Camp Dawson (West Virginia)
| Company type | Military installation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Military training |
| Founded | May 7, 1909 in Preston County, West Virginia, United States |
| Headquarters | Preston County , United States |
Area served | United States military units |
| Products | Military training facilities and programs |
Camp Dawson serves as a facility for the West Virginia Army National Guard located in Preston County, West Virginia. It stands out as one of the few military installations exclusively managed by the West Virginia National Guard and is home to its officer candidate school. The camp is named in honor of William M.O. Dawson, who was the 12th governor of West Virginia, and it plays a significant role in military training within the region.
History
Camp Dawson was established on May 7, 1909, following authorization by the West Virginia Legislature to acquire land at Dunkard Bottom, West Virginia along the Cheat River. The facility carries the name of Preston County native and former governor William M. O. Dawson. Initial troop training took place during that summer until activities ceased with the United States' entry into World War I in 1917. The camp resumed operations in 1928 as a training ground for the West Virginia State Militia, which later evolved into the National Guard. Training persisted regularly until World War II, when the state repurposed the site as a prisoner of war camp.
Over time, Camp Dawson expanded through the addition of six more parcels, growing to its current size of . The area's challenging landscape provides exceptional training conditions that attract units from the U.S. Army as well as other military branches, including both Active and Reserve components.
Additionally, the facility serves as a selection site for Delta Force, highlighting its critical role in supporting elite military missions.
Tenant units
- C Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 197th Regiment (Regional Training Institute)
- SOD-E (Special Operations Detachment - Europe)
Dawson Army Airfield
Originally built during the early 1970s on the left side of the Cheat River, Dawson Army Airfield was superseded by a new airfield constructed by 1976 on the river’s right bank, just south of the main installation, thereby improving operational capabilities.
External links
- Buildings and structures in Preston County, West Virginia
- Military installations in West Virginia
- Installations of the United States Army National Guard
- World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States
- West Virginia Army National Guard
- 1909 establishments in West Virginia
- Military installations established in 1909