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. However, there's something you may not know about Camp Kilmer - it was the site of a World War II POW camp in New Jersey!

It housed prisoners of war, primarily those from the German army.

Many people may be surprised to hear this. After all, it's easy to read many articles about Camp Kilmer without seeing a mention of POWs.

Camp Kilmer is pretty famous in New Jersey, but not for this chapter of history.

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.

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.

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.

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.

There aren't too many records of this time, as the prisoners weren't kept at Camp Kilmer for a very long time. You can find references in books like 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. Camp Kilmer played many roles in the World War II era and beyond, but all things must come to an end. It was used as a training facility and an emergency headquarters over the years, but it was officially retired in 2009. Today, the buildings have been repurposed by many organizations including the Edison Job Corps and Rutgers University. Others are still under redevelopment.

So, New Jersey housed prisoners of war at Camp Kilmer, but it wasn't what you might expect. During World War II, Camp Kilmer was the largest processing center for US soldiers and the prisoners of war were only a small part of the camp's business. 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.  It wasn't the only World War II POW camp 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 history involving the military and World War II or have stories of your own, please share in the comments. For another famous historical site in New Jersey, check out the events at Morristown Historical Park.