Perry, Oklahoma

Copied from Oklahoma District Civilian Conservation Corps Pictorial Review, 1938, page 103:

Company 868 of CCC was organized at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on the 24th of May, 1933, under the direction and command of Second Lieutenant Church M. Mathews, Sergeant Arthur P. Pence (Regular Army personnel), Corporals Carl R. Roberts and Nich Rini, and Private Burland T. Lee. On the following day (May 25), First Lieutenant Blackshear M. Bryan assumed command of the company.

On the 30th of May the company proceeded toward Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at which location they arrived on June 2. Camp was then established immediately on Elk River, twenty-six miles north of Steamboat Springs.

Captain Walter F. Duckett of the Medical Reserves was attached to Company 868 on the 2nd of June; First Lieutenant M. D. Masters was attached for duty on the 14th day of June. Then on the first day of July, W. H. Warren, Contract Surgeon, was attached to the company; his arrival relieving Captain Duckett.

First Lieutenant Ralph H. McKee of the Infantry Reserves reported for duty on July 14, and on July 17 W. H. Warren was appointed First Lieutenant in the Medical Corps Reserves.

On the 22nd of August First Lieutenant Philip M. Kernan of the 20th Infantry was appointed to Company 868, and over which charge he immediately assumed command. Two days later Lieutenants Bryan and Masters, Corporals Roberts and Rini, and Private Lee were transferred to Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

On the first of October Lieutenant Mathews also was transferred to Fort Sill and Captain W. F. Whittington, Q. M.-Reserves, was attached to the company. On the same date, Lieutenant Warren was transferred to Camp F-26-C; his duties were taken over by Contract Surgeon William Charteris.

Company 868 left their camp on Elk River on the tenth of October, 1933, and entrained for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they arrived October 12, 1933. Here they established Camp SP-3-O.

Captain Whittington was relieved October 28.

First Lieutenant S. N. Rogers of the Infantry Reserves was assigned to the Company on November the 7th.

Lieutenant McKee assumed command of the company on December 10, at which time Lieutenant Kernan was transferred to Fort Warren, Wyoming. Sergeant Pence was transferred to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, December 15.

Dwight D. Pierson, Contract Surgeon, took over the duties of William Chartris on December 16.

On March 16, 1934, First Lieutenant Cole of the Infantry Reserves took over the duties of First Lieutenant (Infantry Reserves) S. N. Rogers, who was relieved.

On the first of May, 1934, the company was transferred ro Perry Lake, Perry, Oklahoma.

While encamped near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, the men of Company 868 were occupied with road building, fire prevention, timber thinning and other forms of forestry work. Their work at Camp SP-3-O near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, consisted in soil erosion control and park building.

Sources

  1. Oklahoma District Civilian Conservation Corps Pictorial Review, 1938, pages 102-104.