Camp Myles Standish
| Company type | Military installation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Military |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Defunct | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Taunton , United States |
Area served | United States, Allied forces |
Camp Myles Standish was a U.S. Army installation located in Taunton, Massachusetts, serving as the principal staging ground for the Boston Port of Embarkation throughout World War II. Nearly one million American and Allied military personnel passed through this facility either deploying overseas or returning for demobilization. Additionally, the camp operated as a detention center for prisoners of war and was briefly evaluated as a possible location for the United Nations Headquarters after the war.
History
In June 1942, the War Department allocated land in Taunton for military purposes. The camp was designed by the J.F. Worcester Company and constructed by Matthew Cummings Company, officially opening on October 8, 1942. It was named in honor of Myles Standish, the initial military leader of the Plymouth Colony. The facility processed troops from the United States, Canada, Britain, and Australia who were either heading to or returning from the European Theater.
Spanning , Camp Myles Standish had capacity for 1,298 officers and 23,100 enlisted soldiers. A specialized quartermaster garrison facilitated swift deployment preparations, enabling entire divisions to be ready within a single day. The camp’s rail yard, managed by the New Haven Railroad, handled significant train traffic with lines converging from Providence, Rhode Island, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Boston. This rail system included roughly ten miles of track.
The site held German prisoners of war as well as Italian soldiers, who were classified as co-belligerents following Italy’s surrender. Operations at the camp ceased in January 1946 after the conclusion of WWII. As of 2009, several original structures remained intact.
Redevelopment
Following federal relinquishment, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts repurposed the grounds to establish the Myles Standish State School for the Mentally Retarded, utilizing the former hospital section of the army base to accommodate patients. In 1951, Governor Paul A. Dever oversaw construction of more than two dozen new brick buildings on the southern portion of the property. After his passing, the school was named in his honor.
In 1973, the City of Taunton purchased over of the former military site to develop a contemporary industrial park. The Myles Standish Industrial Park has since grown substantially and is recognized as one of Massachusetts’ most prosperous industrial complexes.
Units that passed through Camp Myles Standish
- Air Defense
- Armor
- Cavalry
- Chemical
- Engineer
- Field Artillery
- 17th Field Artillery Brigade
- 538th Field Artillery Battalion (Battery A and Battery B)
- 539th Field Artillery Battalion (Battery A and Battery B)
- 980th Field Artillery Battalion
- Infantry
- Military Police
- Signal
- Air Force
See also
External links
- United States Army installations in Massachusetts
- World War II POW camps in the United States
- Former prisons in Massachusetts
- Structures and buildings in Taunton, Massachusetts
- Massachusetts establishments in 1942
- Massachusetts disestablishments in 1948
- Military bases founded in 1942
- Military bases closed in 1946
- World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States