Camp Fannin was a
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
Infantry Replacement Training Center
The United States Replacement and School Command was a training and receiving formation of the United States Army during World War II.
History
It was established as part of the Army Ground Forces in March 1942, after it was noted that divis ...
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. ...
located near
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Smith County, Texas, Smith County. It is also the largest city in Northeast Texas. With a 2020 census population of 105,995, Tyler was the List of cities in Texa ...
. It was opened in May 1943 and operated for four years, before closing in 1946. It is credited with training over 200,000 U.S. soldiers, sometimes as many as 40,000 at one given time.
Originally planned as a U.S. Army Air Corps station, Camp Fannin was constructed in the spring of 1943, the camp was named for Col.
James Walker Fannin
James Walker Fannin Jr. (1804 or 1805 – March 27, 1836) was an American military figure and slave trader in the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836) against Mexico. After being outnumbered and surrendering to Mexi ...
, a Texas Revolutionary War hero, who died at Goliad. The original plan moved to
Pounds Army Air Field (now
Tyler Pounds Regional Airport
Tyler Pounds Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located west of Tyler, in Smith County, Texas, United States.
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 called it a "primary commercial service" airport. ...
.)
The camp served as a German
POW 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. ...
during
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 ...
. Two attempted escape, but were quickly captured.
The area where Camp Fannin existed was returned to non-military use during 1946. A section of the land was handed over to the state of Texas, where the once military hospital was transformed to the East Texas Tuberculosis Santorium, later the
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. Other buildings were sold to commercial and development companies. Many buildings still stand today, most of which are used as location for business and warehouses.
A memorial, paid for the Camp Fannin Association, stands at the UT Health Center at Tyler.
See also
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References
External links
*
{{Authority control
World War II prisoner of war camps in the United States
Military facilities in Texas
Buildings and structures in Tyler, Texas
1943 establishments in Texas
1946 disestablishments in Texas