During the early days of World War II the government needed a place for a large army camp in the New York area so they condemned hundreds of acres in Orangeburg NY and built a large army camp. This, of course, was not River Vale in any manner at all but nevertheless did affect River Vale in any number of ways.

The prime purpose of the camp was to be used in World War II as the main east coast port of embarkation for US soldiers to be sent overseas to where ever they happened to be needed at the time. The soldiers would be sent to Camp Shanks from many different army camps all over the country and be gathered together to form a fighting unit or a support unit for the war in Europe. The soldiers would usually stay at the camp for anywhere from two days to two weeks as their units were getting assembled. While waiting for their turn to be shipped out the fellows had little to do so they were frequent visitors at the few bars in River Vale and the towns that were likewise within easy reach of the Orangeburg camp.

In addition to the presence of these welcome visitors to the area the camp also provided many jobs for the local residents including River Vale folks. The building of the camp provided thousands of jobs for a area that had been “ job starved” ever since the depression so the camp was not an unwelcome new neighbor.

In June of 1944 the Italians gave up their partnership with Germany and decided to team up with the Allied side of the conflict. About this same time the need for new troops in Europe lessened and the camp was less busy than it had been during the previous two years. Much to the horror of the local residents of the area they learned that the camp was now to be a prisoner of war camp. This caused much public outcry and concern for a short time.. The local people quickly learned that this was to be for Italian prisoners and the Italians were not mad at anyone.

The Italians quickly were recognized as a nice bunch of easy going happy young fellows and very soon they became like part of the landscape. Many of them had jobs outside of the camp in nearby restaurants, farms, and local businesses or even other military installations. They could come and go as they pleased and were left unguarded. They seemed to have no desire to escape. Many had relatives in the New York area and in Hudson County so they would spend time visiting with them. They often could be seen in their uniforms walking through River Vale on Sunday afternoons taking a leisurely stroll through our countryside. Many of them married American girls from New York or from Hudson County and eventually settled in the United States.

Next along came to the camp German prisoners, however they were not nearly as amiable as the Italians and they were not permitted off of the camp and they were guarded by American soldiers. They were treated as POWs, which, of course, they were. Many of the Germans remained hostile until they were about to be sent back to their own devastated homeland. Then all of a sudden there were many of these Germans who did not want to leave the United States and they tried all sorts of things to remain here. Some actually did escape and hoped to blend in with the local citizens but they eventually were all rounded up and sent home. Many of them quickly returned to this country and established residence in this same area where they were once held as prisoners and thus had successful, happy lives..

As the war was winding down in 1944 and 1945 the camp had a more pleasant responsibility and that was to welcome home many of the soldiers who were coming back from the war in Europe.

The soldiers would come into the New Jersey ports , be brought to Camp Shanks by train, and in a very short time would be sent to a camp near their home for discharge or else be discharged right from Camp Shanks.

After returning the German and Italian prisoners to their homes in Europe during the years 1945 and 1946 the government had no longer had any need for the camp and it was closed down as an army camp and became a low cost housing area for many, many young couples most of whom were attending colleges in New York City.

After a few years that too ended and the entire area became several housing developments and shopping areas and gradually melded into the surrounding area as it is today

Township of River Vale

Oddities

NINE HOLE GOLF COURSE

AN UNWELCOME INDUSTRY

FORDS FIELDS & AIRPLANES

ECHO GLEN LAKE

OUR BEACON LIGHT

CAMP SHANKS

RACETRACK