Camp Patrick Henry
Encyclopedia
Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army
base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia
. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News
in 1958 when the former City of Warwick and Newport News were politically consolidated as a single independent city. The airport is known in modern times as Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
.
. The camp was founded in late 1942 and was an approximately 1700 acres (6.9 km²) complex, built in largely virgin forest. At its peak, Camp Patrick Henry had a capacity of hosting approximately 35,000 individuals at one time. These included American troops of every branch of the military service, troops of other Allied armies, and civilians bound for special missions overseas. Although most of the military personnel processed through the Camp during the war were replacements, many noteworthy units were also staged. Complete units processed in 1943 included the 45th "Thunderbird", the 85th "Custer", and the 88th "Blue Devils" Infantry Divisions. During 1944 the camp handled the 31st "Dixie", the 91st "Powder River" and the 92nd "Buffalo" Infantry Divisions, as well as the 2nd Cavalry Division
.
Nearly three quarters of a million men and women passed through the camp during 1943-44, before boarding transport ships at the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, most of them bound for deployment in the Western Europe
. By January 31, 1946, the total number of personnel to pass through the camp was 1,412,107. In the later stages of the war, the camp served as a demobilization point for many soldiers returning home.
The Camp had its own post office, restaurant, movie theater, as well as rail system which transported soldiers by train downtown to shipside at the Chesapeake Bay.
camp, housing over 5,000 German and prisoners of war between 1944 and 1945. The prisoners were assigned to alleviate the critical shortage of manpower in the area within the limits of the Geneva Convention. The first German prisoners of war to permanently assigned to the Port of Hampton Roads were members of the Afrika Korps
who had been captured in the early part of 1943 in North Africa. A prisoner-of-war canteen was established within the compound where the prisoners, within existing regulations, could make limited purchases.
opened in 1949. The U.S. Army continued to operate a Nike Missile
site, designated N-85, on the complex until the late 1970s, when the base was shut down permanently.
marks the site of the camp.
The Marker has the following text on it:
Title: Camp Patrick Henry Dec. 1, 1942 - Jan. 31, 1945
Location: Newport News Williamsburg International Airport, Newport News VA
Description: "Named for Virginia patriot - orator Patrick Henry (1736-1799). An Army base of 1700 acres (6.9 km²) of Peninsula woodland became a World War II staging area of 35,000 personnel capacity with shuttle rail service to shipside. A key component of the vital Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation. Almost a million and a half people were processed through this camp. After deactivation, the land was sold in 1949 for community development."
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia
Warwick County, Virginia
Warwick County was a county in Southeast Virginia that was created from Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. It became the City of Warwick on July 16, 1952...
. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
in 1958 when the former City of Warwick and Newport News were politically consolidated as a single independent city. The airport is known in modern times as Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport is an airport located 9 mi northwest of downtown Newport News, Virginia, and serves the entire Hampton Roads metropolitan area along with Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk...
.
World War II
The base served primarily as a troop staging ground during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The camp was founded in late 1942 and was an approximately 1700 acres (6.9 km²) complex, built in largely virgin forest. At its peak, Camp Patrick Henry had a capacity of hosting approximately 35,000 individuals at one time. These included American troops of every branch of the military service, troops of other Allied armies, and civilians bound for special missions overseas. Although most of the military personnel processed through the Camp during the war were replacements, many noteworthy units were also staged. Complete units processed in 1943 included the 45th "Thunderbird", the 85th "Custer", and the 88th "Blue Devils" Infantry Divisions. During 1944 the camp handled the 31st "Dixie", the 91st "Powder River" and the 92nd "Buffalo" Infantry Divisions, as well as the 2nd Cavalry Division
2nd Cavalry Division (United States)
-Heraldry:SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA*Description: On a yellow Norman shield with a green border, a blue chevron below two eight-pointed blue stars.*Blazon: Or, a chevron azure, in chief 2 mullets of eight points of the second, a bordure vert....
.
Nearly three quarters of a million men and women passed through the camp during 1943-44, before boarding transport ships at the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, most of them bound for deployment in the Western Europe
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
. By January 31, 1946, the total number of personnel to pass through the camp was 1,412,107. In the later stages of the war, the camp served as a demobilization point for many soldiers returning home.
The Camp had its own post office, restaurant, movie theater, as well as rail system which transported soldiers by train downtown to shipside at the Chesapeake Bay.
Prisoners of War
Camp Patrick Henry also served as a prisoner of warPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp, housing over 5,000 German and prisoners of war between 1944 and 1945. The prisoners were assigned to alleviate the critical shortage of manpower in the area within the limits of the Geneva Convention. The first German prisoners of war to permanently assigned to the Port of Hampton Roads were members of the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
who had been captured in the early part of 1943 in North Africa. A prisoner-of-war canteen was established within the compound where the prisoners, within existing regulations, could make limited purchases.
Cold War
After the war, the camp was deactivated and about 925 acres (3.7 km²) were ceded to the Peninsula Airport Commission to build a regional airport on the site. Patrick Henry Field, which later became Newport News/Williamsburg International AirportNewport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport is an airport located 9 mi northwest of downtown Newport News, Virginia, and serves the entire Hampton Roads metropolitan area along with Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk...
opened in 1949. The U.S. Army continued to operate a Nike Missile
Project Nike
Project Nike was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. The project delivered the United States' first operational anti-aircraft missile system, the Nike Ajax, in 1953...
site, designated N-85, on the complex until the late 1970s, when the base was shut down permanently.
Today
A historical marker in front of the current terminal of Newport News/Williamsburg International AirportNewport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport is an airport located 9 mi northwest of downtown Newport News, Virginia, and serves the entire Hampton Roads metropolitan area along with Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk...
marks the site of the camp.
The Marker has the following text on it:
Title: Camp Patrick Henry Dec. 1, 1942 - Jan. 31, 1945
Location: Newport News Williamsburg International Airport, Newport News VA
Description: "Named for Virginia patriot - orator Patrick Henry (1736-1799). An Army base of 1700 acres (6.9 km²) of Peninsula woodland became a World War II staging area of 35,000 personnel capacity with shuttle rail service to shipside. A key component of the vital Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation. Almost a million and a half people were processed through this camp. After deactivation, the land was sold in 1949 for community development."