Fort Indiantown Gap (Lebanon County, Pennsylvania)
Lebanon County · Pennsylvania · World War II
History & Significance
Pennsylvania developed Fort Indiantown Gap in 1931 after the Pennsylvania National Guard outgrew its 120-acre training site at Mount Gretna. In 1932, the state began to purchase more than 18,000 acres for the Indiantown Gap Military Reservation.
As World War II approached, on September 30, 1940, the Federal Government leased the reservation from Pennsylvania for $1. A massive construction project employed 13,000 workers who quickly constructed more than 1,400 buildings, including barracks, mess halls, fire stations, chapels, theaters, a sports arena and a 400-bed hospital.
Dedicated March 3, 1941, as Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, more than 150,000 troops in eight divisions received final training before deployment, including Pennsylvania's 28th Infantry Division, the 3rd and 5th Armored Divisions, and five other Infantry Divisions. The installation also served as a German POW compound once Allied Forces gained a foothold in Europe.
In 1975, after the U.S. left Vietnam, the facility served as a refugee camp, with more than 32,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees resettled through the installation. Following a 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendation, Pennsylvania regained control in 1998 and restored it as a training site.
Key Facts
Map
View larger map ↗ · © OpenStreetMap contributors
🧳 Visiting
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Indiantown_Gap
- https://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-2D5
- https://lebtown.com/2023/10/26/25-years-ago-fort-indiantown-gap-was-on-track-for-obsolescence-instead-the-pa-national-guard-revitalized-the-base/
- https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/memorial-lake-state-park/history
- https://easthanovertwp.com/fort-indiantown-gap/
- https://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Indiantown_Gap
Other Forts in Pennsylvania
See all forts in Pennsylvania →