Description

Not so many chow calls ago, Camp Blanding was a playground for such wilderness denizens as snakes, egrets, wildcats and the most stylishly assorted group of alligators this side of the Congo. It wasn’t until September, 1940, that the Camp began to lose these jungle aspects and assume its present character as training grounds for the development of tough, cagey and alert soldiers. That was the month and year the Florida National Guard selected this area as the site for its summer maneuvers. The rest is history. Camp Blanding mushroomed from an entirely undeveloped wasteland into a tremendous military reservation spanning over 125,000 acres, the fourth largest city in the State of Florida, with the finest beach facilities for the teaching of swimming and for off-duty recreation of any Army post. Today, this modern metropolis of war has its own fire department, hospital, telephone and telegraph service, police force, sewage disposal plants, numerous huge warehouses, a water supply system and a complete railroad organization including roundhouses. Over Blanding’s broad sweeps stretch myriad obstacle courses, multi-acted drill and problems areas, firing ranges, modern tactical courses plus a general maneuver area extending miles from the lake-front. Kingsley Lake has everything peacetime vacationers used to travel thousands of miles and spend small fortunes to enjoy. It’s yours to take full advantage of, without charge. Camp Blanding is named in honor of Major General Albert E. Blanding, formerly Commanding General of the 31st “Dixie” Division and now chief of Florida’s Defense Council.