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Camp Roberts is a California National Guard post in central
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, located on both sides of the Salinas River in
Monterey Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under both ...
and
San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly hal ...
counties, now run by the
California Army National Guard The California Army National Guard (CA ARNG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Army, and part of the National Guard of the United States. The California Army National Guard is composed o ...
. It was opened in 1941 and is named after Corporal Harold W. Roberts, a
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient. Nearby communities include San Miguel, Heritage Ranch ( Lake Nacimiento), Oak Shores (Lake Nacimiento), and
Bradley Bradley is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad meadow" in Old English. Like many English surnames Bradley can also be used as a given name and as such has become popular. It is also an Anglicisation of t ...
, all unincorporated. The nearest incorporated city is
Paso Robles Paso Robles ( ), officially El Paso de Robles (Spanish for "The Pass of Oaks"), is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Salinas River approximately north of San Luis Obispo, the city is known for its hot ...
. Camp Roberts is roughly southeast of
Fort Hunter Liggett Fort Hunter Liggett is a United States Army fort in Jolon, California, in southern Monterey County, California. The fort, named in 1941 after General Hunter Liggett, is primarily used as a training facility, where activities such as field maneuve ...
. Camp Roberts is host to annual training for California Army National Guard units and the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. As of 2014, Camp Roberts is undergoing major renovations, including demolition of World War II-era barracks. Demolition of the World War II-era structures facing
US Route 101 U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as (The Royal Roa ...
began in 2012. To contain the hazardous materials from the demolished barracks, a large hazardous waste landfill was created.


History

Under the leadership Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Martson the camp was built is 1940, as a
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
training center. At its peak it housed 45,000 troops in 1945. The camp opened as the Camp Nacimiento Replacement Training Center, but the name was changed, to honor Corporal
Harold W. Roberts Harold William Roberts (October 14, 1895 – October 6, 1918) was a United States Army corporal and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I. Roberts, a tank driver, was m ...
, a tank driver in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. For World War II 436,000 Infantry and Field Artillery troops were trained at the camp. Camp Roberts was one of the largest training camps during World War II. At the camp a 750 bed Army hospital was built to serve the troops. The camp also held
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...
. German and Italian prisoners of war were held at the camp during WW2. Italian prisoners of war were given the option to volunteer to work in special Italian Service Unit and work at Camp Roberts' 10th Italian Quartermaster Service Company. After the war the camp was inactive, but for the few National Guard and Army Reserve troops that used it for summer training. In 1950 for the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
the camp became active again. After the Korean War the camp was inactive again. The US Army's Combat Development Experimental Command began to operate the camp for weapons testing. The US Navy used the vast camp training gunners with live fire. In April 1970 the US Army closed the army camp. The camp was turned over to the California National Guard in 1971 for a training center. *Camp Roberts Historical Museum is on the base. * From 1955 to 1990 at the US Army operated Camp Roberts Main Army Airfield. This was a single northwest/southeast paved runway and a control tower. The runway was on the southeast side of the Camp Roberts parade ground. The runway today is vacant, has one building left on it and is partly used for a parking lot. * From 1951 to 1955 at the US Army operated Camp Roberts Army Airfield. This was a single northwest/southeast dirt runway. The runway was on the southeast side of the base, running parallel to the Salinas river. There is no trace of this original base runway today, just brush alongside the river.Camp Roberts Original Army Airfield
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See also

*
Camp Laguna The Camp Laguna 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. ...
Arizona proving ground in WW2 * Yuma Test Branch Arizona proving ground in WW2 *
Yuma Proving Ground Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) is a United States Army series of environmentally specific test centers with its Yuma Test Center being one of the largest military installations in the world. It is subordinate to the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation ...
current Arizona proving ground *
California during World War II California during World War II was a major contributor to the World War II effort. California's long Pacific Ocean coastline provided the support needed for the Pacific War. California also supported the war in Europe. After the Japanese attac ...


References


Further reading

*


External links


Camp Roberts official websiteCamp Roberts Historical Museum websiteCamp Roberts Hunting Info (JHO)Camp Roberts Fishing Info (JHO)
* ttp://www.pasoroblesdowntown.org/ Local Shopping and Local Events Near Camp Roberts {{Salinas River, state=collapsed Forts in California Installations of the United States Army in California Buildings and structures in Monterey County, California Buildings and structures in San Luis Obispo County, California Salinas River (California) Military and war museums in California Museums in San Luis Obispo County, California * Military history of California Military installations established in 1940 1940 establishments in California