Contractors took advantage of ideal sunny weather March 18 to successfully move a third World War II-era barracks at Fort McCoy.

Two World War II-era barracks buildings were already moved on Jan. 22 and Feb. 12-13. This third building was moved to the same area as the first two.

Army Corps of Engineers officials and the contractor are working to complete the movement of five 80-plus-year-old buildings while the ground is still frozen, although the contractor now has the route to move the buildings built up to better move around corners and along roadways.

Devooght Building Movers of Manitowoc, Wis., is the contractor doing the building moving with wheels and remote control powered by a generator. Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works planners have said a plan was previously worked out with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the contractor to move the five old barracks buildings to the 500 block of Fort McCoy in this move. The buildings will be temporarily set in that block until new locations are determined.

In moving the first building Jan. 22 on the installation’s cantonment area, the work took the contractors most of the day to get the building to its new location. The movement of the second building took two days to complete from Feb. 12-13. In the third move March 18, the contractors were able to follow the same route as the first two moves and complete it just slightly faster than the others.

The movement of these buildings is historical in that it’s only the second time these barracks from 1942 are being moved to be reused at the installation. Four barracks were moved in 2023 and then reset in three different blocks on the post.

Back when the buildings were completed during World War II, they were “state-of-the-art” and made then-Camp McCoy one of the premier training facilities preparing troops for the war effort.

In the Sept. 4, 1942, edition of The Real McCoy newspaper, in an article titled “Spectators praise new camp site,” some history of how the “New Camp” came to life is shared.

“The public came. The public saw. The public praised,” the article states. “Yes Soldiers, nearly 50,000 persons stared with pop-eyed amazement at the wonders of new Camp McCoy … when they came as guests in answer to the open house invitation of Camp Commander Col. George M. MacMullin.

“Roads, from every direction from miles around, were jammed with motor vehicles. Our visitors came in automobiles, trucks, taxicabs, and buses — an endless stream — almost bumper to bumper,” the article states. “According to Provost Marshal Capt. Hans R. Biegel, former sheriff of this county, it was the largest crowd of visitors he had ever seen. Expressions of delight at the beautiful buildings were heard on all sides. High praise was sounded at the efficient manner in which traffic was handled through the immense camp area. Not a word of dissatisfaction came from anyone. Members of the post and 732nd Military Police units acted as escorts and street guides were showered with compliments.”

The article further states, “It was a great day for the military personnel of Camp McCoy. The Army had constructed a city out of nowhere. A monumental token to freedom had raised its red-top head from a hill-enclosed valley of jack pines and scrub oaks. Started last March (1942), the new Camp McCoy today is a city of homes, chapels, theaters, recreation halls, garages, and oil stations. It has its stores and barber shops, fire halls and hospitals, training fields and athletic grounds.”

Building moves will continue as conditions permit, officials said.

Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” 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 at https://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.”