Camp San Augustine World War II P.O.W. Camp
N 31° 32.094 W 094° 05.948
15R E 395657 N 3489407
The state historic marker for the Camp San Augustine World War II P.O.W. Camp at the county fairgrounds
Waymark Code: WMXEA6
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2018
Views: 4
This marker is located inside the city limits of San Augustine at the fair grounds, the former site of a POW camp for members of the German Afrika Korps.
Marker Number: 14190
Marker Text:
During World War II, the U.S. military established multiple Prisoners of War (POW) Branch Camps at the request of East Texas communities seeking to boost federal economic investment and address local labor shortages. San Augustine, a branch of Camp Fannin (Smith Co.) was completed in March 1944. The first POWs, part of Germany's Afrika Korps, arrived here in April 1944, with a peak population of 331. POWs worked primarily on forestry projects. The camp remained open longer than any other branch camp in East Texas. After the war, several area branch camps closed and sent their POWs here, and later Camp Fannin, before repatriation to Europe. Camp San Augustine closed in April 1946.
Texas in World War II - 2009
Marker is property of the state of Texas
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