History of 602nd Civilian Conservation Corps Company

 

CCC Company 602, Webster, Washington & Camp Sciad, California & Camp Lightning Creek, Clarks Fork, Idaho & Camp Double Bend, Camp F-41, Newald, Wisconsin

 

From Sparta Civilian Conservation Corps District, Sixth Corps Area, 1937 Annual

 

History 602nd Company
Camp Double Bend, F-41-Wis
Newald, Wisconsin

          The company was organized at Fort Sheridan about the middle of April, 1933. The junior officer Lieut. Thompson, is the only officer of the original company whose name is known. After conditioning at the Fort the company moved out west to upper Oregon. The bank with which financial business was transacted was located at Webster, Washington. They remained in upper Oregon for about eight months working on road construction and tree planting projects, mainly.

          The next several months the company spent in California’s Sciad Valley. Much of the time here was spent on dam construction projects. The company occupied a camp named after the valley, Camp Sciad.

          The company’s next move was to Clarks Fork, Idaho, to occupy a camp called Camp Lightening Creek. Here again the project was largely road construction. They were here until the fall of 1935.

          October 1935, the company left Idaho to return east to Fort Sheridan. Lieut. Thompson continued as junior officer. October 26, 1936, they arrived at Fort Sheridan with eleven key men.

          While at Fort Sheridan the recruiting was completed to bring the strength up to 186 men. Lieut. Thompson was now acting as commanding officer. November 7, 1935, the company left Fort Sheridan for its final home before disbandment.

          Two A.M. November 8, 1935, they arrived at Newald, Wisconsin, about four miles from the camp, which was located among huge boulders and amid much mud. The road from the town of Newald was very winding and contained two large bends or a double bend, hence the name of the camp, Camp Double Bend.

          Lieut. Thompson continued as commanding officer for about two weeks, until Lieut. Welch, Air-Res., arrived to take command. Conditions were difficult and the men had many inconveniences and discomforts to put up with. The large boulders strewn throughout the entire camp area between which large pools of water and mud accumulated made a very unpleasant setting. The big project was to improve the camp area and this work continued on to the time of disbandment.

          Capt. Barnes arrived June, 1936, to take over the duties of commanding officer. Lieut. Welch remained as junior officer. Mr. Walter Adrian was educational adviser.

          The fall of 1936 a heavy road-building program was undertaken as the work project in the field. A very creditable record was made, four miles of road was constructed, under the direction of the Camp Superintendent Mr. Morris Hancock and his technical staff.

          December 1, 1936, Capt. L.M. Eek, Air-Res., came to the company to take over the responsibility as commanding officer. Lieut. Raymond Baxter was the junior officer. Lieut. Arronson, Med-Res., camp surgeon. This same month Lieut. Arronson was transferred and Dr. Adolph J. Newman, contract surgeon, took over the responsibility for medical service.

          Late in January, the Ohio flood duty called seventeen men and Lieut. Baxter with four forestry trucks and the Army truck to aid the victims of the flood. They returned the first part of March, 1937. A few days after returning from flood relief duty, Lieut. Baxter was transferred to Camp Newald and Lieut. Marion B. Lithgow came to the company as junior officer.

          A strenuous basketball program was undertaken, the team winning a high percentage of games played, placing third in the Area tournament. Baseball prospects were excellent for a winning team, but with news of the disbandment of the company, no games were played.

          Orders for disbandment came the last week of May, 1937. Men were transferred to other camps and on midnight, May 30, 1937, Company 602 went out of existence.

----- Submitted by Curator

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