Fort Des Moines I (Des Moines, Iowa)
Des Moines · Iowa · World War I, World War II
History & Significance
Established on 640 acres several miles south of downtown Des Moines and initially founded as a cavalry base, Fort Des Moines was built beginning in 1903 with barracks, stables, officers' quarters, and other facilities. The fort became known as 'The Ritz Carlton of the Army' and hosted a major military tournament in 1909 attended by President William H. Taft.
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the Army selected Fort Des Moines as a training site for African American officers at the urging of organizations like the NAACP and civil rights activists such as W.E.B. DuBois. On June 17, 1917, 1,250 African American college graduates were sworn in for a three-month training course; on October 15, 1917, 639 officers graduated and received their commissions.
Officers left Des Moines to serve at military installations around the country and eventually fought on the front lines in France, with at least seven receiving the Distinguished Service Cross. Fort Des Moines also hosted a training camp for African American medical personnel from July to November 1917, producing 104 medical officers, 12 dental officers, and 948 enlisted men.
During World War II, the War Department selected Fort Des Moines to be the site for a Women's Army Auxiliary Corps officer training center in 1942. Between 1942 and 1945, 72,141 women passed through Fort Des Moines. The surviving elements of the fort were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974 in recognition of their role in the advancement of African Americans and women in the United States military forces.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- First officer training site for African American soldiers, 1917
- Primary World War II training center for Women's Army Corps
- National Historic Landmark with preserved military buildings
- Museum exhibits on military integration and women's service history
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/fort-des-moines-a-series-of-firsts-in-wartime-service.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Des_Moines_Provisional_Army_Officer_Training_School
- http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1436&ResourceType=District
- https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/964f5ec0-9d09-41c6-8d4b-2731978272de