In this Issue:
Commanders Corner
Commanding
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This issue of the Camp Roberts Reveille focuses on a series of articles about Angel Island. The island was the location
where Camp Roberts namesake, Corporal Harold Roberts, completed Basic Training during WWI. Also, many of the
POWs from WWII interred along the Central Coast at posts like Camp Roberts and Camp San Luis Obispo were
processed on Angel Island before coming to the area. WWII Veterans that trained at Camp Roberts frequently
passed through Angel Island on their return to the United States at the conclusion of the war for out-processing.
Solders from the Central Command visited the island in August to better understanding the military history of the
island and how it contributes to our understanding of the military history of the Central Coast.
The Spanish military did little more with the island during their
time overseeing California. The native coastal Miwoks had used
the island for seasonal fishing, foraging, and hunting for an
estimated 2000 years but seldom returned after European
occupation. The twenty-four years of Mexican rule over the
island, after the Spaniards relinquished control, saw some cattle
ranching and simple farming but no military use.
Tension between U.S. states was increasing and President James Buchanan again recognized the strategic
importance of the island by declaring it a Military Reservation in 1860. The U.S. Civil War began in 1861
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intensifying military development. Another survey was conducted and orders were issued in 1863 for
construction of a base with six to seven artillery batteries. With the renewed attention in 1863, the site became
Camp Reynolds, named after Army of the Potomac Major General John Reynolds. He had been killed by a
Confederate sniper at the Battle of Gettysburg earlier that year.
Most of the Civil War construction was completed in 1864, although it was hasty and engineered for a short life
span. Samuel L. Clemens, a San Francisco newspaper journalist, toured the site with then Brigadier General
Irvin McDowell (remember his name) and proclaimed the fortifications and earthen batteries were fast
growing into formidable proportions. Clemens would gain fame later under the pen name, Mark Twain. The
Civil War ended in 1865 and it was good for the camp that it did. Storms, earthquakes, and the general climate
took a toll on the batteries and they began to fall apart before the end of the year. One casemate slipped fifteen
feet downhill! The batteries were abandoned and the guns removed in 1866.
A government defense report was completed in 1886 that was very critical of the West Coast military readiness.
Funds were approved as a response and construction began on three secondary batteries. These batteries
provided fire support to the main batteries of Fort Point and Fort Baker at The Golden Gate. It was realized
within a year that the new Camp Reynolds batteries and guns were obsolete due to advances in naval
construction. The speed of new steamships along with the short trajectory and slow traverse of the guns made it
almost impossible for gunners at Camp Reynolds to hit their water born targets.
Once again, impending war brought improvements to Camp Reynolds. U.S. foreign policy was still heavily
influenced by Manifest Destiny and support of the Monroe Doctrine as the country annexed Hawaii in 1898. A
short time later, the U.S. supported the Cuban Insurrection against Spain and the Spanish-American war began.
This brought quick funding and new batteries with modern guns were installed at Camp Reynolds before the
end of 1898.
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The Spanish-American War brought significant combat in the Pacific Theater. Camp Reynolds was one of the
busiest bases in the U.S. as it was the only overseas processing station. A special detention camp or quarantine
hospital was built in 1899 for troops returning to the mainland with tropical diseases. They stayed there until
they were deemed to be non-contagious.
The Spanish-American war ended and the decision was made to further expand the military facilities on Angel
Island. The base boundaries now covered the whole island and the name was changed to Fort McDowell in
1900. Major General McDowell, Mark Twains guide in 1864, had been Commander of the Pacific and later
Commander of California. Although he had suffered defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run and was partially to
blame for the U.S. defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run, he had been immensely popular in California and
especially in San Francisco. He had died in 1885 and was buried at The Presidio in San Francisco. Separate
geographical areas of the island were now referred to by their compass orientation such as the East Garrison and
West Garrison. Camp Reynolds was stricken from the Army roster after thirty-nine years as an active military
post.
The war ended in 1918 but military activity at Fort McDowell did not. The mission returned to processing
soldiers who were leaving service and training recruits. Construction of a new barracks was begun about 1919.
The architecture and construction style was significant as it was one of the first reinforced concrete buildings in
the U.S. The barracks at the East Garrison became known as The 600 Man Barracks in architectural circles.
Fort McDowell became the Armys Overseas Discharge and Replacement Depot in 1922. Surprisingly, some
of the busiest Army years on the island were between 1920 and 1940. The only offshore U.S. Army bases were
in the Pacific Ocean and all troops had to go through the McDowell, coming or going to the Pacific. They
averaged over 22,000 each year between 1926 and 1938 with over 106,000 men being discharged at the fort.
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United States entrance into World War II was anticipated by many but its abrupt start was a surprise. Fort
McDowell was fairly well prepared and yet still had to make accommodations to process an unprecedented
number of soldiers at the beginning of 1942. It served as the main embarkation point for all troops going to the
Pacific Theater of Operations from 1941 until the end of the war in 1945. The average stay for troops on Angel
Island was anywhere from a week to three months, depending on organizational marshalling. It was reported
that over 12,000 meals per sitting were served in the mess halls. The logistics of handling so many soldiers was
immense. Most potable water and all supplies had to be brought to the island by boat after being brought to rail
terminals on the mainland. Soldiers were transported in the same manner.
The Army began to use Angel Island as a POW processing center in 1941. As in World War I, enemy aliens
had been collected throughout the West Coast and Pacific Ocean as early as 1938. These included citizens,
military, and merchant marine personnel mostly from the European Axis Powers. When war began, the military
and merchant marine captives became POWs. The first POW actually captured in combat to come to Angel
Island was the Japanese Navy officer Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki. He had been captured on Sunday, December 7,
1941, at Pearl Harbor when his mini-sub ran aground during the attack. There is argument that only German
and Japanese POWs were processed at the facility, but personal histories indicate otherwise. POWs were held
in the Immigration Station that had been abandoned in 1940. The POWs were sent to Prisoner of War camps
throughout the U.S. after about three weeks of processing at Fort McDowell. There are no documented escapes
by any POWs.
World War II ended in September, 1945 and Fort McDowell continued operation for several months processing
returning GIs. Twenty-two trains a day were needed for soldiers coming from the island ferries to the mainland.
They left the San Francisco Bay Area by rail for discharge centers throughout the US. The expense of bringing
all supplies and transporting personnel to and from
the island had been extreme. The Army realized that
a mainland base would be more cost effective and
the decision was made to abandon the site. Fort
McDowell closed in August, 1946, and the property
was listed as government surplus. A small unit of
troops remained on the island to maintain the
facilities until decisions for the ultimate disposition
could be made.
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The Army left Angel Island for the final time in 1962 after the Nike battery closed. This event marked the end
for Angel Islands ninety-nine years with the U.S. Army protecting California and The Golden Gate from
enemies approaching from the Pacific Ocean. The island and the remnants of Fort McDowell are now a
California State Park and open to the public.
The first Nike missile system was the Nike Ajax and deployment of the new system commenced in 1953. The
Army initially ordered 1000 missiles for deployment. They were placed to protect strategic and tactical sites in
the United States. The new system replaced 896 obsolete radar-guided anti-aircraft guns operated by the
National Guard or U S Army to protect key sites. During the early to mid 60s, the Nike Ajax batteries were
upgraded to the Hercules system. The new missile had greater range and destructive power. It could also
intercept ballistic missiles. Nike Ajax sites that were not upgraded were decommissioned.
Angel Island was identified as Nike Missile base SF91 and opened in 1955. The radar was located at the
highest point on the island, Mount Livermore. Today, all that is left of this site is one building, some cables
coming out of the ground, and a couple of concrete pads where the radar was located.
Administration personnel for the system were located at Fort McDowell which was an Army base that opened
prior to WWI. The old base hospital became the headquarters for the unit. Fort McDowell was nearly
abandoned prior to the Nike personnels arrival. About 100 men were stationed on the island, with the Enlisted
men billeted in the old post hospital.
Angel Islands missile battery was manned by Battery D of the 9th Army Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. The
battery had three launching sections, each one with four missile launchers. The Nike Ajax missiles were liquid
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fueled and carried TNT war heads. The
missiles had a range of approximately 40
miles. Each launching section had an
underground magazine that could hold up to
a dozen missiles. The missiles were raised
to the surface by hydraulic elevators and
then placed on the launchers. The only
missile system used at Angel Island was the
Nike Ajax and the site was decommissioned
in 1961 when the Ajax Missiles became
obsolete.
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My initial focus was to learn more about the military history
of Camp Reynolds and Fort McDowell, both located on
Angel Island. I was not expecting that enthusiasm to shift
to the story behind the Immigration Station which operated
on the island from 1910 to 1940. Angel Island was
considered the Ellis Island of the west by some, but not the
Chinese and other immigrants that endured the hardships of
living there for months or years.
Conditions were very crowded in the Immigration The Immigration Station was a low security facility because
Station Barracks on Angel Island with Chinese it was located on an island making escape nearly
immigrants being held from a few weeks to years. impossible. Barbed wire fences reminded immigrants that
Photo: SGT (CA) Terrence Rogan
their freedom was restricted. The Detention Barracks
housed 200 to 300 males and 30 to 50 females at any one time. The experience of immigrants on Angel Island
was very different than those who arrived in New Yorks Ellis Island. Immigrants had a much better experience
at Ellis Island and a faster processing time. The conditions on Angel Island were poor due to the overcrowding,
segregation, and poor sanitary conditions.
Detainees wrote or carved poems on the
walls of the detention barracks to express
their frustration and anger over their
incarceration.
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discovery launched the Asian American communitys effort to save the barracks with their historically
significant poems.
It is often said that if we dont learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it. Although the government had
good intentions for establishing an immigration station on the island, some would consider it a blemish or dark
mark on our past. The events that took place are not something to be entirely proud of, but, it was fortunate that
this history was not erased with the demolition of the Immigration Station. If the Immigration Station was
destroyed and the island became a nature preserve, this fascinating part of history would have remained
unknown to many, including myself. It is important to learn about the good and bad parts of our history and not
erase those symbols that can teach us.
From a descriptive sign at the museum: In the first of these two poems, which are meant to be read as a pair,
the author refers to a 1921 Mexican law barring immigration of Chinese laborers as the cause of his current fate.
Yet, he vows to fight his detention. His defiance of the authorities is suggested by his reference to General Zu
Di, who defeated China around 300 A.D. The second poem describes the successful conclusion of the authors
case. The elegant writing and the references indicate that he was likely an educated man.
Both Mexico and the United States had severely limited Chinese immigration to their respective countries
through new laws during this time period. The author may have tried immigrating to Mexico prior to his
attempt to enter the United States. The Immigration Station Museum is open to the public from 1100 to 1500
Wednesday through Sunday. Tours are available at 1100, 1230, and 1345 for groups of five or more with a
reservation. An admission fee is charged for the museum. More information on the museum and its history can
be found at https://www.aiisf.org/visit.
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Newsletter Odds and Ends
Soldiers Support Camp Roberts Museum Day
Soldiers from the Museum Support Unit-Central
California participated in the Camp Roberts museum
day on September 23, 2017, at the Sculptera Winery in
Paso Robles, CA. The winery hosted the event to
support the museum at their beautiful winery grounds
and sculpture garden. The event was attended by
several hundred people, including veterans of WWII,
Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War, who enjoyed taking
rides in the museum's Deuce and a Half truck, checking
out the Chinese Antiaircraft gun, and looking at the
other vehicles and displays the museum brought as part
of the event. Guests also brought in classic cars, many
from the same time period that Camp Roberts was
utilized as a Federal training installation, for a car show
that was also very popular. Photo of the Central Command's display booth with
(left to right) PFC Michael Brookman, SGM Carlos
Monte Mills and his Lucky Horseshoe Band provided Gama, SSG Jason Orton, and SPC Coy Briscoe.
live music spanning the 20th century that guests Photo: Christa Orton
enjoyed while sitting at tables under the old oak trees
adjacent to the vineyard's tasting rooms. Tri-tip and cold drinks were available for purchase to the visitors that
milled around the displays and enjoyed the entertainment.
The Central Command, under the leadership of acting unit First Sergeant, SSG (CA) Jason Orton, set up a
display table at the invitation of the museum staff to promote the California Military Heritage Command and its
mission. The booth was manned by unit soldiers SSG (CA) Jason Orton, SPC (CA) Coy Briscoe, and PFC
(CA) Michael Brookman. PFC Brookman brought his collection of historic postcards from Camp Roberts'
WWII and Korean eras as well as a nice collection of
U.S. military bayonets for display.
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It was a long day but, visiting with so many veterans and their families was well worth the time. Every veteran
who visited the table was able to find something that reminded them of their time serving and many were able
to share stories about the time they trained or served at Camp Roberts.
*California State Military Reserve soldiers wishing to perform a Substitute Unit Training Assembly with the Museum
Support Unit-Central California should contact CW4 (CA) Henry Leon in advance at: hhc20th@msn.com. Dates are
subject to change. All unit members will be notified of any changes as they occur. First formation time is 0800 hours
The growing need for infantry units during WWII resulted in the Army reactivating the unit in 1942. The unit
trained in Texas and other locations in the southern U.S. but, often it had the misfortune of being stripped of
soldiers before it was ready to deploy. Those soldiers were shipped out as replacements for other units that had
suffered casualties during the war. The ranks were eventually replenished and training continued.
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In 1944 the unit was sent to Camp Cooke (present day
Vandenberg Air Force Base) and then on to Camp San
Luis Obispo for training. The soldiers liked Camp San
Luis Obispo and would frequently ride the train during
liberty to San Francisco or Los Angeles to see the
sights. The unit believed they would be sent to the
Pacific to fight the Japanese but a surprise offensive by
Germany that would come to be called the Battle of the
Bulge, changed that plan. On February 2, 1945,
soldiers from the 86th began boarding trains for the
long trip to the East Coast to board troop transports
bound for the European battlefield.
Victory in Europe had been achieved but, a war was still raging in the Pacific theater against determined
Japanese forces. The surviving members of the 86th returned to the U.S. in June of 1945 and then shipped out
on troop transports for the Philippines for the expected invasion of Japan. While the transports were floating in
the Leyte Gulf, Japan surrendered. The unit came ashore in the Philippines shortly after arriving but there was
no fighting left for the men of the 86th. The unit was deactivated once again in December of 1946. In 2010 the
unit was reactivated as the 86th Training Division and
is today posted at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.
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Central Command Hosts Commanders Meeting
The California Military Heritage Command (CMHC)
held a Senior Leaders Meeting at Camp San Luis
Obispo on October 28th. The event was hosted by the
Central Command at building 807 on post. The senior
officer and enlisted leadership teams from each region
were invited to attend the meeting. Colonel John
Goodnight, Commander of the CMHC, conducted the
meeting as attendees discussed what was happening in
their own region and the Museum Enterprise Plan.
What do you
mean there
are no more
food holidays?
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Acknowledgements and Notes:
The California State Military Reserve with the California Military Heritage Command and the Museum Support Unit-Central
California at Camp Roberts, owe thanks to many people for this newsletter. First, our thanks to Brigadier General (CA) Frank D.
Emanuel, Commander of the CSMR and to Colonel (CA) John Goodnight, Commander of the CMHC.
In addition, all those others past, present, and future who have volunteered or financially supported the museum.
To the Camp Roberts Post Management and Leadership, also our gratitude.
COL Nicole M. Balliet, Post Commander
CSM James E. Norris, Post Command Sergeant Major
To the Unit members of the Museum Support Unit-Central California past and present, without which this
newsletter would never have happened:
CW4 Henry L. Leon
SSG Jason Orton
SGT Terrence Rogan
SPC Katrina Sheen
SPC Patrick Sheen
SPC Coy Briscoe
PFC Michael Brookman
Special thanks to SGM Carlos Gama for his assistance with editing and proofreading.
The Camp Roberts Reveille is dedicated to the memory of SFC Eddie Colis, who served as the First Sergeant of the 213th Military
History Detachment (Deployable). He was called to his final formation on January 29, 2015 after over 20 years of service. He was
the very first NCO to hold the position in the newly created unit and his dedication continues to inspire today. HOOAH!
This issue and past issues can also be found online at: https://www.scribd.com/document/365210391/Camp-Roberts-Reveille-Fall-
2017-Edition For best viewing, download the document from the website to your computer.
EMAIL ADDRESS. To receive this newsletter by email, send an email to CampRobertsReveille@hotmail.com with subscribe in
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your email account. If you need to update the email address your subscription is sent to, please let us know at our email address,
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For any input or comments, contact CW4 Henry L. Leon at hhc20th@msn.com. All messages will be answered. Suggestions or
submissions for future article consideration are welcome. For mail correspondence: 1895 Ironwood Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93455
HENRY L. LEON
CW4 (CA), CSMR
Commanding
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any
agency of the United States Government, the State of California, the National Guard, the California State Military Reserve, the California Military
Heritage Command, the Museum Support Unit-Central California, Camp Roberts, or the Camp Roberts Historical Museum.
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