Prisoners of war in Utah during World War II
Open-knowledge reference entry
During World War II, Utah held 15,000 prisoners of war. These prisoners were predominately German and Italian, and they were spread out over 12 different camps over the course of two years. Utah's terrain of mountains and desert, as well as its isolated and inland position, made it an ideal place for housing POWs. Camps in Salina, Tooele, and Ogden held the most soldiers. Camp Salina is especially notable for the massacre that occurred July 8, 1945. Prisoners provided much of the agricultural labor throughout Utah during the war, allowing them to form special bonds with the community that weren't traditionally seen elsewhere in the country.
List of Camps
Military installations
Source:
Bushnell Hospital (Brigham City)
Bushnell Hospital was a military hospital built outside of Brigham City that was built in 1942. German and Italian POWs provided labor at the hospital throughout World War II, working on the hospital grounds, in the kitchens, in the laundry, and in nearby orchards. POWs also were able to receive regular medical care at the hospital, even receiving eye care and eyeglasses. A small number of Japanese POWs were given medical treatment there, but were under much more strict guard than the Germans and Italians.
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