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Camp Kearns: Documents offer new glimpse into life at dismantled WWII base
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Shocked | 4:03 a.m. July 20, 2008
All these years I grew up, I never knew there was an army base here... right
HERE in Kearns?!
Robert Collier | 5:54 a.m. July 20, 2008
You did not mention that one of the remaining buildings not dismantled was the
base gymnasium. It became the cultural hall for a new L. D. S. Stake center
withtwo chapels built, one on each side, that became for a time the largest
meetinghouse in the Church.
Also, the business of moving all the barracks buildings around to their eventual use as farm buildings, homes and other uses became an assembly line process with truck-trailers adapted for the process rubling every day down Redwood Road, 48th South and other arteries at 30 mph and more, pulling a 25 foot wide building, while traffic headed for the road shoulders.Long 1x4s curved down from roof ridges lifted telephone lines and traffic signal wires up and along the ridge as the building slid under them. That went on for two or three years.
Also, the business of moving all the barracks buildings around to their eventual use as farm buildings, homes and other uses became an assembly line process with truck-trailers adapted for the process rubling every day down Redwood Road, 48th South and other arteries at 30 mph and more, pulling a 25 foot wide building, while traffic headed for the road shoulders.Long 1x4s curved down from roof ridges lifted telephone lines and traffic signal wires up and along the ridge as the building slid under them. That went on for two or three years.
Come On Now | 7:19 a.m. July 20, 2008
'Shocked', you grew up in Kearns and didn't know it's
history? Did you not go to school and listen to your History teachers? Did you
not see the remnants of what was left behind and maybe wonder what all those
empty warehouses and concrete foundations were? Well, I'm glad now that
you know a little bit more of the community that raised you. Visit the local
Library for more information.
Comments continue below
samhill | 7:23 a.m. July 20, 2008
Interesting bit of local history that was news to me too.
Thanks to Robert Collier for his augmenting comments.
All quite interesting.
Thanks to Robert Collier for his augmenting comments.
All quite interesting.
Jim Hippen | 7:40 a.m. July 20, 2008
The official name of the camp Kearns in 1944 was Kearns Army Air Force Ordinance
Depot. On official documents it was Kearns AAFORD. I was born there at the camp
hospital while my dad was stationed there. Mom and Dad met there at a USO
dance.
I wonder how many others were born there. I've never met anyone else who was.
I wonder how many others were born there. I've never met anyone else who was.
Curtis Allen | 8:25 a.m. July 20, 2008
Lee, A great article on Kearns Base. I have two connections to Kearns. My
grandfather retired from his ranch in 1939, moved to Sugarhouse and was kind of
taking it too easy. Then when Kearns was built, he went to work at the post
exchange. He was in his late 60's and was kind of a "Grandpa" to
the boys. I remember when we visited from Idaho how grandpa would tell of his
conversations with them.
Then in 1986, my son bought a house in Kearns. I am not sure what part of the base his lot might have been on. He has since moved to Davis County.
Thanks for the great article.
Then in 1986, my son bought a house in Kearns. I am not sure what part of the base his lot might have been on. He has since moved to Davis County.
Thanks for the great article.
DOH | 8:41 a.m. July 20, 2008
Any airport you see out the airplane window, anywhere in the country, which has
three runways forming a triangle, has a good chance of being a WW2 training
field.
The airfield that is now Salt Lake Airport #2 used to keep up all three runways - when I learned to fly in 1980, I believe that I used the intersecting runways, on occasion - but the cost of paving eventually overcame any advantage offered by the other two runways, and they are being allowed to deteriorate.
Western Airlines turned it, inadvertently, into an international airport when a plane coming to Salt Lake from Canada landed there by mistake.
Airports are hard to install and, once closed, are impossible to replace anywhere close. I hope Airport #2 does not meet the same fate as Alta Airport or Lehi Airport - it is a wonderful thing not to have to go to the "big" airport with a small plane.
The airfield that is now Salt Lake Airport #2 used to keep up all three runways - when I learned to fly in 1980, I believe that I used the intersecting runways, on occasion - but the cost of paving eventually overcame any advantage offered by the other two runways, and they are being allowed to deteriorate.
Western Airlines turned it, inadvertently, into an international airport when a plane coming to Salt Lake from Canada landed there by mistake.
Airports are hard to install and, once closed, are impossible to replace anywhere close. I hope Airport #2 does not meet the same fate as Alta Airport or Lehi Airport - it is a wonderful thing not to have to go to the "big" airport with a small plane.
old timer | 9:28 a.m. July 20, 2008
There was a small arms plant there where small calliber ammo was manufactured
for the war effort.
brerabbit | 10:20 a.m. July 20, 2008
I didn't care much for history when a school boy. Now I can hardly get
enough of it. Thanks for this glance back.
Our family has lived in or near some old "ghost" towns of Utah. My mother was born and raised in Eureka, Utah. The mines there were richer than the comstock mines in Nevada.
One of the more interesting towns in Utah is Corinne "The Gentile town".
I would love to read from your pages the histories of these famous and infamous Utah towns.
well done. keep it up
Our family has lived in or near some old "ghost" towns of Utah. My mother was born and raised in Eureka, Utah. The mines there were richer than the comstock mines in Nevada.
One of the more interesting towns in Utah is Corinne "The Gentile town".
I would love to read from your pages the histories of these famous and infamous Utah towns.
well done. keep it up
Pam Todd | 10:40 a.m. July 20, 2008
Well written history on the reporter�s part, especially
when one realizes that the documents which he speaks of have only become
unclassified in the last 4 years. I am sure he could fill a whole newspaper on
just the history that has been located in the last ten years. It is important
also to know that a lot of things and the men that were stationed at Kearns have
only been allowed to talk about things in the last 8 years, for example research
the �Carpetbaggers� What a lot of
people do not realize is that this history was a lost history, going to the
library to research this history is impossible, documents are just now being
researched after years and years of looking for them. The fact is it has taken
10 years just to locate the lost volumes of history books written by the men of
Camp Kearns about Camp Kearns. It�s a sad note to realize
also that the only historical area of Kearns has been blighted. Kearns is also
one of a very few communities that dose not have a museum to house its history,
its time to save it now before its gone forever.
A Camp Kearns Man | 10:59 a.m. July 20, 2008
I was stationed at Kearns from 1942-1945, and was shocked when I received a
phone call from the Kearns Historical Society asking me what I remembered about
Kearns. I thought it was a joke at first, Kearns was one of a few
�Air Bases� that lacked a flying
strip, and the men marched forever and never left the base, the wind blew all
the time. When I went and visited the Kearns Historical Society and talked with
Pam, I couldn�t believe all the artifacts that she had, she
is a walking book of information. It is depressing to know that this history
became lost or destroyed but nice to see that this history is being noted now. I
and others in my unit are in agreement that Kearns needs a museum; we have been
saving our unit history for Kearns for over 10 years. I hope and pray that
someday you can get one; this article isn�t even the tip of
what went on out there.
Great article my thanks to the reporter for getting this information out there. Thanks to Pam and her dedication and determination to locate this history enough can�t be said for that. Carry on!
Great article my thanks to the reporter for getting this information out there. Thanks to Pam and her dedication and determination to locate this history enough can�t be said for that. Carry on!
Alan Anderson | 12:40 p.m. July 20, 2008
Excellent writing and kudos to the Kearns Historical Society. Pam has done
excellent work. I believe people overlook all the good that occurred and that
is occurring in Kearns.
I've lived in Kearns for 15 years and my three children are blossoming wonderfully...I love my neighbors and my local Kearns businesses like Harmons, Blockbuster, Subway and more...
I've lived in Kearns for 15 years and my three children are blossoming wonderfully...I love my neighbors and my local Kearns businesses like Harmons, Blockbuster, Subway and more...
Shirley Burge Coleman | 2:34 p.m. July 20, 2008
My father was stationed at Fort Kearns. I am not sure of the exact dates but he
was there when I was born in early 1945. He was being trained to be shipped out
to the South Pacific but came down with Rheumatic Fever while on a long march
south along the side of the Oquirrh Mountain range. He ended up in the base
hospital for quite some time. This is about all the history I know of the base
so was very interested to read the article. I would really like to read more or
find a listing a the soldiers who were stationed there. Dad was transferred
from Dalhart Air Base in Texas to Kearns. I would enjoy visiting a museum about
the base. Thanks again for the story.
Russ | 2:41 p.m. July 20, 2008
There are still quite a few of us, who as children, in the area, in the
fourties, rode our bike & followed the solodiers, as they marched, on the
roads. When they had a rest, they would give us money to go to Walkers store
& buy them a candy bar or icecream on a stick; we usually caught them @
thier next rest stop. We watched them, on the obsticale course, by the north
fence. Sundays, mother would have a couple of souldiers over for fried chicken
dinner, then they would play football, with me. My uncle worked in the mess hall
& an aunt drove a truck, on base. When the base was closed, we would sneek
in & swim in the pool & as teen agers had drag races on the old
airstrip, south of the camp.
Matthew | 5:53 p.m. July 20, 2008
Don't worry. If I'm rich enough before anyone else steps up, I'll
donate the money to build a museum in my home town.
George Brown | 6:48 p.m. July 20, 2008
After being inducted into the US Army Air Force in March 1943, I was sent to
Kearns Army Air Base for basic training. After completing basic training I went
on to a medical technician school at Camp Grant, Illinois. I do not remember it
as being a training center for future pilots. The article mentions gas masks.
They were our salvation. It was so dusty that we wore them while training to
avoid inhaling all of that dust. When we went to a movie at the Base theater,
we could hardly follow the dialog because of all of the coughing.
Kearns Resident | 8:25 p.m. July 20, 2008
I have been to Pam�s office and seen the mounds of items
she has.
It�s neat to see and find someone that can and is willing to do this research.
Although most of her items came from those that were at Kearns, this article fails
to mention that in the time frame of ten years her research has spanned into nine different countries, and has taken her to 8 different states where she has been a guest speaker at the reunions for these Camp Kearns Men. To date she is also the only one in the state of Utah that has this large of holdings on Camp Kearns and Kearns as a community. I think it is a sad situation that Kearns doesn�t have a museum yet thanks to the efforts of Pam our history is home and it is no longer guess work as to what went on here how and where. To not have a museum now is a real injustice to this community.
It�s neat to see and find someone that can and is willing to do this research.
Although most of her items came from those that were at Kearns, this article fails
to mention that in the time frame of ten years her research has spanned into nine different countries, and has taken her to 8 different states where she has been a guest speaker at the reunions for these Camp Kearns Men. To date she is also the only one in the state of Utah that has this large of holdings on Camp Kearns and Kearns as a community. I think it is a sad situation that Kearns doesn�t have a museum yet thanks to the efforts of Pam our history is home and it is no longer guess work as to what went on here how and where. To not have a museum now is a real injustice to this community.
New to Utah | 9:31 p.m. July 20, 2008
Very interesting story, and well written.
Many thanks to the reporter for sharing this with all of us.
Special thanks to Pam for her enthusiastic work preserving all this history, at her own expense, and on her own time. A lot of people appreciate her fine work, honoring those who served, both in uniform and as civilians.
Many thanks to the reporter for sharing this with all of us.
Special thanks to Pam for her enthusiastic work preserving all this history, at her own expense, and on her own time. A lot of people appreciate her fine work, honoring those who served, both in uniform and as civilians.
Interesting.... | 11:10 p.m. July 20, 2008
is the community's beginnings the reason why one sees so many trailer
houses and double wides in Kearns?
Active Duty Army Officer | 1:09 a.m. July 21, 2008
Unbelievable! I grew up on the edge of Kearns and took many trips through the
neighborhood to get to the library. I would have gone to Kearns High if Hunter
High had not been built. I never knew it was an Army base. The Army had
numerous bases during WWII, but only a few remain -- and many still have
buildings that were erected during the War.
Note to the author (and Kearns residents): I wouldn't be concerned about the possibility of chemical weapons training residue. I would be much more concerned about the amount of lead that is in probably in the ground! If it was the "second largest firing range in the nation," there may be tons of lead in the ground from all the bullets fired. I would be surprised if the Army did a good job of cleaning it all up.
Note to the author (and Kearns residents): I wouldn't be concerned about the possibility of chemical weapons training residue. I would be much more concerned about the amount of lead that is in probably in the ground! If it was the "second largest firing range in the nation," there may be tons of lead in the ground from all the bullets fired. I would be surprised if the Army did a good job of cleaning it all up.
Gary James | 7:24 a.m. July 21, 2008
What a great story. We lived in Kearns for years many many years and always knew
it had a wonderful history buried beneath all of the homes. I am surprised that
the establishment of the Camp Kearns Film Society did not make the historical
record also. But that may have come some years after the war.
monte rouska | 12:31 p.m. July 21, 2008
This was an accurite article. Well done..
Three books in the Kearns library have the history of camp kearns. "What a wonderful town", "Proud of Kearns", And and my book "Camp kearns through this gate". have a very good covering of the subject.
Three books in the Kearns library have the history of camp kearns. "What a wonderful town", "Proud of Kearns", And and my book "Camp kearns through this gate". have a very good covering of the subject.
Paula Larsen | 1:58 p.m. July 21, 2008
They say that your past dictates your future. If that is the case, we have a
bright future ahead. I for one grew up in Kearns and my roots run deep here. I
came back to Kearns to make my home for the last 18 years. Thanks to Pam Todd
and her Kearns Historical Society those roots have come to life. Growing up here
we all heard the Camp Kearns stories and were intrigued by them all. I have
seen Pam's research, items, and spoke to some of the Camp Kearns men or
their families. They are all very honored to give to the Kearns Historical
Society to make sure this history is preserved. The history she has is amazing.
Perhaps someday we will have a museum to display our past and hopes for our
future. I am very proud of my Kearns Community and salute all the business that
have helped Kearns develop, but most of all the people. Kearns Rocks!!!
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