Fig. 1 View of the existing structures (Rogers) Fig. 2 Guard tower foundation; now (Rogers) 41
Reconstructing and Preserving a World War II Site: The Prisoner of War Camp in Hereford, Texas Joe D. Rogers Abstract The POW camp in Hereford, Texas was constructed in just a few months in the early days of World War II. It was home to a population off both American GI's and Italian prisoners of war that was double the size of the town at that time. Post war declaration of surplus properties returned the area to the landowners and the facility began to disappear. Using pedestrian survey, historic building records, photographs, archival research, and aerial photography, the camp was mapped using a Computer Aided Design (CAD) system. The site continues to dissolve and is still monitored by on-the-ground visits and the use of Internet based imagery. This paper will detail selected processes, problems, and products from the study of this disappearing facility. Biography - Joe D. Rogers is a lifelong Panhandle resident and a retired public school history teacher. He holds both a B.S. and M.A. from West Texas A&M University and now teaches part time at WT in the History and Archaeology departments. He has served as Region 1 director of TAS and is a past president of both PAS and TAS and currently serves as a THC Steward for Deaf Smith County, He and his wife Cindy reside in Hereford. During World War II the Hereford Prisoner of War Camp housed Italian POW's that were taken prisoner in the North African campaign. The Hereford camp was begun on July 1, 1942 and received its first prisoners in April of 1943. It closed on March 14, 1946. The camp had a peak prisoner population in late August of 1943 of 3860. The camp was also home to American Escort Guard Companies of around 250 officers and enlisted men. The last POW's left the camp on February 7, 1946.
Index to the proceedings of the regional archeological symposium including separate lists by subject, title, author, and volume along with subject categories, a map of regions, and Texas county abbreviations.
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