DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker records about the World War II Prisoner of War Camp at McLean, out on the Texas Panhandle in Gray County. Now settle in, because this one's got layers. During World War II, right here on this patch of ground, the United States government established a permanent alien interment camp — a prisoner of war camp — as part of the 8th Service Command.
Construction began in September 1942, and by July 1943, American military personnel were arriving. So were the prisoners. And not just any prisoners.
The first group brought to McLean were members of the famed Afrika Korps — Erwin Rommel's own soldiers, captured in North Africa. Think about that for a second. Men who had been fighting under one of the most storied commanders of the entire war, and they ended up in McLean, Texas.
The Panhandle wind probably had something to say about that transition. The camp itself was no small operation. Twenty-five to thirty buildings went up to accommodate the military and civilian personnel needed to run the place.
Three large compounds housed the prisoners of war. Beyond that, you had warehouses, an engineering department, a fire department, a carpenter shop, water plants — the whole machinery of a small functioning town. For the American military side, there were barracks, nurses' quarters, bachelor officers' quarters, an officers' club, a post exchange and commissary, a theater, a laundry, and a barber shop.
Even a small hospital, shared by the American military and the prisoners of war alike. By October 1944, the camp had pushed past its official capacity of three thousand prisoners. Three thousand.
In McLean, Texas. And here's the part the marker wants you to sit with — the community didn't just tolerate this camp on their doorstep. Local citizens got closely involved, and many of them formed lasting friendships with some of the German prisoners.
Enemies on a battlefield, neighbors on the Panhandle. The camp closed in July 1945, and whatever those friendships became after that, the marker doesn't say. But it thought them worth remembering.
And so do I.
What the marker says
A permanent alien interment camp (prisoner of war camp) in the 8th Service Command was established here during World War II. Construction began in September 1942 and American military personnel and German prisoners began to arrive in July 1943. The site included 25-30 buildings to accommodate the military and civilian personnel required to operate the camp. Three large compounds housed the prisoners of war. Other structures included warehouses, engineering and fire departments, carpenter shop, and water plants. Facilities for the military were comprised of barracks, nurses' and bachelor officers' quarters, officers' club, post exchange and commissary, theater, laundry, and barber shop. A small hospital was shared by the American military and the prisoners of war. The first group of prisoners brought to McLean were members of the famed Afrika Korps commanded by General Erwin Rommel and were captured in North Africa. By October 1944 the camp exceeded its official capacity of 3,000 prisoners. The community was closely involved with the camp, and many local citizens formed lasting friendships with some of the German prisoners. The camp closed in July 1945. (1997)