Courtesy Photo | This is a news clip from the Jan. 4, 1946, edition of The Real McCoy newspaper at Fort...... 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 December 2025 and back.
80 Years Ago — January 1946 FROM THE JAN. 4, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Tanker saved wounded colonel’s life — Kenoshan wins Silver Star Medal (By Newspaper Staff) — For giving first aid to the colonel of his battalion under heavy mortar and artillery fire and dragging the wounded officer to safety, Pfc. Adam Bowman, Kenosha, Wis., who was discharged here Sunday, received the Silver Star Medal.
In action with the 716th Tank Battalion in Luzon, P.I. Bowman was fighting from his disabled tank when his colonel was wounded. Acting without hesitation, Bowman gave the officer first aid and carried him to cover.
In 18 months overseas, Bowman served on at Luzon, on Manila, Hollandia, Panay, and Mindanao. He trained at Camp Chaffee, Ark., and Camp Howell, Texas, before going overseas.
Commenting on the speed with which he was processed through the McCoy Separation Center, Bowman said. “This is the best camp I’ve been in. I was fed well and treated well.”
He intends to return to his former occupation as a bartender in Kenosha.
FROM THE JAN. 4, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Record sale seen here Jan. 5-12 by Malenky (By Newspaper Staff) — A surplus property sale of new and used plumbing, hardware, electrical, automotive parts, construction and miscellaneous material will be open to the general public in addition to military and civilian personnel assigned to Camp McCoy from 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5 through 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, Brig. Gen. John K. Rice, commanding general, announced.
Anyone interested in purchasing from the large quantity of serviceable property may inspect the material at salvage warehouse, Bldg. 2133. Purchase will be on a cash and carry basis through Capt. Louis Malenky, salvage and redistribution officer.
FROM THE JAN. 11, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: McCoy Transport Group speeds thousands of GIs to destinations daily (By Newspaper Staff) — One of the finest post transportation systems in the Army is found at Camp McCoy where thousands of men are speeded to their destinations daily under the capable supervision of Capt. James D. Littlewood, transportation officer, and his crew of 500 workers, including military and civilian personnel.
Working on a 24-hour schedule, seven days per week, efficient service is given through the coordination of the Motor Pool and Convoy section, under the direction of Lt. A. Brown; the freight office manned by Lt. Elmer Ambrose; baggage department supervised by Lt. O.M. McCombs; and passenger branch service, directed by Lt. C.P. Wells.
In connection, service is given to destination and camp locations by means of commercial vehicles and intracamp busses. By consolidating the two separation units for the final phase of Army life, the veterans, here for separation, meet in the area near the transportation ticket office for clothing issue, and visits to the finance office, theater no. 5 for the final separation ceremonies, and to the ticket office for transportation to the depot.
Acting as a liaison between the separatees and the railroads, the transportation office is able to arrange speedy service for arrivals on the 15 trains that pass through Camp McCoy daily. These include eight eastbound trains and seven going west to the principal gateways, including Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minn., Milwaukee, Wis.; and Chicago, Ill.
The bus system, including the semi-shuttling buses that run all day to and from the railroad ticket office, handles an average of 6,000 or 7,000 separatees weekly who are leaving for their homes or other destinations. The incoming group of men, from July through December, is estimated as over 200,000.
The intracamp bus system, handling an average of 68,000 passengers weekly, has a four-bus system that makes three runs per hour, leaving the depot on J Street near 11th Street on the hour, 20 minutes after the hour, and 20 minutes before the hour.
FROM THE JAN. 18, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Legion of Merit awarded former Camp McCoy CO (By Newspaper Staff) — Col. George M. MacMullin, former Camp McCoy commanding officer, has been awarded the Legion of Merit it was learned here this week.
Col. MacMullin, who is now in the Phillipines, guided Camp McCoy through its war years to national fame as a training center. He assumed command here June 17, 1942, and was commander until June 15, 1945. While awaiting his present assignment he served as deputy commander until fall.
Col. MacMullin’s citation follows:
“By direction of the president under the provision of the act of Congress approved 20 July 1942 (Sec. 3 War Department Bulletin 40, 1942) and Executive Order 9260, 29 Oct. 1942 (Sec. 1 War Department Bulletin 54, 1942) and pursuant to authority delegated to the commanding general Army Service Forces in War Department memorandum 19 Sept. 1945, the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct and performance of outstanding services during the periods indicated was awarded by Headquarters Army Service Forces to the following officer — Col. George M. MacMullin — June 1942 – June 1945.”
FROM THE JAN. 25, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Release Siegried Line vet earns Silver Star Award (By Newspaper Staff) — A veteran of the initial attack on the Sigfried Line, Sgt. Norbert Guindon, 20, Escanaba, Mich., who earned the Silver Star Medal for his heroism in that advance, was released from Army here Thursday.
Guindon, who was a forward observer with the 862nd Field Artillery Battalion attached toi the 254th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division, was decorated with the Silver Star for his part in the March 15, 1945, assault on the Sigfried Line. Under heavy fire, after his unit had been cut off from the rear by Nazi troops, he directed artillery fire, carried an observer’s radio and served as a rifleman in the surge back through the German lines.
In exposed positions at all times, he also helped lay down a covering fire for a platoon cut off from their adjacent company. Guindon earned battle stars for participation in the Rhineland and Central Europe offensives. He served in France and Germany in the 13 months he was overseas.
40 Years Ago — January 1986 FROM THE JAN. 9, 1986, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Post Soldier honored by 4th Army (By Lou Ann Mittelstaedt) — Sgt. 1st Class John Gissel, Readiness Group Fort McCoy, recently received the last of an impressive list of awards recognizing him as the Forces Command (FORSCOM) 4th Army Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
Gissel accepted a complete Army dress blue uniform from Sheril Castillo, manager of the Fort McCoy Military Clothing Sales Store, on Thursday, Dec. 12. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) contributed to the recognition of selected outstanding enlisted servicemembers nationwide by giving them an Army green uniform or its equivalent.
Gissel opted to apply credit for that uniform toward the dress blues.
“With a lot of pushing and drive from the personnel at the Clothing Sales Store, the uniform got here in time for me to wear it to the Readiness Group Christrmas party,” Gissel said.
In addition to the uniform, Gissel received a one-week trip for two to Hawaii, a Meritorious Service Medal from 4th Army and a certificate of recognition.
Competition for the award was held in Des Moines, Iowa, last February. Gissel, along with 21 other soldiers from a seven-state area, went before a board to answer questions “about anything and everything.” After the points were tallied, the board narrowed the field to four participants — Gissel among them.
Another board for the four Soldiers remaining in the competition was held the following day. According to Gissel, the second board was much more difficult than the first.
“I was nervous to say the least,” he said. “But I think when you go before a board you have to put yourself as the underdog. That gives you the motivational drive to make it through.”
And Gissel did more than just make it through. When the points for the second board were totaled, Gissel was the winner.
“I was shocked — the three other guys were really good,” he said. “There were some very sharp Soldiers at the boards — the best the Army has to offer.”
FROM THE JAN. 23, 1986, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Getting troops from here to there (By Lou Ann Mittelstaedt) — Fort McCoy recently served as the deployment site for Wisconsin Army National Guard members who participated in REFORGER 1986.
Nearly 4,600 troops reported from their home stations to Fort McCoy for final processing before departing for Germany. The preparations at Fort McCoy during the REFORGER exercise were the same as those that would be used in the event of a war. Troops would process through the stations run by Wisconsin’s State Area Command at Fort McCoy, just as they had for this exercise.
When commercial buses delivered the troops to Fort McCoy, the first stop for the Soldiers was the Recreation Center, building 2000, where they got a break from the ride and had refreshments. Next, they attended an initial briefing which outlined the events that would be taking place on the installation.
The troops were then assigned barracks for their short stay on post and given free time to take care of last-minute details. Then next came POM processing.
POM stands for Preparation for Overseas Movement. POM processing is an administrative review of a Soldier’s records and personal preparation for overseas deployment. ID cards, ID tags, medical warning tags, NATO orders and individual orders were all checked as part of the processing.
Each troop participating in the exercise was issued a pre-packaged meal to eat on the aircraft and an $80 check for spending money while in Germany. A check cashing facility was available for the Soldiers to cash their checks.
Troops then packed their personal duffle bags, which were then palletized for transport to Germany. If the troops had free time remaining before their departure to Volk Field, they returned to their barracks to rest up for the trip to Germany.
After their arrival at Volk Field, troops underwent a final inspection by Customs officials and awaited loading onto either commercial or military aircraft. Then, it’s Germany here we come!
30 Years Ago — January 1996 FROM THE JAN. 19, 1996, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: DPCA director honored as ‘MWR Person of Year’ (By Newspaper Staff) — One of the best Christmas presents the Fort McCoy Directorate of Personnel, Community and Activities (DCPA) director received was not under his tree but hidden within a stack of office mail that had accumulated when he was on vacation during the holidays.
Rick Combs, post DPCA director, said when he reviewed the December 1995 issue of “Military Club and Hospitality,” he looked at the table of contents and flipped to the last page to learn who was the “MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) Person of the Year.”
“I was totally stunned when I saw it was me,” Combs said. “It was really a big surprise, like somebody who found out they had just won the lottery.”
The magazine goes to worldwide MWR organizations of all the armed services — Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force — so the Fort McCoy story will be known worldwide as a result of the article, Combs said.
Mike Lupacchino, the DPCA Community Recreation Division chief, and Sharon Moser, the DPCA Community Operations Division chief, said they saw an announcement of the contest in a prior issue of the magazine, which is published eight times yearly. So, they decided to nominate Combs, who assumed his current position in February 1993.
“Since Rick has come here, there has been a dramatic change at DPCA,” Lupacchino said. “He has a thorough knowledge and expertise of DPCA issues because he started at the bottom as a recreation aide/lifeguard (at Fort Stewart, Ga.) and worked his way to the top position here. He was able to present the DPCA needs to the rest of the installation's management as an equal player.”
Among Comb's accomplishments in DPCA, according to the magazine, were:
* showing a net income in the MWR fund before depreciation of $25,000 in fiscal year 1994. This followed a $46,000 loss in FY 1993.
* authorizing the procurement of nonappropriated-fund Capital Purchase Minor Construction equipment in all areas to help replace old, outdated equipment, allowing front-line employees to perform their job properly with the right equipment to better serve MWR customers.
* gaining the proper appropriated funding for MWR operations that was lacking in past years.
* adopting and implementing the installation's philosophy on Total Quality Management (Total Army Quality) throughout the organization, empowering everyone down to the front-line employee.
Lupacchino said Combs also has expedited funding for two construction projects to help improve the quality of life for Fort McCoy customers.
One project is the Community Activities Center/Bowling Alley that is scheduled to be completed in August. The other was the MWR Car Wash, which opened in December.
“Rick is a true leader and mentor who supports and empowers his staff,” Lupacchino said. “He has a true passion for his job, and the customers he serves. His intentions and work are not for personal gain, but for every customer who enters one of the DPCA facilities, programs or activities. His attitude and work ethic is contagious to all, and a model to follow.”
20 Years Ago — January 2006 FROM THE JAN. 13, 2006, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Former coal yard to close, landfill to be capped (By Rob Schuette) — A project at Fort McCoy to move the former coal yard closer to closure in accordance with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requirements includes using excavated coal residual as part of the grading layer for the installation’s demolition landfill site. This joint project will help protect the environment and save several hundred thousand dollars, said Al Balliett and Tim Gelhaus.
Balliett, chief of the installation’s Plans Division, Environmental Branch for the Directorate of Support Services (DSS), and Gelhaus, the environmental manager for VT Griffin, the contractor for DSS, said the project began as a closure project for the former coal yard.
The coal yard has not been used actively since the mid-1990s when Fort McCoy transitioned from using coal to natural gas and liquid propane for heating, Balliett said.
“We had separate projects planned to close the former coal yard and to cap the demolition landfill,” Balliett said. “When the Wisconsin DNR wanted us to approached them to combine the two projects.”
The soil and coal residual contained trace contaminants so it would have had to be disposed of in a certified landfill, Balliett said, which would have carried a high cost. The combined project is estimated to save the installation an estimated $200,000.
The excavated soil will be used as grading layer fill in the capping process of the demolition landfill, he said. It would not pose any danger as it will be encapsulated beneath a geo-textile membrane impregnated with bentonite clay. The soil will help create a slope gradient of approximately 6 percent to allow the water to run off from the site. The clay will become nearly impermeable to water after it becomes wet and greatly reduce water infiltration down into the material underneath it, he said.
Backfill material for the excavated areas within the former coal yard has been provided by the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security and the Biological and Cultural Resource Team dredging project at Swamp Creek. Approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sand will be used between the former coal yard and the demolition landfill, yielding an approximate cost savings of $50,000 by not using sand from an off-post location.
“We’ve been using the demolition landfill less and less over the years so now is a good time to close it,” Balliett said.
Gelhaus said the demolition landfill is the last landfill still in use at the installation, and its continued use could present potential liability problems to the installation.
By closing the landfill site, which is expected to be completed in the spring time frame, Gelhaus said the installation will avoid any potential future liability, specifically groundwater contamination.
The wood waste in the landfill has been pushed up into a much smaller area to meet the slope gradient requirements, Gelhaus said. Any of the future wood waste material generated will be dispensed in roll-off dumpsters for proper disposal or recycled for reuse, such as pallets, he said.
“This project is a win-win for the installation,” he said. “It will help protect the environment and provide opportunities to improve the rail-loading capabilities.”
10 Years Ago — January 2016 FROM THE JAN. 8, 2016, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: New Strykers at MATES support CBRN units (By Scott T. Sturkol) — Personnel with the Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (MATES) at Fort McCoy are completing the equipment-fielding process for four Stryker M1135 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles (NBCRVs) that arrived at MATES in late November.
The Strykers are being fi elded for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) units in the Wisconsin National Guard.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Roy Bissen of the MATES Fielding Office said the Strykers are a welcome addition the MATES inventory.
“It’s a huge asset for the CBRN units,” Bissen said. “We always have a (CBRN) unit on alert. Getting these is good for the state and the country as a whole, especially with anti-terrorism efforts.”
MATES Soldiers have been coordinating the fielding of the NBCRVs with a General Dynamics fielding team. The General Dynamics team delivered the vehicles to Fort McCoy from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and led mechanical training on the vehicles in December.
According to Army documentation, the NBCRV’s suite of nuclear, biological, and chemical sensors enable it to test for a wide range of contaminants. One feature is a set of two small rubber wheels on robotic arms that roll along the ground behind the vehicle. The arms automatically lift off the ground to transfer any dust that might have accumulated to an external sensor, which determines if there are any contaminants.
“The NBCRVs will allow the CBRN units to do more intensive training, too,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mark Nohr with the MATES Fielding Office. “Th e vehicles provide a more mobile capability for those units that was not previously available.”
Sgt. 1st Class Jamee Buchen, motor pool sergeant for the 457th Chemical Company of Burlington, Wis., trained with six other 457th Soldiers on Stryker maintenance at the MATES facility in December.
Buchen said each vehicle requires 40 hours of scheduled maintenance monthly, so getting the training straight from the contractor has been benefi cial. “This is extremely important to have this training — we have to be able to maintain these vehicles effectively so they are always ready for use,” he said.
Sgt. Matthew Bothe, a mechanic with the 457th, said he gained valuable insight on much of the NBCRV’s special equipment.
“(For example) I learned about all the sensor suites and how they work and their functions and capabilities,” Bothe said.
“This vehicle has a lot more complexity in maintenance operations, but the training has certainly helped.”
5 Years Ago — January 2021 FROM THE JAN. 8, 2021, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Students fight chill factor for CWOC cold-water immersion training at Fort McCoy (By Scott T. Sturkol) — During the first class of the 2020-21 training season for the Cold-Weather Operations Course at Fort McCoy, 19 students participated in cold-water immersion training Dec. 15 at Big Sandy Lake on Fort McCoy’s South Post.
Though there was a thin layer of ice, students weren’t able to complete the training through a hole in the ice, but rather by wading icy waters and then submerging and coming back up under the careful watch of course instructors.
Surface temperatures during the two hours of training were between 15 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Practically every student had a slightly shocking reaction when entering the ice-cold water.
“Cold-water immersion, just like the course itself, tests the students both mentally and physically,” said CWOC instructor Hunter Heard, who coordinates training with fellow instructors Manny Ortiz, Brian Semann, and Joe Ernst. All are with contractor Veterans Range Solutions, which works with Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security to complete the training.
Heard said the training is just a small part of the overall curriculum for CWOC. Normally for the cold-water immersion, a large hole is cut in the ice at the lake by CWOC staff, then a safe and planned regimen is followed to allow each participant to jump into the icy water. Emergency response personnel are always nearby in case they’re needed when the training takes place. For this class the staff cleared a pathway to safely walk in and out of the lake.
Heard said students get fully immersed while doing the training. Once they are in the water, they will stay in anywhere from one to three minutes but never longer than three minutes.
Ernst said cold-water immersion is critical to the ability to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment.
“The experience of someone being introduced to water in an extreme-cold environment is a crucial task for waterborne operations and confidence building,” Ernst said. “For a person to fall into water in that environment, the onset of panic generally introduces itself quickly. For our service members who will be operating in an extreme-cold environment, it is a task that, if not trained for, can produce unnecessary casualties.”
The human body’s reaction to falling through ice and into frigid water starts with the mind, Ernst said.
“The shock to the system generally results in an immediate response of a heightened rate of breathing,” Ernst said. “Visual limitations like tunnel vision, and confusion and muscle tension are common reactions. The ability of a person to regain control and composure after getting in this situation is possible.”
During CWOC, Ernst said the experience and guidance of the course’s cadre are critical to direct students to a slower rate of breathing and to advise students on regaining physical and mental control.
“Assessing the environment and situation can only serve as a life-saving technique,” Ernst said.
Also, for the second season, students learn in a special cold-water immersion training scenario before every student completes their immersion, Heard said. The scenario includes having one of the squad members go through a cold-water immersion event in the lake and then their squad, as a team, has to take what they learned during the course to help the affected squad member warm up and recover.
This includes having the squad member take off most clothing and then climb into a sled lined with dry blankets. At the same time, other squad members erect an Arctic cold-weather tent with a heater where the squad member then warms up and recovers to prevent injury.
Ernst said the most important aspect of training is the techniques of extraction and recovery from the cold water.
“Quickly building a fire, should a heated structure or vehicle not be available, is one skill set we teach,” Ernst said. “We also teach the medical training that covers the effects of cold-water immersion and the timelines of recovery to prevent further injury.”
In addition to cold-water immersion, CWOC students are trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training and how to use ahkio sleds and other gear. Training also focuses on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, cold-weather clothing, developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, and numerous other areas that are important to know in order to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment.
FROM THE JAN. 8, 2021, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: ‘Remagen’ battalion holds unit training building cold-weather awareness, skills at Fort McCoy (By Scott T. Sturkol) — More than 50 Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 310th (1-310) Brigade Engineer Battalion held a foundational training day Dec. 9 at Fort McCoy focusing on cold-weather safety and skills and more.
The 1-310 “Remagens”, a sub-unit of the 181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade (MFTB) at Fort McCoy, holds a foundation day every month, said Staff Sgt. James Dean, 1-310 battalion operations noncommissioned officer.
“For this training day, we focused on equal opportunity, the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program, diversity, and inclusion,” Dean said. “We also focused on cold-weather training and equipment familiarization.”
Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Bob Mctighe said foundational training days for his unit foster a “people first” environment built on trust and inclusion.
“Our foundational training days routinely include challenging physical training, counseling, team building events, and scenario-based, small-group discussions on current events pertaining to sexual assault, sexual harassment, racism, extremism, diversity, and equal opportunity.”
The December training was completed in round-robin format where Soldiers went to different stations to complete and learn tasks.
Subjects covered in the training included learning about the Army Extended Cold Weather Clothing System, cold-weather injury prevention and treatment, cold-weather risk management, planning considerations for over snow movement, snowshoeing, Arctic 10-person tent and stove drill, cold regions patrol base considerations, cold-weather vehicle maintenance and Humvee tire chain installation, weapons maintenance in cold weather, and individual camouflage in a snow-covered environment.
The day of training also included a ruck march where each Soldier stopped at stations and responded to equal opportunity/SHARP training scenarios.
“It was a full day of raising awareness on important SHARP and equal opportunity ideals as well as an excellent chance for our battalion Soldiers to further their skills for cold-weather operations,” Dean said
As a training unit with many experienced Soldiers who serve as observer-coach/trainers, Dean said they have to maintain high readiness within the unit to be at their best.
“These foundation days allow us to have everyone well trained with Warrior tasks and other skills,” Dean said. “And for every month’s foundation day we bring in different subjects and exercises to build those skills.”
As part of the 181st MFTB, 1-310 Soldiers and staff partner with Army Reserve and National Guard units to advise, assist, and train Army personnel throughout their complete Sustainable Readiness Model cycle to achieve collective training readiness in support of worldwide requirements, the 181 mission statement shows.
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: | 01.16.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.16.2026 13:50 |
| Story ID: | 556335 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
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