Fort Irwin - History
HISTORY OF FORT IRWIN
On Aug. 8, 1940, a Presidential order withdrew from public use almost 1,000 square miles of public land in the High Desert of Southern California. The land was established as the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Gunnery Range. The area was delegated as a Sub Post of Camp Haan, adjacent to what is now known as March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, Calif.
Two years later, the reservation received its official title of Camp Irwin in memory of Major General George Leroy Irwin, a World War I battle commander of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade.
Many famous units trained at Camp Irwin during World War II including the Desert Commandos of North Africa fame. Additionally, the camp served as an internment site for prisoners of war.
In 1944, the camp was closed by the War Department and remained in a caretaker status until 1951, when Camp Irwin was reactivated to become home of the United States Army Armor and Desert Training Center.
In August 1961, 21 years after creation of the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range, "Camp Irwin" received its "Fort" status and the designation of a permanent Class I United States Army installation. In 1971, with the Vietnam War winding down and defense spending cutbacks, Fort Irwin was deactivated and placed in caretaker status under the control of Fort McArthur, Calif. In 1971, it was turned over to the State of California for use as a training area by the National Guard and Reserve Components.
In 1978, the future outlook for Fort Irwin brightened. The U.S. Army was looking for a site to house a National Training Center. The requirements were stringent. The NTC needed at least 400,000 acres for maneuver areas and ranges. It also had to have an uncluttered electromagnetic spectrum, airspace restricted to military use and favorable weather conditions. Eleven sites were given serious consideration.
Fort Irwin came out on top, and on Oct. 16, 1980, the National Training Center was activated. The activation of the NTC brought Fort Irwin back on the rolls as an active Army installation on July 1, 1981.
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