Soldiers spent months training before being sent to the front lines of World War II. During my research using morning reports, I began to see just how extensive that training was. These records reveal how infantrymen trained, the skills they practiced, and how the Army prepared them for combat.
This post is part of a series titled Before the Front. The series follows the training of Company G, 393rd Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. My dad’s journey begins with his first days at Fort Custer and continues through Camp Hood and Hendrix College, then to Camp Maxey, and on to embarkation for Europe, shipboard drills, and final preparations in England. Together, these posts highlight the training soldiers completed before entering the war in Europe.
Camp Maxey Training
Men as young as 18 arrived at Camp Maxey, Texas, one of the Army’s major infantry training camps during World War II, where they would eventually be assigned to Company G, 393rd Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. My dad was one of these young men.
By the time he arrived at Camp Maxey, he had already completed earlier phases of his training, including basic training at Camp Hood and a period of specialized instruction at Hendrix College through the Army Specialized Training Program.
According to the morning reports, he was transferred from ASTP Unit 3889 at Hendrix College to the 99th Infantry Division at Camp Maxey in March 1944.
Training at Camp Maxey focused on building endurance and
discipline while introducing soldiers to Army life. Days were filled with a
wide range of activities, including physical conditioning, weapons training,
field exercises, and classroom instruction. These activities went far beyond
basic fitness. They taught soldiers how to function as a unit, moving together,
responding to commands, and operating effectively under pressure.
The variety and scope of this training can be seen in the
activities recorded in the morning reports. The table below summarizes the
different types of training Company G participated in during their time at Camp
Maxey, offering a closer look at how the Army prepared these men for service.
The table below compiles the training activities documented in the morning reports for Company G during their time at Camp Maxey, offering a detailed look at how this training was structured.
Table: Training Activities at Camp Maxey
The training recorded in the morning reports shows just how structured and comprehensive preparation at Camp Maxey was. Soldiers were trained in multiple skills during their time there. Physical endurance, weapons proficiency, tactical problem solving, and field skills were developed together, creating soldiers who could apply these skills in combat.
What these records do not show are the individual experiences of the men who completed this training. The long days, the physical demands, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead were part of daily life, even if they are only hinted at in the reports.
For my dad, this period at Camp Maxey marked the final stage of training before leaving the United States. The preparation he received here, combined with everything that came before it, would soon be put to the test.
In the next post, his journey continues as he and his fellow soldiers travel by train across the country to Boston, making stops along the way and continuing their training even as they moved closer to embarkation for Europe.
