Fort McCoy, Wis., was founded in 1909. Here's a look back at some events in its 111-year history.
75 Years Ago — August 1945
Imagine the surprise on Staff Sgt. Ben Schmidt's face when he looked up across the desk of the reception station's finance office at Camp McCoy, where he was assigned in August 1945, and saw his brother, Capt. Charles A. Schmidt, a member of the 8th Air Force, for the first time in three years.
The brothers Schmidt hail from St. Cloud, Minn., and had not seen each other since back in 1942 when Capt. Schmidt was a corporal.
Capt. Schmidt arrived at Camp McCoy en route to Tampa, Fla., from which station he was to be reassigned. He served as a flight control officer at an English base for 2 1/2 years. Sgt. Schmidt, a veteran of 2 1/2 months duty in Panama, has been in the Army since February 1942 and was assigned to the McCoy reception station finance office in March 1944.
60 Years Ago — Aug. 18, 1960
A frisky but well-behaved billy goat received an honorable discharge at Camp McCoy in August 1960.
The 6-month-old goat wandered onto the reservation last week and "joined" the staff of the veterinarian's small animal clinic. Sgt. 1st Class Paul E. Lukachek of the Post Veterinarian’s Office said he was an amiable youngster and acted much like a pet, and the billy goat’s presence at the post was widely publicized. The wire services put the news out.
There was even some talk that the Army should retain the recruit. It was suggested that he should be a potential first sergeant.
However, a week went by, and no owner claimed the rookie. Finally, James Arity of the Post Consolidated Property Office, who owns a farm near Tomah, said he would be glad to give the goat a home. He agreed that if the rightful owner appeared, the billy goat will be returned to his original outfit.
50 Years Ago — August 1970
This summer's prisoner of war exercise at Camp McCoy resembled an instant replay — with a year between instants. The 300th Military Police Prisoner of War Command led about 2,500 troops in the exercise. This was the fifth straight year for the exercise and the second straight at Camp McCoy.
There was no comparable activity in the active Army because “we would have very little use in a guerrilla war,” said Capt. Jack R. Carollo.
If activated, the 300th and its subordinate units could handle about 120,000 prisoners of war. If the 300th and its related units were activated, its job would be to take prisoners off the hands of the fighting men.
40 Years Ago — August 1980
Wisconsin's 84th Division (Training), headquartered in Milwaukee, returned to Fort McCoy once again to conduct annual training activities. But this time, there were a lot more people.
This was the first time that all of the units in the 84th Division (Training), totaling more than 2,300 men and women were at the same site for a relatively brief period of time. The training took place throughout August and was the final phase of reclassification in the division switchover to armor, which began three years ago.
In 1980, tankers moved to Skill Level 3 training, which upon completion, will enable those qualified to be tank commanders. Field exercises also included armor orientation for new Army reservists, maintenance and safety classes, and night fire.
This was also the first time in the history of the post that artillery provided illumination firing for the armor firing. The artillerymen from the 3rd Brigade were able to provide training for its own people in addition to assisting the armor brigades with their training in tactical situations.
30 Years Ago — Aug. 24, 1990
Another first was registered at Fort McCoy when the post served as the stage for a training exchange between members of a West German Army reserve company and their U.S. Army Reserve counterparts.
Although active-duty troops from the German army were training at Army posts throughout the United States, the Reserve training exchange was unique, according to Sgt. Maj. Alfred Hancock, project coordinator for the 205th Light Infantry Brigade, Fort Snelling, Minn.
Lt. Col. Hartmut Wedemeyer, commander of the 4th Company, 274th PARA Battalion, Lippstadt, West Germany, first visited Fort Snelling in March to discuss preparations with 205th Brigade officials.
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