The United States was fortunate to be able to remain virtually neutral to the conflicts of the war for as long as they had been able to. Hitler, in Germany, was capturing one nation after another in his ruthless efforts of world conquest. Mussolini, in Italy, had defied the “League of the Nations” and had invaded Ethiopia. Being encouraged by his success, he formed an alliance with Hitler and together they conducted a menacing foreign policy aimed at world domination. Japan was hard at work seizing territories in China in their destructive actions.

  Hitler feeling that he was the most powerful structured nation decided that his next move would be to conquer the United States, a country he viewed as week. He made known his goals on October 27, 1941 as Germany had declared war on the United States. It was during this time that Japan had violated the “International War Policies and Treaties Acts” insisting that it was the United States who was in violation. In so much as the United States was violating their right to invade whomsoever they so chose. Negotiation were under way in progress between the two countries when Japan made the surprise attack on the United States on December 7, 1941 bombing Pearl Harbor.

  Widespread fear and feelings of defenselessness ran rapid sweeping the nation from coast to coast and border to border. Throughout this country young boys lined the streets answering the call from Uncle Sam. This nation marched to a different drum than today, its hard for most of us to realize that back then if you were eighteen years old or close to being eighteen you went into the military and no questions asked.

  The country was meet with an emanate dilemma thousands of men and boys had to be trained before they could go to war and face the enemies. Military Engineers were promptly sent out in search to seek a location with the following objectives in mind.

  1- To secure land far enough inland that it would be impossible for anyone to ever launch another surprise attack on the United States.

  2- The young men could remain safe while in basic and specialized training.

  A month later on February 10, 1942 an area in the northwestern part of Utah had been carefully examined and found to be the ideal location as it had also posed several other pluses. Under the direction of Captain Cutler an Army Engineer made public the choices based on a number of reasons. Those selection of the new site to build was only decided upon after carefully being studied. The wheat fields of Kearns it seamed were well situated from a military viewpoint.

  Secretary of War, Henry L Stimson in accordance with the Act of Congress approved on February 26, 1931, and amended on March 27, 1942 and under Public Law 507- 77th Congress which acts authorize the acquisition of land for military or other war purposes was filed in the United States District Court in and for the District of Utah Central Division authorizing the government the rights to purchase the land owned by the dry framers. This action was approved and filed on June 14, 1944. However, by this time the base was well under construction. On April 7, 1942 having taken only six weeks for the contractors to lay out the streets assemble the water mains, build their own sewage treatment plant and power systems capable of serving between 30,000 to 70,000 people. The nine miles of steel welded pipelines that stretched across the valley took sixteen days to construct a project that even by today’s technology is thought of in terms of months rather than in days.

  Unbeknownst too much of the country, the government had already contacted the property owners and all had agreed upon the terms and conditions of the contract. The land would revert back to the property owners and the government would return the property back to the way it was before they took it. Within just a few weeks all that was left to complete the deal were the legal issues and red type.

  The official description of the land was as follows, - The Camp will consists of gravelly bench land, well drained, and at a higher elevation than most of the towns referred to in this report. It overlooks the Salt Lake valley and the Salt Lake, which lies to the North. The land, having been dry farm land originally, was not of great value and was acquired at $40 to $75 an acre. There were no buildings on the property at the time of acquisition.

               (The forgoing is taken from court documents.)

(b) The public uses for which said lands are taken are as follows:

  The said lands are necessary adequately to provide for small arms firing range and other military purpose incidental there to. The said lands have been selected by me for acquisition by the United States for use in connection with the establishment of a small arms range, Army Air Force, Bacchus Replacement Center, and are required for immediate use.

  That the estate taken in said lands is a leasehold interest ending June 30,1943, subject to existing easements for public roads and highways, for public utilities, for railroads and for pipe lines, together with the right to extend said leasehold interest for additional yearly periods thereafter during the existing national emergency at the election of the Secretary of War, which election shall be signified by the giving of notice at any time prior to the expiration of the term hereby taken and subsequent extensions thereof.

  The sum estimated by me as just compensation for said lands, with all building and improvements thereon and all appurtenances thereto, and including any and all interests hereby taken in said lands, for the term beginning 13 March 1943 and ending 30 June 1943 and for the extension term of one year ending 30 June 1944, in accordance with the election of the Petitioner to extend the term condemned for said extension term, and for damages to crops, is set forth in Schedule “A” herein, which sum I cause to be deposited herewith in the Registry of said court for the use and benefit of the persons entitled thereto. I am of the opinion that the ultimate award for said lands will probably be within any limits prescribed by law as the proceed to be paid therefore.

  On all these documents it refers to the Army Air Force Bacchus Replacement Center, as this land was refereed to as the Bacchus area in all state and country maps of that area. Sometime after this the name was changed to Kearns. Since the military intended the base to be a temporary encampment the construction proceeded rapidly. Through it all it amounted to nine different parties and twenty-seven different tracts of land totaling 15,881,00 that the government paid for the land. It is estimated that the total cost of construction was $500,000 on roads, $1.827.644 for water, sewage and electric systems capable of serving between 30,000 and 70,000 people. In addition $38,000 on the boundary fence, and $89,518 on the railroad spurs a grand total of $17,432.456.44 dollars including the amount paid for the land.

  Kearns was 650 miles by air from Seattle Washington, and Vancouver Barracks the major harbors of deporting the men to war, 550 miles by air to San Francisco, which was also another major outlet. The same distances separated the boarders of Mexico and Canada from the wheat fields. The area relatively had a high degree of isolation. Major railroads afforded adequate transportation in all directions. The climate was healthful and varied recreational opportunities were a plus. An Army flying field was located about 8 miles northwest of the fields and a new municipal airport was located about 2 miles to the southwest. The terrain represented all terrains of the different theaters of war. Kearns sits almost equally distances between two major mountain ranges in Utah, and almost half way between two main lakes in Utah.

  By April 7, 1942 a temporary base was well under construction. Taking only six weeks for the contractors to lay out the streets assemble the water mains, build a sewage treatment plant and a power system capable of serving 30,000 to 70,000 people. By May 22, 1942 only five and a half months since the bombing of Pearl Harbor the roads and utilities had been installed, a feat that is still thought of today in teams of a year not weeks.

  The total area of the Army Air Force Base spread over 5,450 acres. There were approximately 1.7 million square feet of warehouse space a refrigerated storage warehouse, the only one its size in the western part of the United States. The second largest hospital in the state of Utah was a ten wing hospital located in Kearns. The hospital had a bed capacity of one thousand eight hundred. Also included in this same area was a large dental installation. Five chapels: four for different denomination, one for blacks. In all there were 926 tar papered buildings; which included 3 theaters, 2 gymnasiums, 3 fire stations, 2 service clubs, 16 mess halls, tent city, sewage treatment plant, post office, a telegraph office, 12 tailor shops, barber shops and shoe repair shops. A one of a kind Service Club known as Service Club #1 within its confines was a large outdoor patio used for dancing and parties, a library with more than 8,500 volumes, and a small motel used for families coming to visit their ill soldier who was in the hospital.

  The extended facilities were 4,250 acres. This area was used for special training. The largest 600-target ruffle range west of the Mississippi was located in the southwest area of Camp Kearns. A mile long Combat obstacle course, grenade throwing grounds, bayonets targets an airdrome defense area, chemical warfare area, camouflage area, a marksmanship training area, and a pistol and sub machine gun range. An area where men learned to disembarked down cargo nets of a ship. We have learned that the men named this ship the USA Neversails. An Oriental Village mock-up area to practice assault missions.

  Today, most of all the warehouses are still stand and are in use. One barrack remained but was transported to the Holiday area where is it is being used as a police sub-station. One Chapel from Camp Kearns is still in use today located in Coppertown nine miles southwest of Kearns. In March of 2006 action was taken to have the church listed on the National Register of Historical Place’s, it was officially listed nine months later.