Posted in New Jersey April 20, 2020 by

Most People In New Jersey Don’t Know About Our Old World War II POW Camp

New Jersey has a rich military history. It is home to the Picatinny Arsenal (a comprehensive military research and manufacturing facility), a Nike missile base at Fort Hancock (in Sandy Hook), a variety of George Washington’s Revolutionary War headquarters, and so much more. Sites like Battery Gunnison, Fort Mott, and even Camp Kilmer are fairly well-known but there’s something you may not know about Camp Kilmer.

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It housed prisoners of war.
Office of War Information/Wikipedia
When I first heard this, I doubted it. Having read several articles about the camp, I never once saw a mention of POWs.
Until recently, this is what I knew of Camp Kilmer...
National Archives
The camp was named for Joyce Kilmer, a New Jersey poet killed in World War I.
Located near New Brunswick, the camp was a major transportation hub for U.S. soldiers traveling to and from Europe.
National Archives
Over the years, more than 1.3 million U.S. soldiers and several allied troops were stationed or processed here. These included Joe DiMaggio and comedian Red Skelton.
At over 1,500 acres, the camp operated like a small city.
Public Domain/Wikipedia
There were chapels, theaters, gyms, beer halls, baseball fields, and libraries, in addition to the barracks and hospital.
Performers from all over came to brighten soldiers' spirits.
National Archives
There were sports leagues, cheer carts, and game rooms, as morale and mental health were very important. These brave men and women deserved only the best.
A quick online search is all it takes to find fascinating details about Camp Kilmer. One detail that's often left out? The prisoners of war who were kept there.
Credit: worldandmilitarynotes.com
After some digging, I found several mentions of the POWs. You'll come across one in The Hidden History of New Jersey at War by Joseph G. Bilby, James M. Madden, and Harry Ziegler. You'll come across another in The Complete Book of World War II USA & Internment Camp Chits, Prisoner of War Money in the United States by Dave Frank and David E. Seelye.

I reached out to Dave Frank and was given permission to use this incredible photo which serves as proof of POWs at Camp Kilmer - specially marked canteen tickets. How did prisoners of war obtain canteen tickets? Many were allowed to work, completing non-military tasks including farming, construction, and manufacturing. They were paid fairly and sometimes returned home richer than they left! Many POWs were also allowed to interact with American and ally soldiers, participating in a variety of activities.

So, New Jersey housed prisoners of war at Camp Kilmer, but it wasn’t what you might expect. The camp was deactivated in 1949, briefly reactivated during the Korean war, and served as the receiving center for those fleeing the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. Now, it’s part of Rutgers University. It wasn’t the only camp that housed POWs in New Jersey, however. Belle Mead ASF, Fort Dix, and Raritan Arsenal are a few examples. If you’d like to learn more about New Jersey’s military history or have stories of your own, please share in the comments. For more photos of camp money, like the Camp Kilmer canteen tickets, visit worldandmilitarynotes.com.