Camp Crowder (1941-1946)

Camp Crowder opened on December 15, 1941, just a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the United States into World War II. The army camp was named in honor of Brigadier General Enoch H. Crowder, a key figure in the development of the Selective Service System. During the war, this army facility was used to train members of the US Army Signal Corps and was also used to train officers and service personnel as well as infantrymen. Similar to several other military installations, the camp also included a prisoner-of-war camp for German and Italian soldiers in the final years of the war. After the war, the camp was deactivated by later became home to Fort Crowder, a short-lived military facility. During the Cold War, the former military facility was mostly vacant as the military developed rockets at a nearby Air Force Plant and wanted to maintain a buffer between the civilian population. Today, the former military site includes a community college, various industries, and a training facility for the the Army National Guard.

During World War II, this was a training facility for the Signal Corps with skills from radio and telegraphy, cryptography, and utilizing radar systems being taught. The camp was also a training center for troops in service trades like cooks and even trained infantrymen. The camp had a hospital, post office, and newspaper. In addition to military training, the camp hosted USO shows and other morale-boosting events for soldiers, whose time here varied from a few weeks to a few months depending on their specific training program. After completing their training at Camp Crowder, soldiers were sent to various locations around the world.

There were various recreational activities available at Camp Crowder, including sports, music, and movies. The camp also had a swimming pool, a bowling alley, and a library. In addition, the USO regularly hosted shows and events for the soldiers. The shows at Camp Crowder featured a variety of entertainment, including music, comedy, and theater performances. Several famous entertainers performed for the soldiers at Camp Crowder, including Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and the Andrews Sisters.

Starting in the fall of 1943, Camp Crowder also included a prisoner-of-war camp for German and Italian soldiers. The first prisoners arrived on October 6th, 1943, and the camp held up to 15,000 prisoners at its peak. The practice of holding prisoners at military bases was common, as was requiring up to eight hours of labor. Prisoners worked doing maintenance or in the kitchen cooking, and they were paid 80 cents for a day of work. The camp also opened a school to teach languages like German and English, and prisoners were also instructed in history, writing, and other subjects. When the war ended the prisoners were sent home in groups, with the last 212 prisoners leaving the camp on May 7, 1946.

After World War II ended, Camp Crowder was used as a demobilization center for returning soldiers. The camp was also used to process American prisoners of war who had been held in Europe and Asia. In 1946, the camp was designated as a separation center, where soldiers were processed for discharge from the military. By 1947, most of the facilities at Camp Crowder had been deactivated and many of the buildings were moved or disassembled and sold for lumber. The camp was officially closed in 1958. The area has since become home to Army National Guard training facility and various civilian businesses and schools.

Missouri Secretary of State - IT. “Camp Crowder Collection.” MDH Splash, www.sos.mo.gov/archives/mdh_splash/default.asp?coll=crowder#:~:text=Camp%20Crowder%20was%20a%20military,Missouri%2C%20was%20established%20in%201941. Accessed 27 July 2023. 

“The Stone-Cold Truth.” Joplin Globe, 9 Mar. 2007, www.joplinglobe.com/news/lifestyles/the-stone-cold-truth/article_389ae1a7-ae7a-5fa2-88e5-e3c1a946f0a3.html. 

Moffitt, Kelly. “Did You Know Missouri Housed 15,000 German and Italian Prisoners of War during World War II?” STLPR, news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2016-12-08/did-you-know-missouri-housed-15-000-german-and-italian-prisoners-of-war-during-world-war-ii. Accessed 27 July 2023.