Army – WWII Camp Ellis, Illinois

Where did Camp Ellis go? Why can’t I see it anymore?

It must have looked like a western ghost town in early 1946 . Empty buildings from Camp Ellis dotted the farm fields north of Route 10 (now Highway 136) between Table Grove and Ipava. There were 2,200 of them, but just a skeleton crew of personnel remained. As the years passed, the Illinois National GuardContinue reading “Where did Camp Ellis go? Why can’t I see it anymore?”

1945 – The Beginning of the End

1945 – the year World War II ended. The Allied forces had been at war for almost six long years when Germany invaded Poland. The year began with Allied success in Europe with the defeat of the Nazi Army in the Battle of the Bulge. Progress was made as the Russian Army liberated Warsaw, Poland. Continue reading “1945 – The Beginning of the End”

He Was Everywhere!

1st/Sgt. Michael Davidson 1st./Sgt. Michael Davidson was nicknamed “Iron Mike” for some reason lost to time. It could have been the fact he had served almost six decades in the military by the time he was assigned to Camp Ellis. He had a colorful story, but yet an incomplete story as not much was personallyContinue reading “He Was Everywhere!”

Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make Do, or Do Without

This famous World War II slogan emphasized the importance of recycling materials for the war effort. My own mother quotes it quite often. The war monopolized her early childhood. She was 2 1/2 years old when Pearl Harbor was bombed and had just turned 5 before VE Day and VJ Day. Her childhood chore wasContinue reading “Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make Do, or Do Without”

That’s Entertainment!

When the army dropped a military camp in the middle of western Illinois in 1942, they no doubt anticipated the challenge of keeping the soldiers occupied outside of military life. USOs were set up in Ipava, Macomb, Lewistown, and even as far away as Peoria, but weekend passes often led to trouble in nearby towns. Continue reading “That’s Entertainment!”

Dedication Day at Camp Ellis – the largest event in Fulton County, IL history

Sunday, July 4, 1943, was a sweltering day. The National Weather Service recorded a high of 89 degrees with a little over ½ inch of rainfall for the day. It was hot, sticky, and humid like the most uncomfortable July day can be in central Illinois, but it was also Dedication Day at Camp Ellis,Continue reading “Dedication Day at Camp Ellis – the largest event in Fulton County, IL history”