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Fort McCoy, Wis., was established in 1909. Here is a look back at some installation history from August 2019 and back.
60 Years Ago — Aug. 20, 1959
Refresher training for 25 Army Reserve aviators of the 103rd Infantry Division wound up a busy summer of activities at the Camp McCoy air strip.
When the 103rd completed its annual active duty training, the Post Flight Detachment, under the command of Capt. Wayne I. Triggs, provided training for more than 60 Army Reserve and Army National Guard pilots on about 2,000 training missions.
A pilot staff of six officers and four warrant officers provided civilian component aviators with training in tactical flying, artillery observation, message pickups and drops, simulated strafing and bombing, and aerial reconnaissance. Sixteen pilots also received helicopter training.
50 Years Ago — Aug. 15, 1969
It’s almost over except for the shouting. But, there was plenty of that going on at Camp McCoy as the post entersed the final three weeks of summer training with the largest influx of trainees of the year.
Almost 13,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists were the post for two weeks of intensive training. Four major activities accounted for the bulk of the troops arriving this past weekend. The 12th Special Forces, Reserve “Green Berets,” headquartered in Oak Park, Ill.; the 300th Military Police Cormmand (Prisoner-of-War), from Livonia, Mich.; the 103rd Support Brigade, from. Des Moines, Iowa; and the 89th Infantry Division (Training) from Wichita, Kan., all had special exercises and projects.
In addition to these units, the post also had its normal complement of individual units, such as the 307th Civil Affairs Group and the 311th Aviation Company, both from St. Louis, Mo., which trained separately on post.
40 Years Ago — Aug. 16, 1979
Working in eight hour shifts, the responsibility of checking Fort McCoy’s 11 lakes and protecting the area and its wildlife rested squarely on the shoulders of a few individuals.
In 1979, there were over 3,000 deer and a countless number of fish and small game on Fort McCoy. All this wild game needed some sort of protection and they got it from the post game wardens. In a newspaper article, it said they are not the “bad” guys as some people might imagine. They check to ensure people who are fishing and hunting had licenses in their possession.
Four permanent party members and four others on temporary duty assignment made up the section. During the winter, there was 15 to 20 deputy wardens to assist the four permanent party wardens, according to Staff Sgt. Ronald Curtis, section leader for the game wardens.
30 Years Ago — Aug. 15, 1989
Fort McCoy had safely landed another “first.” This “first” was an 11-day air assault course conducted by the Light Fighter Academy. The course finished August 15. In fact, it was a “first” and a “second” as a second course had started later in August 1989.
Sgt, 1st Class Jonathan George, senior instructor and noncommissioned officer in charge of the Light Fighter Academy, said the post was fortunate to acquire the school because there are only 11 in the entire Army. Fort McCoy had the only one for the Army Reserve.
20 Years Ago — Aug. 13, 1999
More than 1,500 Army Reserve Soldiers from around the U.S. traveled to Fort McCoy to join in an Enemy-Prisoner-of-War and Displaced-Persons Operations Exercise as part of Silver Sword ‘99, hosted by the 300th Military Police Command from Inkster, Mich.
The training ran from July 31 through Aug. 13, with the tactical portion beginning the morning of Aug. 3, 1999.
Approximately 500 soldiers were conducting similar training in the Silver Sword Exercise held simultaneously at Fort Dix, N.J. Soldiers spent the first few days preparing to deploy to the field and training on common tasks and confidence-building skills. Some of the training included range qualification, rappelling, conditioning course, confidence course, land navigation, and a host of important training events.
The 300th Military Police Command and assigned subordinate units had the overall mission of establishing and operating an internment facility for enemy prisoners of war or civilian internees and resettlement facilities for displaced persons/refugees.
The exercise included the use of role players acting as prisoners and movement by a variety of transport means, including bus, truck, and rail.
10 Years Ago — Aug. 14, 2009
The new Child Development Center, building 1796 at Fort McCoy, moved steadily toward a projected Sept. 1 opening date.
The new facility will accommodates youth from 6 weeks to five years old. Jan Fink, then-Fort McCoy Child, Youth and School Services (CYSS) coordinator, said new playground equipment was in place, and CYSS staff members were completing preparations, such as setting up the classroom environments and sanitizing all of the new toys.
Some landscaping work also continued. “Staff members and the families are looking forward to moving into the new building,” Fink said. “It offers modern areas for age specific activities and up-to-date areas for the kitchen area and other amenities,” such as an activity room that will be especially appreciated on rainy days and during the long winter when it can get too cold to be outside for very long.
The $4.8 million, 13,000-square-foot facility was funded with appropriated funds authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act through a Department of Defense contract. Murillo Modular group of Carrollton, Texas, constructed the building, which was built in modular sections.
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2019 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 335081 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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