Fort Wolters (Mineral Wells, Texas)

Mineral Wells · Texas · World War II

Quick BriefCamp Wolters was established in 1925 as a summer training site for the 56th Brigade of the Texas National Guard under Brigadier General Jacob F. Wolters. During World War II, it became the nation's largest infantry replacement training center, and in 1956 it became the Primary Helicopter Center of the United States Army and was renamed Fort Wolters in 1963.

History & Significance

Fort Wolters, established as Camp Wolters in 1925, is located four miles east of Mineral Wells in Parker and Palo Pinto counties. The facility was designated a summer training site for National Guard units, with one thousand officers and men and the same number of horses encamped by 1927.

The installation's importance expanded dramatically when the U.S. Army activated it as an infantry replacement center on October 13, 1940, transforming it into an important infantry-replacement training center with a peak troop capacity of 24,973. The camp also served as a German POW camp during World War II.

Enlisted infantrymen including Medal of Honor recipient Vernon Baker underwent basic training there. After deactivation in 1946, Cold War tensions led to its reopening in 1951 as Wolters Air Force Base under Air Force authority, then transfer to Army control in September 1956 as the Primary Helicopter Center.

Redesignated Fort Wolters in June 1963, the base trained all Army rotary-wing aviators in basic and primary flight training. By 1970 it covered 8,500 acres with 1,200 helicopters in operation, and by January 1973 over 40,000 students had completed the twenty-week program. Deactivation orders were issued in 1975.