Camp Young was the headquarters for General Patton's
3rd Armored Division. Camp Young was the 3rd Armored Division main maneuvers area in training for tank warfare. Camp Young was active during the war and closed in 1944. War Department ordered Patton in March 1942 to create a desert training center in California. The goal was to prepare troops to battle
North Africa to fight the Afrikakorps and Italian forces. The 3rd Armored Division,
IV Corps Command Headquarters, and an Engineer Camouflage Battalion were stationed at Camp Young. Troops trained at Camp Young and its sub camps before overseas deployment. Camp Young, , was acquired from the
Department of the Interior. South and West of Camp Young 13 ranges were built for
mortar (37mm, 75mm, and 155mm) and small
caliber firearm. Camp Young received air support from the
Shavers Army Airfield built in April 1943. The
United States Army Air Forces Fourth Air Force used the landing strip as a training base during World War 2. The airstrip was used to support the Camp Young reconnaissance activities, and aircraft were used to coordinate tanks and other armored vehicles from the air. Each sub-camp had an air support Airfield. After the war, the airfield was given to the local government for civilian use. It is still in use today as the
Chiriaco Summit Airport (L77)). It is located one mile (1.85 km) northeast of the business district of
Chiriaco Summit. Camp Young was the headquarters and managed sub camps:
California Divisional Camps: •
Camp Coxcomb •
Camp Granite •
Camp Essex and
Camp Clipper •
Camp Iron Mountain •
Camp Ibis •
Camp Pilot Knob • Camp Young
California Depots – hospitals: •
Camp Freda – Depot and hospital •
Camp Desert Center Depot and hospital •
Banning General Hospital – Hospital •
Torney General Hospital – Hospital •
Camp Goffs – Depot and hospital •
San Bernardino Engineer Depot – Depot and hospital •
Needles Station Hospital •
Cherry Valley Hospital Arizona Divisional Camps: •
Camp Bouse (WW2 secret camp) •
Camp Horn •
Camp Hyder •
Camp Laguna and the
Yuma Test Branch – both became the
Yuma Proving Ground • A few bombing and artillery ranges
Major airfields: •
Blythe Army Air Base – in use as Airport •
Desert Center Army Airfield – in use as Airport •
Thermal Army Airfield – in use as Airport •
Rice Army Airfield – abandoned • Shavers Summit Army Airfield in use as
Chiriaco Summit Airport Minor airfields: •
Camp Coxcomb Army Field – abandoned •
Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field – abandoned •
Camp Essex Army Field – abandoned •
Camp Goffs Army Field – abandoned •
Camp Horn Army Airfield – abandoned •
Camp Ibis Army Field – abandoned •
Camp Iron Mountain Army Field – in use as Iron Mountain Pumping Plant Airport (72CL) •
Laguna Army Airfield – in use at Yuma Proving Ground ==California Historical Landmark==