ibes [sic], California – a hell hole if there ever was one.  Camp Ibes [sic] was about 15 miles away from the bustling town of Needles, which consisted of two beer joints and the Santa Fe Railroad switchyard [Righton 1997:2]. 

The division plunged into its work, realizing that the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions were already in combat.  The 4th Armored conducted maneuvers against the 6th Armored Division, which arrived in the DTC in October 1942, detraining at Freda siding. 

Following the 4th’s departure in June 1943, the camp was occupied by the 9th Armored Division from July to November 1943.  The division was organized and trained at Fort Riley, Kansas prior to being assigned to Camp Ibis.  The division went on to gain fame during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, and later during its spearheading the capture of the Remagen Bridge across the Rhine River. 

The 9th Armored Division was replaced by the 11th Division in winter 1943, which was the last division to occupy the camp (Meller 1946:41–42).  The unit detrained at Goffs.  A soldier from the 491st Armored Field Artillery Battalion described the desert experience:

The harsh desert life separated the weak from the strong as they were buffeted about by the elements and sifted through the mesh of rigorous training.  There was little wood available for the pot-bellied stoves and cold men grubbed in the sand for the last particles of the meager coal piles.  Nights were dreaded, for the cold set in when the tile sun suddenly disappeared over the rim rock.  Heavily wrapped in blankets, they would sit in the sand drinking beer or coke from the crude exchange, watching a movie. 

 

Almost overnight there appeared makeshift conveniences-washing stands, dressers, a barber chair.  One night the unused stage disappeared from the open air theater and the next day the exchange boasted the only wooden floor in the area.  Cactus Jim’s 491 Club became the center of spare time activity.  There was plenty of Coke and beer or ice cream and genial Sergeant Heely always added half an hour to closing time. 

 

Training continued unabated -service practice on the wide open wasteland, small arms qualification on the crude, home made ranges, and scouting and patrolling among the eerie shadows of cacti and miles of barren sand.  Grueling physical fitness tests held no terror for these men, hardened by months of rugged living in rugged country, where at night there was a silence you could almost hear, broken only by the occasional melancholy wail of a coyote [Eleventh Armored Division 2000:5].

Most of the camp’s roads are in place, and clearly evident.  Numerous rock-lined walkways also remain, as do emblems and unit symbols (Figure 52 in Volume II).  Many plants are lined with rocks also.  The southwest portion of Camp Ibis, located to the west of U.S. Highway 95, contains numerous rock-lined walkways and other camp-related features, and is one of the best preserved portions of the camp.  Tank tracks are also prevalent throughout the camp and surrounding area.  In some places, the firing points for the camp’s ranges can be found east of the camp proper. 

Located across Highway 95 from the camp proper was an airfield, consisting of a dirt strip.  Numerous rock-lined walkways, refuse, and a few roads can be found in this area today.  Finally, an Italian POW camp was reported to have existed near Searchlight Junction, 1 mile south of Camp Ibis (Bard 1972:139; BLM n.d.).[1]

 [1] The Desert Training Center/California-Arizona Maneuver Area,1942-1944 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXTS; Matt C. Bischoff

 

 

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