Custer, Camp, Mich.

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History: Named in honor of Lt. Col. George A. Custer, 7th Cav., U. S. A. (Maj. Gen. U. S. V.), killed in action at Little Big Horn, Mont., 1876. Established, July 18, 1917, to serve as training camp for 85th Div. (N. A.), which occupied the cantonment, Aug. 1917-July 1918. Construction started June 27, 1917 and continued into 1919. The first inducted men reported Sept. 1-15, 1917; the last, Dec. 1-15, 1918. Approximate numbers received from States and other sources : Ala., 2,023 ; Ill., 2,522 ; Ind., 3,309 ; Mich., 65,976 ; Ohio, 604; Pa., 5,336; N. Dak., 3,100; W. Va., 4,186; Wis., 5,956; other camps, 6,887.Designated as demobilization center Dec. 3, 1918. Retained as permanent reservation. Description: Reservation located 5 miles south of Battle Creek, in Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties. Facilities-Camp Base Hospital: Opened Sept. 5, 1917, in temporary quarters, new buildings being used as rapidly as they became available. Treated all cases arising in camp, and medical, surgical, and venereal cases from overseas. In addition, the Hospital trained personnel for further duty in the Zone of the Interior and overseas. Training Schools: Third Series-In operation, Jan. 5-Apr. 19, 1918. Fourth Series In operation during May and June 1918. See pp. 83, 84. Demobilization Center: Number processed-About 92,000. Facilities: Cantonment of 1,282 buildings. Troop capacity-35,458. Construction costs to June 30, 1919-About $12,964,300. Area-Camp site proper, 5,996 acres; entire reservation, 9,139 acres. Command Status: Commanding officer reported direct to War Department; also exercised jurisdiction of general courts-martial till Sept. 24, 1919.

Camp Commanders:

1917-Aug. 25, Maj. Gen. Joseph T. Dickman;

Nov. 25, Brig. Gen. Samuel W. Miller;

Dec. 13, Maj, Gen. James Parker.

1918-Feb. 21, Brig. Gen. Benjamin C. Morse;

Feb. 27, Maj. Gen. Chase W. Kennedy ;

July 12, Brig. Gen. Julius A. Penn ;

July 14, Brig. Gen. Guy H. Preston ;

July 16, Col. Charles H. Paine ;

July 29, Col. Samuel Burkhart, Jr.;

Sept. 5, Brig. Gen. Howard A. Laubach;

Nov. 19, Maj. Gen. Grote Hutcheson.

1919-May 13, Col. Edward Croft (ad interim) ;

May 16, Maj. Gen. William G. Haan;

May 29, Brig. Gen. Edwin B. Winans (ad interim) ;

June 11, Maj. Gen. Frank L. Winn through June 20.

STATION COMPLEMENT

Aux. Rmt. Dep. 160th Dep. Brig. ; 320; Bkrs. & Cks. Sch. ; Base Hosp. ; Cp. Hq.; Devlpt. Bns. 1, 2, 3, 4 ; Engr. Dep. Det. 414 ; F. Trk. and H. Co. 310; M. Sh. Trk. U. 343; Med. Sup. Dep.; M. T. Co. 344 ; Ord. Dep. Co. 110 ; Provost Gd. Co. ; Res. Labor Bns. 355, 443.

DIVISIONAL UNITS

14th Division: Div., mobilizing for overseas; Div. (less 10th Inf., 40th Inf.), demobilizing; 10th Inf., 40th Inf., garrison duty.

19th Division: 14th Inf., garrison duty.

92d Division: DHQ., 63d Inf. Brig., 119th F. A., 107th Engrs., Hq. Tr., 107th Engr. Tn., demobilizing.

42d Division: 117th Sn. Tn., demobilizing.

85th Division: Div. mobilizing for overseas; Div. (less 340th Inf., 310th Engrs., 310th Tn. Hq. and M. P.) demobilizing.

NONDIVISIONAL UNITS

Engineers: 16th, 55th Regts.; 536th Bn.

Medical Department: Base Hosps. 14, 17, 36, 90, 99, 100. Evac. Hosp. 21.

Motor Transport Corps: M. Sup. Tn. 409.

Quartermaster Corps: Bkry. Cos. 9, 313, 363, 406, 424 ; Serv. Bn. 324.