Camp MacArthur (1)

 (1917-1919) - A World War I National Guard Mobilization Camp first established in 1917 near Waco, McLennan County, Texas. Named Camp MacArthur in G.O. 95, 18 Jul 1917, after Lt. General Arthur MacArthur, who dedicated the site. Abandoned in 1919.

World War I (1917-1918)
One of sixteen National Guard Training Camps established in 1917 to train World War I National Guard units and organize them into Federal divisions. The Camp was established in 1917 under the supervision of construction quartermaster Major Matthew Hanson on a site of about 1,377 acres. The reservation encompassed some 10,700 acres. The camp was to have a capacity of 45,000 men. It was complete in November 1917 at an eventual cost of $4,500,000.

The first commander of the Camp was Major General James Parker who formed the 32nd U.S. Infantry Division and organized the training of the troops. The first elements of the 32nd arrived at Camp MacArthur in August 1917 and departed for France in January 1918. The 32nd distinguished itself in France earning the name "Les Terribles" for their successful, tenacious attacks on enemy positions. The division suffered 13,261 casualties with 2,250 killed, more than 800 officers and enlisted men were decorated by foreign governments. The 32nd came home and was inactivated on 5 Apr 1919.

At the end of the war Camp MacArthur became a demobilization center until it was abandoned on 15 May 1919.

Current Status
Marker only in Waco, McLennan County, Texas.

Sources:
 * , page 768

Links:
 * North American Forts - Camp MacArthur
 * Wikipedia - Camp MacArthur
 * Texas Handbook On Line - Camp MacArthur
 * Waymarking.com - Camp MacArthur
 * New River Notes - World War I Forces