In
2005 and 2006 the WWII Remembrance Weekend remembered the WWII era and
honored Veterans. The WWII
Remembrance Weekend volunteers regretfully announce that this living
history event will no longer take place due to a lack funding and a
shortage of personnel.
Readers
might be wondering: why is the Civilian Conservation Corps
connected to a 1940's living history event. The answer
is: The War Department provided the administration and logistics
for the CCC program and the CCC experience familiarized men to the
military system.
 As
President Roosevelt sketched his plan for the framework of the
Emergency Conservation Work legislation, the War Department was tasked
with managing the camps. The
military was the only system in America that could mobilize, feed,
clothe, house, and provide for medical and education needs of a large masses of people. The Departments of Interior and
Agriculture were tasked with designing conservation work projects and
the Labor Department was in charge of identifying program
participants.
 After
WWI, the American military structure was reorganized into nine corps
areas. Each geographic division was lead by a Commanding
General. These commanding generals were also tasked with the
manpower and logistics of the CCC camps that resided within the corps
areas.
High unemployment and needy
conditions were demoralizing the general population and
citizens were wary of government. Socialism were beginning to
take a strong hold and the thought of have enclaves of young men
working under direct supervision made people suspicious. Labor
unions were uncomfortable with the premise of masses of men working
for the government for fear it would erode the pay scale.
There
are many parallels between the life style of the camps and the
military environment. Congressional representatives and citizens
made it quite clear that theses camps were not meant to be a training
ground for the military machine.
 The
military style camp life and discipline experienced by the Boys
in the CCC camps prepared them for the atmosphere they would encounter
as they entered the WWII effort. Most CCC boys earned rank very
early and made great contributions to their assignments because of
their earlier training.
 Many
Camp Commanders were chosen from the reserve officer corps.
Bringing these officers to active duty created the leadership
necessary to manage the camps and honed their command skills to be
better officers during the war.
(Click photos to enlarge)
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