Texas in the Great War

When World War I, began 16 divisional training tent camps for the National Guard and 16 wooden buildings for training the servicemen were needed. South Texas climate was mild; good for training of military camps were Camp Wilson 9 5 miles NE of San Antonio near the NE boundary of Fort Sam Houston. May, 1916 camp Wilson could handle training a division. Then The Texas National Guard was mobilized during the Mexican border crisis. This was renamed in 1917 to Camp Travis, in honor of William B. Travis. The training camp was ready to begin Aug 25, 1917. Land was acquired for other buildings.. At this time Camp Travis was composed of 18,290 acres (5730 acres were located on the main campsite adjoining Fort Sam Houston). >^[1]

The 90th Division was organized at Camp Travis in September and October of 1917 with Maj. Gen. Henry T. Allen was division and camp commander. Junior officers were Texas and Oklahoma graduates from the officer-training camp at Camp Funston. Enlisted men were draftees from Texas and Oklahoma. Both Hispanics, Indians were trained with Caucasians in the division. However African Americans were in the camp depot brigade. Mid October, 1917 the 90th Division held 31,000 officers and men. After illness, transfers and equipment shortages interferred with the training by the time the division left for Europe in June, 1918, it was considerably high in recent draftees from other states as well. General Allen was absent in the fall and winter, 1917-18, so the division/camp was commanded by Brig Gen Joseph A Gaston and Brig Gen William H Johnston.^[2]

1918 summer, Camp Travis was both a induction and replacement center. It had an average strength of 34,000 white and African American troops. By August and September the 18th Division formed from units at the post commanded by Brig. Gen. George Estes. When the war ended Nov 11, this 18th Division was still training. After this Camp Travis was named the demobilization center, Dec 3. 62,500 troops were discharged from Camp Travis in about 8 months. It was made a recruiting station in 1919. ^[3]

90th Infantry Division, United States Army|90th U.S. Infantry Division]] mainly composed of draftees and volunteers from Texas and Oklahoma. In the early summer of 1918, the 90th U.S. Infantry Division left for the front in France. On 22 Aug 1918 the 18th U.S. Infantry Division under the command of Brigadier General George H. Estes was formed at Camp Travis. The 18th Division was in training when the war ended on 11 Nov 1918. ^[4]

After the war ended Camp Travis became a demobilization center and discharged some 62,500 troops over a period of 8 months. The Camp became a part of Fort Sam Houston in 1922.

Camp MacArthur

Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur

Camp MacArthur was a World War I National Guard Mobilization Camp first established in 1917 near Waco, McLennan County, Texas. Named Camp MacArthur on 18 Jul 1917, after Lt. General Arthur MacArthur, who dedicated the site.

Major General James Parker

The first commander of the Camp was Major General James Parker who formed the 32nd U.S. Infantry Division and organized the training of the troops. The first elements of the 32nd arrived at Camp MacArthur in August 1917 and departed for France in January 1918. The 32nd distinguished itself in France earning the name "Les Terribles" for their successful, tenacious attacks on enemy positions. The division suffered 13,261 casualties with 2,250 killed, more than 800 officers and enlisted men were decorated by foreign governments. The 32nd came home and was inactivated on 5 Apr 1919.

At the end of the war Camp MacArthur became a demobilization center until it was abandoned on 15 May 1919.

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Camp Bowie

James "Jim" R. Bowie

Camp Bowie was a U.S. Army World War I National Guard Mobilization and Training Camp first established in 1917 in the Arlington Heights of Fort Worth area 3 miles from downtown Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Named Camp Bowie in G.O. 95, 18 Jul 1917, after James Bowie, Texas patriot.

Brigadier General Edwin St. John Greble

The first commander of the camp was Major General Edwin St. John Greble who formed the 36th U.S. Infantry Division and established the training program. The 36th officially formed on 24 Aug 1917, trained at Camp Bowie and then departed on 4 Jul 1918 for Camp Mills, an embarkation camp. They departed the Hoboken Port of Embarkation for France on 8 Jul 1918. The division distinguished itself in combat against the Germans in France sustaining casualties that included 591 killed and 2,119 wounded. The 36th returned to the U.S. and was demobilized in June 1919 at Camp Bowie.

At the end of the war the Camp Bowie was designated a demobilization center until it was abandoned 15 Aug 1919. There is another Camp Bowie in Brownwood, Texas.

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Camp Logan

General John Alexander Logan

Camp Logan was a U.S. Army World War I National Guard Mobilization and Training Camp first established in 1917 near Houston, Harris County, Texas. Named Camp Logan in 18 Jul 1917, after Major General John A. Logan,U.S. Civil War General and politician.

The first commander of the camp was Major General James Parker (see image above) who formed the 33rd U.S. Infantry Division and started the training of the troops. The 33rd was officially organized 27 Aug 1917 and departed for France in April-May 1918. The 33rd distinguished itself in combat during the war and suffered 8,401 casualties including 798 killed. The 33rd returned to the U.S. in May 1919 and was demobilized 6 Jun 1919 at Camp Grant, Illinois.

At the end of the war Camp Logan became a demobilization center until it was abandoned in 1919. The land was returned to the owners, later acquired by the city and later became Memorial Park.

Houston Riot of 1917

Largest Murder Trial in the History of the United States

On 23 Aug 1917, 156 black soldiers from Camp Logan, armed with stolen weapons marched on Houston to free black soldiers that had been unjustly jailed by local authorities. The soldiers were met by citizens and local authorities and a riot ensued, killing 20 people. The black soldiers returned to camp and were arrested and eventually tried for their participation in the riot. Of the 156 participants 19 black soldiers were hanged and 63 received life sentences.

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Leon Springs Military Reservation

Leon Springs Military Reservation is a U.S. Army military reservation established in 1907-1908 north of San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas.

Major General David S. Stanley

The reservation was intended to provide firing ranges and maneuver areas for units stationed at Fort Sam Houston. In the buildup for World War I the reservation was first designated Camp Funston, after Major General Frederick Funston who commanded the Southern District and who died at San Antonio 8 May 1917. There was already another Camp Funston in Kansas so the Leon Springs Reservation was quickly renamed Camp Stanley for Brigadier General David S. Stanley, a commander of the Department of Texas.

Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis

An additional 16,000 acres was leased in September 1917 and was designated as Camp Bullis after Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis, U.S. Civil War veteran who saw service in the Indian wars and the Spanish American War. By the end of World War I the Leon Springs Military Reservation encompassed over 32,000 acres and over 1.3 million dollars had been spent on improvements. The San Antonio Arsenal was moved from downtown San Antonio to Camp Stanley in 1937 and expanded to cover 1,760 acres.

Leon Springs is still active and includes both Camp Bullis (also known as "Camp Tic") and Camp Stanley.

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Fort Sam Houston

General Sam Houston

Fort Sam Houston was established in 1845 as the San Antonio Quartermaster Depot and later as the Post at San Antonio. The post was renamed Fort Sam Houston on 10 Sep 1890 after General Sam Houston, hero of the battle of San Jacinto and first president of the Republic of Texas. Still an active Army Base, military post as well as Lackland Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio.

Soldiers in the Barracks at Fort Sam Houston

The headquarters and garrison have always constituted one of the Army's most important commands. Prior to the Civil War, the headquarters controlled 25 percent of the Army's forces. From 1910 until World War II, Fort Sam Houston was the largest Army post in the continental United States. Many of the most distinguished American soldiers have served here, including no less than 13 Army Chiefs of Staff and two United States presidents. The post's prominence led to significant tactical and organizational innovations. Military aviation was born here in 1910 and revitalized during the 1940's and 150s. Large-scale troop maneuvers have been conducted, including the first effective use of the Command Post Exercise in 1911. Field exercises in the 1930's developed the Triangular Division. This streamlined, mobile organization was the foundation of the Army combat power in World War II. The delivery of troops to the battlefield by air also was tested here in 1939-41. Aeromedical evacuation of casualties was first developed here as early as 1917.

This page is part of The Great War 1914-1918 Project.

Texans with Medal of Honor

Private David Bennes Barkley, KIA, Army

Major Daniel R. Edwards, WIA, Army

David Ephraim Hayden, WIA, Navy

Killed In Action

Major Edwin Gillette Hutchings -

Private Hilario Cabasos, Army

Private First Class John E Cacy, Army/TX NG

Private Francisco Garcia, Army

Private Estanislado Zapata, Army

Mamie Jones (1894-1918), US Army Nurse Corps, Camp Logan, TX

World War I Veterans from Texas

• General Walton Harris Walker (Died in Service in Korea)
• Brig. General Henry Hutchings
• Pedro Beltran, Army
• Manuel Beltran, Army
• Silvestre Gomez, Army
• Jose Mejia, Army
• Narciso Mejia, Army

Resources

1. ↑ Legacy of Texas
2. ↑ Legacy of Texas
3. ↑ Legacy of Texas
4. ↑ Legacy of Texas

• Texas Military Forces Museum

• A History of the 36th Divison Texas Military Forces Museum

• A Short History and Photographic Record of the 359th Infantry Texas Brigade

• U2 boats

• Zimmermann telegram