Site of German Prisoner of War Camp Known as Camp Tonkawa
World War II
Front
Legend [and POW Camp diagram]
See other side for story
Back
Between October and December 1942 more than 900 construction workers labored 24 hours a day to build Camp Tonkawa on the quarter section immediately north of this marker SE¼ Sec 28-26N-1W. The 160 acre site contained more than 180 wooden structures for 3,000 German P.O.W.s as well as 500 U.S. Army guard troops, service personnel, and civilian employees. Activated in January 1943 the post received its first prisoners in August, German troops of Afrika Corps captured in North Africa.
The facility operated at or near capacity throughout its existence. Prisoners worked on area farms and ranches as well as at an alfalfa dryer plant in Tonkawa. In November 1943, a disturbance among the prisoners resulted in the death of one German soldier. Eight P.O.W.s escaped from the camp but all were re-captured. Camp Tonkawa closed in September 1945 and the P.O.W.s were returned to Europe.
[Dedicated] July 4, 2002
POW Marker Committee
[Members not transcribed]
Related artifacts displayed at McCarter Museum of Tonkawa History
Original base for the
Entrance Gate Post
Marker is at the intersection of Frontage Road and Oak Street, on the left when traveling east on Frontage Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
