Pennsylvania Military Bases

Military bases in Pennsylvania include the Carlisle Barracks, Fort Indiantown Gap, Harrisburg Military Post, Letterkenny Army Depot, the New Cumberland Army Depot and more. Pennsylvania has a population of over 12 million people and is located in the Northeastern part of the United States. The state structure consists of farmland, forests and mountains. Pennsylvania is rich in American history and symbolism which makes it a great place to visit on vacation.

Map of Military Bases in Pennsylvania

Carlisle Barracks

The Carlisle Barracks is the second oldest military base in the United States. Originally built in 1757, the base was used to train civilians who hadn’t formally enlisted in the military yet. In World War I, the Army took over operations on the base, and a hospital was built to treat wounded soldiers. In addition to the hospital, a medical school was built to train soldiers that weren’t well enough to return to combat. During World War II, the War College was established on the base.

In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) department proposed to inactivate the base, but after intense renovations and new facilities, the Carlisle Barracks stayed opened and is active today.

Fort Indiantown Gap

Originally built in 1755, the Fort Indiantown Gap was established to protect colonial settlers in Pennsylvania from attacks from Native Americans. In 1931, the fort became a national guard training center. During World War II, the camp was a staging area for the New York Port of Embarkation, which was the Army unit that was responsible for organizing units of troops and supplies to be sent overseas. In addition to preparing units to fight overseas, it became a demobilization site for soldiers to recuperate after returning from combat overseas.

During the Vietnam War, it was one of the largest reserve officer training camps in the army, and in the 1970s and 1980s, the base was used as a refugee camp for Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Cuban refugees. Since the 9/11 attacks, Fort Indiantown Gap has been used as a mobilization center for troops being sent to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Today, the fort is home of the Pennsylvania National Guard and a few Army units.

Harrisburg Military Post

The Harrisburg Military Post was established in 1929. It is currently the headquarters of the 28th Infantry Division, which is the oldest division in the armed forces. The post is used as a National Guard Armory and is a national historic site. Out of the ten buildings on the base, six of them are part of the historic site, and four of them are used for the 28th Infantry Division’s missions and operations.

Letterkenny Army Depot

The Letterkenny Army Depot is located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and was established in 1942 as an ammunition depot. When it first opened, weapons that could no longer be used during world war II were sent to the depot to be destroyed properly. The mission of the base hasn’t changed much from its beginnings.

Today, it’s an Army Capabilities Depot. It stores, maintains, modifies and demilitarizes missiles and munitions used by the Army. In 2007, the Letterkenny Army Depot began building Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for use in Iraq and was awarded the Army Superior Unit Award.

New Cumberland Army Depot

The New Cumberland Army Depot was built in 1918 for its strategic location on the Susquehanna river. It was used as a distribution and storage depot for supplies being sent overseas during World War I. During the Vietnam War, the main mission of the New Cumberland Army Depot was to repair army planes. Today, the base’s main mission is to provide a wide range of supplies, including vehicles, aircraft, uniforms, and medical supplies to armed forces units all over the world.

Tobyhanna Army Depot

Opened in 1914, the Tobyhanna Army Depot was originally a training camp for ambulance corps. In 1918, the base no longer trained ambulance corps but focused on artillery training instead. During World War I, the Army built a hospital to treat injured soldiers returning from Japan. It was also used as a prisoner-of-war camp for German prisoners.

Today, it is primarily used as a logistics center. The main mission of the Tobyhanna Army Depot is to repair and create technology systems for all of the armed forces. Including night vision technology, surveillance equipment, and radar and guidance systems. In 2005, the depot was awarded the Shingo Prize and Award of Excellence for its work on military technology.

Coast Guard Stations in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to one active coast guard station, the Coast Guard Station Philadelphia. It was opened in 2002, and is a life-saving station. In 2010 and 2012, the Station Philadelphia was awarded the Sumner I. Kimball Award, an award given to units for upholding high standards and exhibiting readiness in all situations.