History: "The German invasion of Marshall County"

Beginning in about 1937, approximately four years before the United States entered World War II, the US Government began planning for the construction and operation of prison of war camps in the United States.

In1943, when German General Erwin Rommell’s forces were defeated in North Africa, it was time to implement the plans that had been ongoing for those four years.

In early 1943, the government, through the US Army began the hasty construction of POW camps throughout the southern United States. Government required the camps to be far away from major manufacturing areas and ports and they had to be in rural agricultural areas with temperate climates.

The reasons for these requirements were based on security, and easy construction and operation. Being away frommanufacturingandport areas prevented any espionage issues. The placement requirement for the camps provided prisoner labor for agricultural pursuits.

Being in temperate climates reduced the need for cold weather provisions. Because of these requirements, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and a few other southern states were prime locations. It was estimated that there would be a need for space for approximately 275,000 POWs.

Because of these requirements, Oklahoma was the ideallocationforPOWcamps. In all, Oklahoma would eventually see roughly 20,000 POWs during the war years.

During the years of 1943 and 1944, six major base camps were installed in Oklahoma. They were in Alva, Fort Reno, Fort Sill, McAlester, Camp Gruber in NE Oklahoma, and the Madill Provisional Internment Camp headquarters.

The Madill facility was not an actual prison camp but was an army headquarters that oversaw the operations of several branch camps throughout southern Oklahoma, and north Texas.

The base camps housed between1,000and5,000German POWs. The largest was in Alva, which housed 5,000 prisoners. All the prisoners in Alva were members of the Nazi Party. This was the only USbasedcamptohouseNazi Party members.

In addition to the large base camps, there were numerous “branch” camps throughout the state. Branch camps were in Waynoka, Tonkawa, Chickasha, Hobart, Tipton, Pauls Valley, Hickory, Stringtown, Tishomingo, Ardmore, Caddo, Konawa,Wewoka,Seminole, Wetumka, Okemah, Morris, Bixby, Porter, Haskell, Stilwell, Sallisaw, Eufaula, and Powell in Marshall County.

In addition to the base and branchcamps,thereweretwo POW hospitals. One located in Chickasha and the other in Okmulgee.

POWs were first sent to New York City where they were processed and given medical exams. They were then sent from New York to various camps throughout the US via train.

The POW camps were all constructed in identical layout and design. The camps all included both guard and prisoner barracks, a canteen, recreation area, fire department and other necessary buildings. The barracks and other buildings were identical from camp to camp.

TheUSArmyprovidedthe prison guards for the camps. The German officers still commanded their soldiers, but the officers were under the direction and control of the US Army.

The prisoners cooked their own meals, ran their own affairs, assigned tasks within their ranks and ran their concerns internally. The US Army provided educational programs to teach the Germans about democracy, civil liberties and other American beliefs.

Non-commissioned Germans did not have to work outside the camp if they chose, and most refused as it was deemed as aiding the US in the war effort, but many prisoners did work because it got them out of the camp and helped pass time.

The prisoners were used in farming activities around their respective camps or in other minor industrial operations such as ice plants, picking cotton or other crops, cotton gins, or alfalfa dryers. They were paid by the government $1.80 a day if they worked.

The Madill Provisional Headquarterswasinthewest 25 feet of the Little Building on the first floor, just west of theEwingDepartmentStore. ThecommanderoftheMadill Provisional HQ had an office on the second floor of the First National Bank building across Lillie Boulevard from the Little Building.

The Army rented the second floor of the old First National Bank building on the northwest corner of the square. The old First National Bank space was used as a barracks for guards and other army staff.

Numerous homes in Madill were also rented by the government to house army members that had families. The Madill Provisional HQ operated from April 29, 1943, to April 1, 1944.

The Powell Camp was located two or three miles south of Powell. It housed 600 German prisoners. The PowellCampopenedonApril 29, 1943, and operated until September of 1944.The prisoners from the Powell Camp were used as labor to clear trees and brush from the bed of Lake Texoma and around the Denison Dam. The prisoners were transported daily to the work areas and then returned to the camp each evening.

In the summer of 1945, the Powell Camp closed. The camp was dismantled, the equipment, buildings, water tanks, electric motors, water pumps and other miscellaneous equipmentweresoldat public auction and the land was then sold to local famers, andranchers.Today,nothing of the camp remains.

Many may remember hearing of truck and train loads of German POWs being transported to work at the lake area. The Germans were quite a novelty to the folks of Marshall County and those prisoners brought the war home to the folks in the county.

Followingthewar,allGerman prisoners were returned to Germany. None were allowed to stay in the United States. History records that the German prisoners were surprised and amazed that the American people were just going about their lives as though no war was in progress.

In Germany, everything revolved around the war. Battles were going on in and around Germany and war was just part of life. Yet, in America, it was as though there was no war.

That was in stark contrast to the propaganda they were beingfedbackhome.German soldiers and citizens were being told that America was near collapse and that life in America was in shambles. TheGermansoldiersbelieved the propaganda until they were brought to America and saw the truth.

The Powell prisoners had ridden trains for four or five days to get from New York City to Madill. For days, they rode across American and saw everyone living normal lives.

Theycouldn’tbelievewhat they were seeing. Most were young and they had lived in turmoil for most of their lives. Therefore, seeing people living normal, peaceful lives amazed them.

Today, nothing remains of the camp other than a few concrete foundations and the remains of a water well. However,foraapproximately a year and a half, World War II came to Marshall County and it could be said that in 1943, Germany invaded Marshall County.