Camp Ellis was a United States

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 opposing ...

Army Service Forces Unit Training Center and

prisoner-of-war camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. ...

between the towns of Bernadotte, Ipava, and Table Grove in

Fulton County, Illinois Fulton County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 37,069. Its county seat is Lewistown, and the largest city is Canton. Fulton County comprises the Canton, IL Micropolitan Statistic ...

. Construction began on 17 September 1942, and the camp opened on 16 April 1943, with an official dedication 14 July 1943. German prisoners of war were guarded by the 475th and 476th

Military Police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...

Escort Guard Companies. Training activities ended in November 1944. According to the Pentagon Report on Camp Ellis, the camp was officially occupied on 1 February 1943 under the Sixth Service Command. It included facilities of: USF Unit Training Center, Engineer and Medical Officers Replacement Pools, Training Center & POW Camp. "Effective as of 1 October 1945 Camp Ellis, Illinois was placed in the Category of surplus (entire camp). 17,478 acres WD owned at cost to Govt (land and buildings of $23,076,438 certified to SPS (WD-#257) 11 October 1945). Shawnee National Forest, Camp Ellis, Illinois maneuver area, transferred to Department of Agriculture 29 November 1945 (35,375 acres Public Lands). Effective 11 December 1945 Camp Ellis Military Reservation, Illinois, entire camp 28,557 military housing, 17,455 acres WD owned, at cost to Govt. (land and buildings) of $23,076,438 withdrawn from surplus and placed in inactive revocable license to State of Illinois as National Guard Camp-per Monthly Progress Report, OCE, dated 30 January 1946. Camp Ellis, Military Reservation, Ill., designated as Class II installation, subject to re-entry upon 120 days' notice, under the jurisdiction of the Commanding General, Army Ground Forces, 22 March 1946. Effective 25 September 1946 reclassified as a Class I installation under jurisdiction of Commanding General, Fifth Army. Camp Ellis, Table Grove, Ill., inactive 11 December 1945, except housing surplus 8 January 1947. 5013th ASF, Camp Ellis, Ill. reorganized under T/D #205-1013, Fifth Army, Chicago, Ill. December 1947, and 30 June 1948. Effective 30 November 1949, Camp Ellis, Ill., less certain facilities to be retained for use by Illinois National Guard, was declared excess to requirements of Department of Army and was approved for disposal (DA Cir120), 1 December 1949." Pentagon Report on Camp Ellis The camp was named after Sergeant Michael B. Ellis, 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 ...

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recipient from

East Saint Louis, Illinois East St. Louis is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois. It is directly across the Mississippi River from Downtown St. Louis, Missouri and the Gateway Arch National Park. East St. Louis is in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. Once a bu ...

Units Served

# 3052nd Quartermaster Salvage Col Co. # 738th Engineer Base Depot Company # 567th Engineer Dump Truck Company # 539th Salvage Repair Company # 475th Military Police Escort Guard Company # 476th Military Police Escort Guard Company # 4624th Service Unit (WAC) # 1303rd Engineer General Service Regiment Activated on 15 July 1943 # 123rd Infantry Company A # 1317th Engineer General Service Regiment # 1332nd Engineer Regiment (African-American Unit) #

371st Engineer Construction Battalion 371st Engineer Construction Battalion or 371st Engineer Battalion was activated as a Special Service Regiment in February 1944, as a unit in the United States Army. Later this unit was redesignated a General Service Regiment. The unit was forme ...

# 520th Transportation Battalion # 548th CSB # 600th Quartermaster Company # 533rd CSB # 123rd Infantry # 181st Transportation Battalion Activated 25 June 1943 # 16th Company, 133rd Battalion, 30th Training Regiment. Capt. WM. J. Courchesne, , 1st Sgt. J. V. Salyard. July 1945 # 3184 QUARTERMASTER SERVICE COMPANY APRIL 1944 (African-American Unit Cpl. Howard W. Jones) # 4624th Unit of Women's Army Corps arrive in Camp Ellis 6 January 1944

References

External links

''475th Military Police Escort Guard Company: A Brief History''
by Gene Herbener

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