Courtesy Photo | This is a news clipping from the June 22, 1945, edition of The Real McCoy newspaper at...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy, Wis., was established in 1909. Here is a look back at some installation history from June 2025 and back.
80 Years Ago — June 1945
FROM THE JUNE 8, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: ‘Keep up fire’ more than slogan to 2nd Division veteran (By Newspaper Staff) — “Keep up the fire,” the battle cry of the 9th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division is more than a mere slogan to Staff Sgt. Orland Jones, McCoy-trained Soldier now in Sparta on furlough.
Jones was ready to go back into the front lines to “keep up the fire” after his recovery from his third injury by…bullets and shrapnel.
Jones, the husband of the former Alice Shea, chief operator at the Camp McCoy telephone exchange, was in a hospital in England recovering from wounds where bullets had passed through both arms just above the wrists when he had received orders to move.
“I thought I was again ready for more action. When they told me I was headed for home, I couldn’t believe it,” the battle weary 2nd Division veteran explained on his arrival here.
Boasts 9 Battle Stars
Jones has won the Silver Star award, the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters, nine Battle Stars on his campaign ribbons, the Distinguished Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
The first wounds received by Jones was Aug. 12 when machine gun bullets pierced is right leg. The injury was a serious wound near his hip. This was after the division had crossed the Vire River and was closing the gap as they proceeded to Tinchebray.
He was sent to England for a three-month hospitalization period after which he returned to the front lines. In the severe fighting in Belgium bulge siege Jones was hit again. This time below the left knee by shrapnel. Jones was sent to France and after a month he was back in action.
This final injury was received on the night of March 9 when he was hit through both arms just above the wrists.
“I don’t know if the same bullet went through both my hands or if I was hit by two bullets,” Jones said.
Jones said he walked for three miles after being hit to an aid station and was sent back to England for treatment.
The Silver Star was given to Jones for his leadership and heroism in the Normandy breakdown through July 26. His platoon surrounded and captured about 15 of the enemy. The attack had made as its objective, St. Jean des Baisants, and the men fought against what might have seemed as almost impregnable defenses.
Jones arrived in the states May 5 and was at Palm Springs general hospital in California before coming to Sparta. He reports back June 21. He will visit his home in Dallas, Texas, before reporting at the end of his furlough.
Jones was one of 400 men hand-picked from the infantry regiments who received the special ranger training while at Camp McCoy, and wears the skull insignia on his cap and sleeve.
FROM THE JUNE 15, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: McCoy bakery ‘one of the finest,’ inspector says (By Newspaper Staff) — Camp McCoy’s bakery received a top rating during an inspection Tuesday by John L. McKenzie, bakery production specialist for the 5th, 6th, and 7th Service Commands from the Quartermaster General’s Office.
He termed the McCoy bakery one of the finest Army bakeries he has inspected. Building and equipment were rated in excellent condition by the inspector.
Bakery products came in for their share of praise. White bread was called “good standard quality” by McKenzie and whole wheat bread “very good quality.”
Cpl. Earl Siemen is the chief baker at the post bakery.
FROM THE JUNE 29, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: McCoy-trained 1263rd at Elbe River; cited by British; engineers come through ETO battle intact (By Newspaper Staff) — V-E Day found the 1263rd Engineer Combat Battalion, activated and trained at Camp McCoy, at the very tip of the American advance — east of the Elbe, some 50 miles southeast of Hamburg.
The 1263rd moved across Germany as part of the U.S. 9th Army and amassed an enviable record as of the most efficient engineer organizations in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).
The battalion is under the command of Lt. Col. Wayne O. Hauck of 65 Fuller Drive, Madison, wis., under whom it was activated at Camp McCoy in February 1944.
More training in England
The 1263rd trained at McCoy last spring and summer leaving for the POW in October 1944. Arriving in the United Kingdom in early November, the battalion spent three months of intensive training in southwestern England, based in Yeovil, Somerset, and crossed the channel to France in February.
Assigned to the 9th Army, the battalion went into action at once, working on roads and supply lines in the vicinity of Weert and Venlo, Holland. The battalion was cited by the British 2nd Army, in whose area it was operating at the time, for efficient service rendered in the Rhineland campaign.
60 Years Ago — June 1965
FROM THE JUNE 11, 1965, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Army birthday message from Fort McCoy Garrison commander — On 14 June the United States Army will be 190 years old. In peace and war the United States Army has fostered the principles on which
our great republic was founded.
During these 190 years the U. S. Army has been the evangelist of democracy and the guardian of the peace throughout the world. Ours is a proud and noble task. We draw our strength from those
who have gone before us.
Join with me on 14 June in saluting the United States Army on its 190th birthday.
HAVILAND A. N. CONOLLY
Colonel, Infantry
Commanding
FROM THE JUNE 18, 1965, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: 32nd Infantry comes for training (By Newspaper Staff) — The main complement of Wisconsin’s 32nd Infantry Division will wind up a week of bivouac in the field Friday.
The bivouac this year stressed training at the squad and section level, and included for many of the units a series of tough, combat-like Army training tests. The first three days of the field training was under tactical conditions. The troops moved out to the field Monday after one day of loading and preparation in camp.
Their arrival Saturday in convoys from 72 Wisconsin communities was on time and without incident, according to the division Provost Marshall Lt. Col. Joseph Satimays.
Once the troops were dispersed throughout the 61,000 acres of scrub oak. country on Camp McCoy, they set up their field installations and their equipment, and decorated their tents, their
equipment and themselves with protective camouflages and became operational.
On Wednesday the field units were host to approximately 200 guests invited for the annual Wisconsin Employer and Legislators Day. The guests visited the units in the field and observed
gun emplacements, security measures, the command post, watched them operate and maneuver, and climaxed their visit by witnessing a fire power display from pistol up to the 90mm machine gun and 8-inch howitzer.
45 Years Ago — June 1980
FROM THE JUNE 3, 1980, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: It could have
happened here (By Kenneth Klein) —Ten Soldiers riding in a military truck were seriously injured here today when the driver lost control of the vehicle in a training area.
The truck overturned into a swamp, hampering the efforts of the rescue team. The men were freed within an hour and taken to the post hospital where...
This ficticious scenario was something that could easily happen here. A mock field casualty exercise occurred last Tuesday and provided realistic training for several grueling hours. Participating in the exercise were the 830th Station Hospital from Des Moines, Iowa; 901st Medical Detachment from Kirksville, Mo.; and the 477th Ambulance Company from Duluth,
Minn.
During Annual Training Season 1980, these three units are providing general medical support for National Guard and Army Reserve units training here.
The “accident,” which occurred at 1:15 p.m., saw several ambulances and their teams at the scene transporting the injured and preparing them for evacuation by helicopter to a medical facility.
The exercise began with a briefing from the medical evacuation (medevac) helicopter crew explaining how to position stretchers aboard the craft along with familiarization of other important items and safety.
The triage teams also went into action sorting the wounded. These teams were responsible
for determining the seriousness of each Soldier’s injury. Soldiers who were wounded most severely were loaded in last so that they would be removed from the helicopter first when they
arrived at the hospital.
Although the primary responsibility for determining who was wounded the most severely
lies with the field medics, it is the ambulance drivers who must read the tags and load
the casualities in the proper order.
Many of these ambulance drivers are EMT's or Emergency Medical Technicians in civilian
life and their training goes hand in hand with this role.
“Our specialty is to be able to have our personnel support any other kind of Army hospital and provide treatment for personnel as long as needed,” explained Maj. Frankie Manning, assistant chief nurse.
The hospital has brought with it a host of services including complete X-ray and pharmacy facilities. The staff includes five doctors and eight nurses in addition to the usual complement of medical personnel. Maj. Richard Warren, acting commander of the Troop Medical Clinic said, “this training season will provide us with the ability to work together.as a unit and not be split up which has happened during previous seasons.”
(Staff Sgt. Kenneth Klein is a radio broadcaster assigned to the Public Affairs Detachment, Fort Totten, N.Y.)
FROM THE JUNE 10, 1980, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: 724th Engineers test survivability (By Kenneth Klein) — The men and women of the 724th Engineer Battalion, from Superior, Wis., were engaged in more than normal engineer training last week.
According to Maj. Lloyd Vienneau, the battalion executive officer, the training this season has stressed “survivability in the battlefield.” The unit had a number of training exercises during the week to put a greater emphasis on the conbat role of the engineers. These included such measures as the use of opposing forces in field exercises to provide greater realism and the use of a new camouflage system of screening and nets that the Army has recently acquired.
The noncommissioned officers in the battalion also received special training sessions that required them to call artillery and airstrikes. The NCOs used this information to provide more effective Skill Qualification Test training for their platoons and squads.
Construction of foxholes and the proper placement of crew-served weapons were other areas where the engineers went about sharpening their combat skills. This training was put to the test during many of the field problems in which patrolling, reconnaissance, and security were stressed.
The Soldiers also did their usual tasks of constructing bridges, laying minefields and demolitions. The 85th Maneuver Training Command from Fort Sheridan, Ill., was
watching the men and women closely during these exercises.
The job of the 85th was to check on the effectiveness of the unit in the various projects that were performed. These projects included the construction of the timber trestle bridge, Bailey Bridge and the tactical raft bridges.
40 Years Ago — June 1985
FROM THE JUNE 6, 1985, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Hoff leaves McCoy once more; future plans include recreation (By Lou Ann Mittelstaedt) — A good share of the years Bob Hoff has worked at Fort McCoy have been devoted to making the installation's outdoor recreational facilities some of the finest in the military system.
After 20 years of federal service, Hoff, Morale Support Activities physical activities coordinator, will retire June 30 and begin to enjoy the outdoors on a larger scale himself.
Hoff, 62, began his career at Fort McCoy in 1968 as a warehouse worker in the Directorate of Engineering and Housing. In 1971, he was hired as outdoor recreation director, and was the first civilian worker employed by MSA.
Fort McCoy's Squaw Lake (now Pine View) Recreation Area was constructed in 1970. However, Hoff's relationship with the Squaw Lake area goes back to his boyhood.
In 1934, Hoff's family moved from Sparta to a farm located partially on what is now called Squaw Lake Recreation Area.
"When the installation was built the government condemned the land, and we had to move off,” he said. “So when I got the job here it was sort of like coming home.”
As the Squaw Lake area was being developed, nearly all of the construction materials were drawn from the warehouse where Hoff was working.
When he assumed the position of outdoor recreation director, his attachment to the facility grew even stronger. Through the years, Hoff initiated much of the paperwork for non-appropriated fund projects which eventually resulted in $1 million in improvements at Squaw Lake and at the ski hill.
“It’s possible that I had more concern for Squaw Lake than the average person since it was home to me once,” Hoff said. “I also felt a certain amount of pride in taking care of Squaw Lake since it was located on the home place.”
30 Years Ago — June 1995
FROM THE JUNE 9, 1995, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Buildings to be dedicated as Commemorative Area (By Newspaper Staff) — A dedication ceremony for Fort
McCoy’s World War II Commemorative Area will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 29 in front of Building 843.
Participating in the ceremony will be veterans and relatives of the 100th Infantry Battalion. This Hawaiian National Guard unit was stationed at then-Camp McCoy from June to December 1942. Members of the Fort McCoy community and the general public are invited to attend. After the ribbon cutting, the buildings will be open for viewing.
The World War II Commemorative area consists of five buildings in the 800-block. The area was established because Fort McCoy officials felt it was important to retain a part of Fort McCoy's heritage by preserving facilities representative of the cantonment area when it was constructed in 1942, given building demolition and ongoing facility renovation.
This project fits in well with the installation’s designation, in August 1992, as a Department of Defense World War II Commemorative Community. Commemorative communities were organized to promote the 50th anniversary of the United States involvement in World War II.
Activities will be held through Veterans Day, 1995, to honor the women and men who served
in World War II. The commemorative area buildings (839 — a dining facility, 840-842 — barracks, and 843 — a company-size administrative building) were chosen because they are structurally sound, and their appearance has not been altered significantly since they were constructed in 1942.
In addition, the selection of this area allowed for the set-aside of a block of buildings that
would not interfere with current or future missions.
The major purpose of designating these buildings as a commemorative area is to tell Fort McCoy’s unique story. A growing number of people visit and tour the installation each year
to learn about its current missions, and its proud history. Signs will be placed outside each
building type to give facts about the structure and its use.
The administrative facility, dining facility and one barracks will be set up to represent each facility's use during the World War II era. Display items include bunk beds, foot lockers, and pot belly stoves.
The other two barracks will be used for informational displays highlighting the events of World War II. To conserve energy, the buildings will not be heated, nor will they have a water supply.
There will be no established hours of operation for the commemorative area complex. Group tours of the interior displays can be arranged by contacting the Public Affairs Office.
20 Years Ago — June 2005
FROM THE JUNE 10, 2005, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Sentinella becomes new commander (By Rob Schuette) — Col. Derek J. Sentinella became Fort McCoy installation commander during a change-of-command ceremony June 3 at Parade Field No. 1.
Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, chief, Army Reserve, presided over the ceremony. J. Randall Robinson, director of the Northwest Region of the Installation Management Agency in Rock Island, Ill., under which McCoy is aligned, was a guest speaker and participated in the ceremony,
as well.
Sentinella assumed command from Col. Danny G. Nobles. Nobles received the Legion of Merit award from Helmly and the Wisconsin National Meritorious Service Medal from Maj. Gen. Albert Wilkening, the Wisconsin State Adjutant. The awards covered Nobles’ command from June 2003 to the present.
Helmly told the crowd that the U.S. military, including its civilian employees and other support personnel, is the strongest in the world, He gave a special welcome to Nobles and Sentinella’s wives.
“It should not be lost on anyone in this audience that the strength of the United States of America lies in a lot of things, but one of them is our families and in our armed forces,” Helmly said. “The strength behind each of us as members of the Army, the armed forces of the United States is in those who love, support and stand beside all of you.”
In each of the 230 years the Army has been in existence since 1775, the Army and the other services as they came into existence always have stood ready to defend the nation and carry out the will of the American people, he said.
Change is never easy, for example, a change-of-command ceremony can be unsettling and uncomfortable, he said. There’s always a tinge of sadness in saying goodbye to a revered and cherished leader such as Nobles who has led the installation with distinction for the past two years. Meanwhile, there is an eagerness anticipating the leadership of Sentinella.
“Change is a constant in life and indeed in the Army and armed forces,” he said. “Our Army, Army Reserve and National Guard and our armed forces are changing in deep and profound ways. And Fort McCoy will be a leader in front of those changes.”
10 Years Ago — June 2015
FROM THE JUNE 12, 2015, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Guardian Justice MP exercise underway at McCoy (By Scott T. Sturkol) — More than 1,400 Army Reserve military police (MP) are participating in the Guardian Justice exercise at Fort McCoy in June and July.
“This is one of the biggest 200th Military Police Command (MPC) internal exercises,” said Capt. Joshua Frye, operations officer for the exercise with the 290th MP Brigade in Nashville, Tenn.
“We are excited to be at Fort McCoy for the exercise. Last year we had a fantastic experience here, so being able to come back here and use (this installation) is great. Fort McCoy is a robust (training complex) with a lot of options, which is really something special.”
In 2014, MP units held a smaller exercise called Guardian Warrior at the installation. This year, the exercise has grown and will include a variety of training.
“We have three rotations of MPs coming through,” said Capt. Jonathan Bradley, scheduling manager for the exercise and also with the 290th MP Brigade. “The first rotation arrived June 5, and we’ll continue with the remaining rotations into July. Each rotation will conduct 15 days of training in two different tracks — combat-support and detainee operations.”
Among the Soldiers training in the exercise are MPs who will be deploying in the near future
to support overseas detainee operations. Cpl. Jasper Dampier, exercise detainee-operations
instructor with the 324th MP Battalion of Fresno, Calif., said the focus of detainee operations
training will be about getting “back to doctrine” and preparing Soldiers for deployment.
“We are bringing the training and the skills back to what the Army regulations and field manuals show for detention operations,” Dampier said. “We are not teaching theater-specific operations … we are looking more at the broad picture.”
The Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW) 2 training area on South Post will be central to the exercise’s detainee-operations training. During the past year, improvements to EPW 2 were made specifically for this exercise, said Range Officer Mike Todd of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) Range Management Branch.
“We worked with planners from the 200th (MPC) to determine the requirements necessary
to support this exercise,” Todd said. “The (new) structures in EPW 2 provide the training
platform for the 200th MPC to achieve their training objectives.”
Frye said EPW 2 is arranged perfectly for the exercise.
“A lot of resources have flowed into EPW 2,” Frye said. “Like Cpl. Dampier said, we are going back to doctrine and EPW 2 represents that for us. EPW 2 was primarily built by U.S. Army engineer construction assets, and that is a realistic thing that would happen. An MP force would follow on (after construction) and occupy an area very much like that regardless of where we would operate in the world.”
For the combat-support track of the exercise, Soldiers will beef up their skills in Army
Warrior Tasks, communications, and related MP duties. “One of the first training subjects
we hit hard is their communications training,” Bradley said. “(Squads) will be issued radios
(for tactical vehicles) which they will learn how to load and operate.”
Combat-support training also will include use of two live-fi re shoot houses on North Post,
which are part of the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility complex.
“The shoot houses are great because we can leverage a lot of (Soldiers) through for training,”
Frye said. “We also are using the urban environment training areas that are available, which also are valuable training venues.”
Frye said he believes all those who participate in the exercise will be better MPs because
of it. “The military police corps, in my opinion, is one of the most-diverse elements in the Army
Reserve,” Frye said. “They have a very broad mission set, and here we are attempting to train
them on diff erent tasks they would encounter in almost any situation, such as garrison law
enforcement, community policing, detention operations, and combat and maneuver support.”
Dampier added, “By providing them with the necessary tools now, it’s going to help better
them for the future.”
Frye said in addition to holding training or Army MPs, a German army reserve officer
and a Canadian military police platoon also are participating. “This gives the exercise an international flavor,” he said.
5 Years Ago — June 2020
FROM THE JUNE 12, 2020, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Construction of seven new military family homes continues at Fort McCoy (By Scott T. Sturkol) — Construction of seven new homes in military family housing continues to make progress with the project being 78 percent complete, said Nathan Butts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Resident Office at Fort McCoy.
Contractor Relyant Global LLC of Maryville, Tenn., began work on the $6.6 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-led project in summer 2019. Since then, the contractor has continued to steadily make progress even though everyone associated with the project has had to adjust their operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of June 5, workers were completing drywall and tile installation, doors and trim work were being completed, and painting and exterior work continued.
“Work to prepare the road for asphalt placement was also getting done,” Butts said.
The construction includes building three four-bedroom and four three-bedroom houses, Butts said.
In 2017, Fort McCoy accepted the completion of 56 new homes, which brought the total in the housing area to 113. This project will increase the housing area’s total to 120 homes when completed.
An Army Housing Market Analysis completed in 2017 determined Fort McCoy has a housing requirement of 134 units based on personnel needs for housing. A housing deficit was created when Fort McCoy discontinued a lease for 80 homes in Tomah, Wis., in 2011.
According to Housing Manager Zachery Hynes with the Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Housing Division, 22 of the current 113 homes are officer homes (nine three-bedroom and 13 four-bedroom), and 91 are enlisted homes (55 three-bedroom and 36 four-bedroom).
“All of these new units will be officer housing,” Hynes said. “We’re glad the work is being completed to get us to the 120 homes we are authorized. It will help minimize our lengthy waiting list.”
The DPW Housing Division will be in charge of the new units once complete.
The division consist of three branches, including the Army Family Housing Office (on-post housing), Housing Services Office (off-post housing), and Unaccompanied Personnel Housing (single Soldier barracks for E-1 to E-5 ranks).
Hynes said they are always available for their customers.
“Being here in the South Post Housing area, close to our customers, and serving as a hub for them is extremely important for our ability to provide great service,” Hynes said.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.”
Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.
The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2025 00:03 |
| Story ID: | 499966 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
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