Civil Air Patrol Wisconsin Wing cadets, senior members explore Fort McCoy history during Commemorative Area tour

Approximately 100 members of the Civil Air Patrol Wisconsin Wing Summer Encampment stepped back through more than a century of military history July 2 during a guided tour of Fort McCoy’s historic Commemorative Area.

The tour, conducted by 88th Readiness Division Historian Ward Zischke, introduced cadets and senior members to the installation’s rich military heritage while highlighting Fort McCoy's continuing role in training America’s armed forces.

As participants moved through the 11-acre historic complex, Zischke shared stories about Fort McCoy’s origins as Camp McCoy in 1909, its dramatic expansion during World War II, and the installation's continued importance as one of the Army's premier training centers.

The tour included each of the major attractions within the Commemorative Area, beginning with the Fort McCoy History Center, where exhibits chronicle more than 117 years of installation history through artifacts, photographs, uniforms, documents, and interactive displays. Exhibits tell the stories of Soldiers and civilians who have served at Fort McCoy through every major conflict from the early 20th century through present-day operations.

Cadets also explored the five preserved World War II-era cantonment buildings that form the heart of the Commemorative Area. Preserved as examples of the thousands of temporary wooden structures built during the nation’s wartime mobilization, the buildings contain displays featuring Army life during World War II, military equipment, uniforms, weapons, communications equipment, and historical artifacts that illustrate how Fort McCoy transformed into one of the nation’s largest training installations during the war.

The group continued to the outdoor Equipment Park, where more than 70 pieces of military equipment represent the vehicles, artillery, aircraft, and other systems that have supported training at Fort McCoy throughout its history. Zischke discussed the significance of many of the displays, including recently added artillery pieces that further expand the park's representation of the installation's military heritage. The Equipment Park continues to grow as additional historic military equipment is preserved for future generations.

The tour concluded at Veterans Memorial Plaza, dedicated during Fort McCoy's centennial celebration in 2009. The plaza honors all veterans while featuring Soldier statues representing the major conflicts in which Fort McCoy has played a significant role, including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terrorism. The memorial serves as a place of reflection for visitors while recognizing the generations of military members who trained or served at the installation.

Established in the early 1990s and formally dedicated in 1995, the Commemorative Area preserves an important portion of Fort McCoy’s World War II-era cantonment while interpreting the installation's complete history.

Today, the area includes the History Center, five historic World War II buildings, the expansive Equipment Park, and Veterans Memorial Plaza, making it one of the most comprehensive military history collections on any Army installation.

The tour was part of the Wisconsin Wing Civil Air Patrol Summer Encampment being held at Fort McCoy. The annual encampment provides cadets with a military-oriented leadership environment where they develop teamwork, discipline, aerospace knowledge, and leadership skills while experiencing life on an active Army installation.

Founded Dec. 1, 1941, just days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Civil Air Patrol serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. During World War II, Civil Air Patrol volunteers flew coastal patrol missions, searched for enemy submarines, transported critical supplies, and performed numerous homeland defense missions that freed military personnel for overseas combat operations.

Today, Civil Air Patrol continues its three congressionally chartered missions of emergency services, cadet programs, and aerospace education. The organization provides search-and-rescue support, disaster relief, aerospace education programs, and leadership development opportunities for youth ages 12 through 21 while serving communities across the nation.

Hosting organizations such as the Civil Air Patrol at Fort McCoy reflect the installation’s longstanding commitment to developing future military and civilian leaders while showcasing the Army's history and heritage.

Through experiences such as the Commemorative Area tour, cadets gain a greater appreciation for the generations of service members who trained at Fort McCoy and the enduring legacy of military service that continues to shape the nation's defense.

Fort McCoy, established in 1909, has trained millions of service members through World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the Global War on Terrorism, and current Total Force readiness missions.

Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.” The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”

And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”

Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin. The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.

Learn more about Fort McCoy online athttps://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.” Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.

Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”