Camp Shanks
| Company type | Military facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Military |
| Founded | January 4, 1943 near Orangeburg, New York, United States |
| Headquarters | Orangeburg , United States |
| Products | Troop embarkation and processing, prisoner of war detention |
Camp Shanks was a United States Army facility situated near Orangeburg, New York, named in honor of Major General David C. Shanks. Positioned close to the convergence of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it stood as the largest embarkation camp operated by the U.S. Army throughout World War II.
History
During World War II, Camp Shanks functioned as a crucial assembly point for troops departing from the New York Port of Embarkation en route to overseas assignments. Often referred to as “Last Stop USA,” it accommodated roughly 50,000 soldiers simultaneously and processed approximately 1.3 million personnel overall, including three-quarters of those who participated in the D-Day landings. In 1945, the camp also served as a detention center for German and Italian prisoners of war.
Following the war, the barracks at Camp Shanks were repurposed to provide housing for veterans attending colleges under the provisions of the GI Bill. This residential area, known as Shanks Village, remained operational until 1954 before being dismantled and returned to civilian control. Presently, a portion of the former camp grounds is traversed by the expanded Palisades Interstate Parkway.
The Camp Shanks Museum was inaugurated in June 1994 near its original site at the junction of New York State Routes 303 and 340.
Construction
On September 25, 1942, residents of Orangeburg were notified that their homes and farmland—covering about —would be requisitioned swiftly for military development. Approximately 130 families relinquished property to enable construction of facilities dedicated to transporting troops and equipment in proximity to New York City. The project was overseen by Colonel Drew C. Eberson from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Built between September 1942 and May 1943 at an expenditure of $44.4 million, Camp Shanks encountered challenges such as corruption allegations and labor conflicts. A federal grand jury investigation in 1946 exonerated military personnel and contractors but uncovered extensive union-related kickback schemes. The camp officially commenced operations on January 4, 1943, under the command of Colonel Kenna G. Eastman.
Soldiers were quartered in barracks measuring twenty by one hundred feet, equipped with rudimentary heating provided by coal-fired stoves. Two detachments of the Women's Army Corps (WAC), comprising over 400 women, fulfilled duties ranging from clerical work to mechanical maintenance and armament handling; however, their movement within the camp was subject to restrictions.
Active years
Camp Shanks was among three principal staging locations on the eastern coast of the United States, alongside Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn and Camp Kilmer in New Brunswick, NJ. Collectively, these sites formed the largest troop assembly complex worldwide. The camp’s main objective was to ensure that soldiers and WAC personnel were fully outfitted prior to transatlantic deployment. Final inspections conducted at Camp Shanks addressed equipment deficiencies through repairs or replacements since early in the conflict England lacked extensive supply depots.
In late 1944, monthly troop processing numbers reached tens of thousands, peaking in October with arrivals totaling 78,354 and departures numbering 85,805. By November 1944, final inspections nationwide were discontinued as English supply depots assumed responsibility for shortages and equipment replacement. Troops placed on "Alert" status departed within twelve hours following a structured procedure involving transportation to docks in New Jersey and boarding troopships—either via brief train journeys or marching approximately four miles to Piermont Pier.
Prisoner of war camp
Between April 1945 and January 1946, Camp Shanks served as a holding site for roughly 1,200 Italian and 800 German prisoners of war, with German detainees beginning to arrive in June 1945. By the conclusion of World War II, the camp had processed nearly 290,000 POWs destined for repatriation. The final German captive was released on July 22, 1946, coinciding with the camp's closure. Subsequently, certain sections were repurposed as residential quarters for veterans, known as Shanks Village.
Units passing through Camp Shanks
(Partial Listing)
Ground Forces
- 35th Engineer Combat Battalion
Other
Further reading
- Gottlock, Wesley, and Barbara H. Gottlock. Lost Towns of the Hudson Valley. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2009.
External links
- Archives for The Palisades (1943-1946), bi-weekly newspaper for Camp Shanks, at Hudson River Valley Heritage Newspapers
- Archives for The Shanks Villager (1946-1953), newspaper for post-war Shanks Village, at Hudson River Valley Heritage Newspapers
- Installations of the United States Army in New York (state)
- Military and war museums in New York (state)
- Museums in Rockland County, New York
- World War II museums in the United States
- World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States
- Military installations established in 1943
- Military installations closed in 1946