Page 16 - Armed Forces Fort George G. Meade Base Guide

WELCOME

The nearest MARC stations to Fort Meade are the BWI Rail Station, Tank Corps Joe
the Odenton Station and Savage Station. For more information,
visit www.mta.maryland.gov/marc-station-information Around 1923, the famed tank-riding dog, Old Joe, befriended
Soldiers who manned the 66th Infantry’s light tanks. Joe became the
Airport: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall 66th Infantry’s official pet by order of the commanding officer of Fort
Airport (BWI) is in Anne Arundel County approximately 10 miles Meade and acquired fame by becoming the Army’s only tank-riding
from post and is the closest airport to Fort Meade. Other airports dog. Joe died in 1937 at the post hospital. The entire 66th Infantry
in the area include Dulles International Airport (Northern Virginia) honored Joe with a military formation and a procession of tanks.
and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington, D.C.). Military trucks escorted Joe to a grave near one of the tank parks.
Regional Transit Authority World War II

The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) manages public transit services Fort Meade became a training center during World War II, and its
in Howard, Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties and the city ranges and other facilities were used by more than 200 units and
of Laurel. RTA provides a free one-call/one-click transportation approximately 3.5 million Soldiers between 1942 and 1946. The
information clearinghouse for the Baltimore-Washington region. wartime peak of military personnel at Fort Meade was 70,000 in
Through the Transportation Resource Information Point (TRIP) you March 1945.
can find all public transportation schedules and fare information
for the Baltimore Metropolitan region. Call 1-877-331-TRIP (8747) Fort Meade was home to many services. The Cooks and Bakers
for assistance. The RTA services to Fort Meade from the Odenton School supplied bread for the entire post—approximately 20,000
MARC station are served by the Crofton Connector. See the people, including families. In 1942, the Third Service Command
schedule at https://www.aacounty.org/transportation/transit/ opened the Special Services Unit Training Center, where Soldiers
routes-service-hours. were trained in all phases of the entertainment field. Entertainers,
musicians, and others involved in the entertainment industry,
Fort Meade History including swing-band leader Glenn Miller, served in Special Services.

Named for Civil War Hero Fort Meade was also home to a number of German and Italian
prisoners of war. In September 1943, a group of 1,632 Italian and
Originally called Camp Meade, the base was authorized by an Act 58 German prisoners arrived at Fort Meade. Some of those prisoners
of Congress in May 1917 as one of 16 cantonments built for troops died during captivity and were buried on the installation.
drafted for World War I. The present Maryland site was selected
June 23, 1917 because of its proximity to three railroads, Baltimore’s Post World War II
ports, and Washington, D.C. The cost for construction was $18 With the conclusion of World War II, Fort Meade reverted to
million, and the land sold for $37 per acre in 1917. More than peacetime activities. One key post-World War II event at Fort Meade
15,000 men were involved in the construction of 1200 wooden was the transfer from Baltimore, on June 15, 1947, of the Second
buildings that housed more than 400,000 men who deployed U.S. Army Headquarters. This transfer brought an acceleration
through the camp on their way to France. In addition to troops, of post activity because Second Army Headquarters exercised
Camp Meade included a remount station which held 12,000 horses, command over Army units throughout a seven-state area. A
mules, and a blacksmith school. The 5,400 acres of land on which second important development occurred Jan. 1, 1966, when the
Fort Meade sits was originally owned by Maj. Samuel Snowden, Second U.S. Army merged with First U.S. Army. The consolidated
a Revolutionary War hero. Camp Meade was named in honor of headquarters moved from Fort Jay, NY to Fort Meade to administer
Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade, whose victory at the Battle of activities of Army installations in a 15-state area.
Gettysburg in 1863 proved a major factor in turning the tide of the
Civil War in favor of the North. Middle Eastern Conflicts

World War I In August 1990, Fort Meade began processing Army Reserve and
National Guard units from several states for the presidential call-up
In addition to men and horses, Camp Meade included three infantry in support of Operation Desert Shield. In addition to processing
divisions, three training battalions and one depot brigade. The “Hello Reserve and Guard units, Fort Meade sent two of its own active-
Girls”—women who served as bilingual telephone-switchboard duty units—the 85th Medical Battalion and the 519th Military Police
operators in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I—were Battalion—to Saudi Arabia. In all, approximately 2,700 personnel
also an important part of Fort Meade’s history. They were some of the from 42 units deployed from Fort Meade during Operation Desert
first women to serve as uniformed members of the Army—24 years Shield/Desert Storm.
before the Women’s Army Corps was established. In 1928, the post
was designated Fort Leonard Wood, but Pennsylvania congressmen, Post 9/11
angry at having the name of native son George Meade removed, After the events of Septempter 11, 2001, like all military installations
held up Army appropriations until the Army agreed to name the across the country and the world, the Army instituted increased
new permanent installation Fort George G. Meade, which it did on security measures. Roads once used as shortcuts through the
March 5, 1929. installation were closed. Gate guards and changed entry procedures

B-6 Armed Forces Fort George G. Meade Base Guide