CCC Davis County Iowa

IMAGES | Co 773A | History of Camp SP

History of Camp SP-14, Company 773

On May 19, 1933, Company 733, C. C. C, consisting of 208 members was organized at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. Lieutenant G W Vaughn was in command of the company during the stay at Fort Des Moines. The company was assigned to tents, and the next two weeks were spent in drawing supplies, taking physical examinations, and preparing to move the work camp.

On May20, 1933, camp was established at Lake Wapello, in Davis County, approximately two miles due north of Bunch, Iowa. The work at this place consisted chiefly of soil erosion, the construction of a lake bed, tree planting, and the building of bridle paths. June 6, 1933, Major G R Barker assumed command of the company. On June 9, 1933, 1^st Lieut. Sorensen, Med Res., joined the company. After a five day leave during the Fourth of July the members of the company were engaged in building a new camp site about one half mile from the original camp.

On August 4, 1933, Major G R Barker was relieved and lieutenant Vaughn again assumed command of the company. August 14, 1933, the company moved camp to its new location, located upon a small hill top which gave the camp a beautiful view of the entire lake. August 30, 1933, the bridle paths, lake bed and soil erosion work was rapidly nearing completion. Good food and plenty of outdoor living, together with hard work, had developed the company into a strong and healthy group of young men, with a spirit of good sportsmanship prevailing throughout the entire company.

September 16, 1933, 2^nd Lieut. James P Burns joined the company. September 30 thirty mem ers were discharged. On October 16, 1933, forty-seven new members were assigned and joined the company.. The latter part of October found barracks being built for winter quarters, and on November 17 the company moved into its winter quarters, which immediately won the approval of the entire company.

During the cold weather of December the men, undaunted by wintry blasts, were busily engaged in their work. Most of the company were working wither at the rock quarry or the construction of roads. Shortly after this a new bath house became the work project for many of the members. On December 27, 1933, Captain W I Moore, Inf Res., assumed command of the company and Lieutenant Vaughn returned to Fort Des Moines.

March 31, 1934, fifty-six members were discharged. April 3, 1934, 2^nd Lieut. W A Hill joined the company taking over the duties of mess officer. April 21 thirteen members of Company 770 at Keosauqua, Iowa were transferred to this company.

On May 9, 1934, John H Grothaus was assigned to the company as a camp educational advisor. June 16, 1934, 1^st Lieut Hilbert A Selfe, Inf. Res., was assigned to the company as line officer.

June 30, 1934, all the remaining members of the company who were enrolled in May, 1933, were discharged except for 18 men who were reenrolled in Company 2718 which was then being organized. On July 2, 98 new members were enrolled in the company, and on July 21, the new company, 2718, moved to Camp Dodge. July 3 W A Stevens, camp superintendent , resigned and Mr E F Keorner was transferred to the camp. At this time the work project consisted of the construction of a boat and bath house of native stone and timber, building of roads, landscaping and tree planting, and some erosion work. On August 24 the company baseball team, under the direction of Lieutenant Selfe won Second place in the district C C C baseball tournament, Kittenball and swimming were also very popular sports throughout the summer of 1934.

September 29, 1934, twenty-four men were discharged and the same amount of new men were enrolled to take their place. October 10 Captain Moore left on a month’s furlough, but illness prevented him from returning until December 1. Lieutenant selfe was in command during his absence. December 13, 1ar Lieut Hill was relieved from his assignment and 1^st Lieut F W Herzog took his place.

On January 6, Lieut Selfe was relieved and transferred to Company 2725 at Lehigh, Iowa.

The main work project of the company is building a large artificial lake, located seven miles west and one mile north of Drakesville. There will be a swimming beach 600 feet wide and ¼ miles long. All the rock used in the various buildings were quarried by the enrollees themselves. They have built fish shelters on the lake bottom, and have fenced in a large game preserve. Various bridle paths and roads were constructed and maintained throughout the park along with a beautiful entrance.