![]() They had the advantage of training on one of the newest rifle ranges in the country. Cadre of the 313th, 314th, and 315th Infantry Regiments and the 310th, 311th, 312th, and 904th Field Artillery Battalions began the two-month basic training of thousands of new recruits. The first of the fighting units to train at Camp Pickett was the 79th Infantry Division, under the command of Mag. Many of these POWs were brought to the United States to perform farm work and other non-war-related jobs as allowed by the Geneva Convention. Two prisoner-of-war camps, and nine smaller satellite camps in nearby counties, housed approximately 6,000 German POWs. In the 1980s, these facilities were transferred to the control of the town of Blackstone. The Army also built and maintained its own water and sewage plants to assure adequate sanitation and potable water for the post. Two rail spurs to the camp were connected to the nation’s existing rail infrastructure. Blackstone Army Airfield consisted of multiple runways, an air-control tower, and the post’s only hangar. Transportation infrastructure was critical and involved both an Army airfield and railways being constructed to facilitate moving troops on and off base. These other buildings included 12 chapels, a post hospital, six fire houses, warehouses, and headquarters and administrative facilities.įor recreation, there were four movie theaters, a gym, several enlisted clubs, and a main post exchange as well as several satellite PXs. on July 3, 1942, exactly 79 years to the day and hour of Pickett’s Charge in Gettysburg.ĭevelopment at the base continued at a rapid pace after the United States’ entry into World War II, and by the end of 1942 approximately 1,000 barracks for enlisted, 70 officer’s quarters, and another 400 various buildings were completed and in use. ![]() The camp was formally dedicated in ceremonies at 3 p.m. Approximately 46,000 acres were acquired and cleared, and construction began in January 1942. ![]() Situated just east of the town of Blackstone, Virginia, the location of Camp Pickett was chosen for its central location and access to natural resources. Pickett, whose ill-fated charge at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania during the US Civil War, holds a unique place in the history of warfare. ![]() The name was chosen to honor Richmond, Virginia native Major General George E. At its inception, Fort Pickett was originally named Camp Pickett. ![]()
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