28 October, 1943

No letter today.    Just this:

* TIDBIT *

about Camp Edwards, Cape Cod

At Camp Edwards, the military erected 1,400 buildings including a 1,700-bed hospital and at its peak accommodated 70,000 soldiers awaiting transfer to Europe.

According to James C. O'Connell in Becoming Cape Cod: Creating a Seaside Resort:

“The shores of Cape Cod were in the war zone, vulnerable to bombardment by German U-boats, especially during 1942 and 1943. Several American cargo ships were attacked and sunk virtually within sight of the Cape.” Also on Cape Cod was “a Navy base a Woods Hold, anti-aircraft training center at Scorton Neck Beach in Sandwich, training facilities at Camp Wellfleet, and amphibious commando training units at Camp Can-Do-It in Cotuit and Waquoit. The Hyannis Airport was used to train Naval Air Corps cadets and became an Army Air Corps antisubmarine base. The General James E. Longstreet served as a target ship in Cape Cod Bay.”

Here are some photos:

Aerial Photo of Camp Edwards from the late 1930's


Rapidly constructed barracks and supporting buildings, 1941


A Typical Company Barracks


A Typical Company Mess Hall

These pictures came from "182nd Infantry Home Front" page, maintained by Dave Colamaria, grandson of Company G’s Edward Monahan. It is not formally affiliated with the 182nd Infantry, the Massachusetts National Guard, or the United States Army.