Francis Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wy.

I have been writing about Civil War Medal of Honor recipient Francis E. Warren in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog and also today in my Cooter's History Thing blog and will continue in this one.  he was a real big man in the history of the state of Wyoming.

From 1867 to 1927 the base was called Fort Russell.  In 1930. President Hoover issued a proclamation changing the name to Fort Francis E. Warren.  Well-known persons stationed here include General Billy Mitchell (the Father of the Air Force), General Mark Clark and General Benjamin  O. Davis, Sr (the first black general).

During World War II, Fort Warren was the training center for up to 20,000 of the Quartermaster Corps.  More than 280 buildings were constructed without insulation and interior walls to temporarily house the increased number of troops.

In the harsh Wyoming winter, waking up often meant  shaking snow from one's blanket, heading for the just-as-cold communal showers.  A prisoner of war camp was also constructed at the time.

--GreGen