Remembering WWII POW Camps of Wyoming

Last week, the West Texas Trail Museum (WTTM) welcomed Cheryl O'Brien as she presented an interesting look back at the prisoner of war (POW) camps in Wyoming during World War II, including the two main camps, Fort Warren and Fort Douglas, and the 17 smaller camps across the state.

O'Brien wrote a book on the subject, published in 2019, called World War II POW Camps of Wyoming, and shared many of the pictures, facts and actual accounts revealed by surviving POWs, military personnel and locals of that time about life in the camps for the German, Italians and Japanese prisoners from 1944-1946 (there were a few Austrian and Polish as well).

Among the amazing stories shared by survivors, there are many heartwarming moments remembered of day-by-day living as well as working as field labor, planting and harvesting crops in agricultural areas and lumberjacks in timbered regions, cutting railroad ties and firewood.

"I for one was unaware that we had POW camps in Wyoming," said WTTM director Cindy Mosteller later. "I knew we had internment camps of Japanese Americans like Heart Mountain in Wyoming but they are not the same thing. The POW camps were where they would send prisoners of war because they had nowhere to send them in Europe."

"Mostly German or Italian men, but a few from other European countries. I was also amazed how well they were accepted and appreciated for their help in the fields and timber camps, making many friends. That seems to be what those attended felt, as well," she continued.

"One of the questions was why were those POW who were buried at those camps later moved to a military base for burial? It was because those camps were not on military land so they had to be moved to a more permanent cemetery."

A drawing for a signed copy of O'Brien's book was orchestrated at the end of the evening and won by Donna Ricks. "It was a well-received presentation and I think enjoyed by those who attended," Mosteller reported.

World War II POW Camps of Wyoming was selected as Wyoming's 2020 Great Read by the Wyoming State Library. "O'Brien has published several articles on historical topics," WTTM director Cindy Mosteller said later, "including Camp Dubois, WY: A Legacy of Literature, published in the Annals of Wyoming (2015) and Nineteen Camps: World War II POWs in Wyoming, published 2021 by WyoHistory.org."

Next, WTTM will be welcoming a visit from Teddy Roosevelt on Jubilee Saturday, July 13, celebrating the 120th anniversary of his presidential visit to Moorcroft. He will enjoy breakfast and the parade before presenting a dialogue about his life and political endeavors.

World War II POW Camps of Wyoming is available at the museum.