Fort Knox (2)
Fort Knox (2) (1918-Present) - Established Jan 1918 as Camp Knox and named for Maj. Gen. Henry Knox the nations first Secretary of War
Fort Knox (2) History
At the beginning of World War I Congress initially leased 10,000 acres in the vicinity of Stithton. On 25 Jun 1918, Congress allocated $1.6 million to purchase 40,000 acres. Construction of the camp facilities began in July 1918, but was cut short by the Armistice in November 1918 and by Army strength reductions in 1921-1922. The post was closed as a permanent installation in 1922, but continued to serve until 1932 as a training center for the V Corps area, for reserve officer training, Citizens Military Training Camps, and for the National Guard.
Congress designated Camp Knox as a permanent garrison on 1 Jan 1932, and changed the name to Fort Knox. On 16 Jan 1932 the 1st U.S. Cavalry Regiment arrived at Fort Knox and traded its horses for combat cars and was joined in 1936 by the 13th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, which in turn traded its horses for tanks and then comprised the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized).
World War II
The Armored Force was born on 10 Jul, 1940, with the Headquarters, Armor Force and the Headquarters, I Armored Crops established at Fort Knox. On 15 Jul, 1940, the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized) became the 1st Armored Division.
The Armored Force School and the Armored Force Replacement Center were officially established at Fort Knox Oct 1, 1940. The school trained armored force soldiers in military fundamentals and in specific areas such as tank gunnery, armor tactics, communications, and maintenance. As the armored force grew and the U.S. entered World War II, the school expanded proportionately. From an initial cadre of 155 officers and 1,458 enlisted men in October 1940, the school grew to more than 700 officers and 3,500 enlisted men by May 1943. The school alone used more than 500 buildings, many of them "temporary" wooden structures built to meet the expansion of the post. Many of those temporary buildings are still in use today.
The Armored Force School, at the peak of its operation during the war, operated on two daily shifts to satisfy the demand for qualified armor soldiers. By 1943, Fort Knox had expanded to 106,861 acres and had 3,820 buildings, compared to 864 buildings in 1940.
Current Status
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Location: Maps & Images Lat: 37.8857 Long: -85.9607 |
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Visited: 18 Nov 2006
Fort Knox (2) Picture Gallery
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Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |
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Tank Exhibit at Patton Museum -
Tank Exhibit at Patton Museum -
Helicopter Exhibit at Patton Museum
