World War I
Established in 1917, Camp Grant saw its first "selected men" or draftees arrive in September of that year. Primarily a location for training infantry, it became one of the largest military training facilities during World War I. The 86th Infantry Division (Black Hawk Division) was formed there. Men of the 86th, after their initial training were sent to other units. While never serving as a division in combat during World War I, elements saw combat. One regiment, the 332nd Infantry, saw service in Italy. The 172nd Infantry Brigade was organized at Camp Grant. It is worth noting that in 1918 the Spanish Influenza Pandemic affected over 4,000, taking the lives of over 1,000 soldiers at Camp Grant between the 23rd of September and the 1st of October. Camp Grant was closed as a U.S. Army facility by December 1923, but in January, 1924, was turned over to the Illinois National Guard. The inter-war period also saw Camp Grant used by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1933 and 1935.
Read more about this topic: Camp Grant (Illinois)
Famous quotes containing the words war i, world and/or war:
“That is what war is and dancing it is forward and back, when one is out walking one wants not to go back the way they came but in dancing and in war it is forward and back.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)
“How is the world ruled and led to war? Diplomats lie to journalists and believe these lies when they see them in print.”
—Karl Kraus (1874–1936)
“The War was decided in the first twenty days of fighting, and all that happened afterwards consisted in battles which, however formidable and devastating, were but desperate and vain appeals against the decision of Fate.”
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965)