Camp Perry

Infobox Military Structure
name=Camp Perry
location=near Port Clinton, Ohio


caption=
type=Training facility
built=1906
materials=
used=1906-present
controlledby=Ohio National Guard
garrison=213th Ordnance Company
372d Missile Maintenance Company
200th Red Horse Civil Engineering Squadron (ANG)
Ohio Naval Militia
Ohio Military Reserve
commanders=
battles=

Camp Perry is a National Guard training facility located on the shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. In addition to its regular mission as a military training base, Camp Perry also boasts the largest outdoor rifle range in the world. The firing is done in the direction of the open water of the lake, just beyond an earthen berm and the targets. Guard boats of the Ohio Naval Militia warn pleasure craft to avoid the "impact area" where fired bullets land. Violating this warning may result in the confiscation of pleasure craft.

Camp Perry has been the host of the NRA-sponsored National Rifle Matches since 1907. The National Matches, considered America's "World Series of the Shooting Sports", attracts shooting sports competitors from all across the world to compete in matches of all multitudes. The reservation is also home to the Small Arms Firing School, which provides shooters with expert training and facilities for improving their shooting ability. Camp Perry is also home to the Civilian Marksmanship Program's north office.

The original land for Camp Perry was purchased in 1906, and the reservation was named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the American naval commander who won the Battle of Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812. Rudimentary structures were constructed for use by competitors in the National Matches, and for transient personnel. During World War I, Camp Perry served as a training center for Army officers and marksmanship instructors. About 1918 additional area immediately adjacent was used to construct the Erie Army Depot, for artillery ordnance storage immediately adjacent to Camp Perry.

During the Second World War, Camp Perry served as a POW camp for German and Italian prisoners. After the war, prisoner quarters were converted back to use by transient personnel who were at Perry for training. The camp was used extensively for several years after WWII, but use slowed somewhat during the 1960s. The Erie Army Depot closed in the mid-1960s and was eventually converted to industrial use. However, many of Camp Perry's original structures are still in use, in one form or another.

At present, Camp Perry is the home of the 213th Ordnance Company (Missile Support, Corps), the 372d Missile Maintenance Company (DS) Detachment 1, the 200th RED HORSE Civil Engineering Squadron (Ohio Air National Guard), U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Unit 309, and the Ohio Naval Militia (the naval arm of the State of Ohio's Adjutant General's Department and part of Ohio's State Defense Forces) and the Ohio Military Reserve (the other part of Ohio's State Defense Forces) .

See also

*Wimbledon Cup, one of the NRA National Matches held annually at Camp Perry

External links

* [http://www.nranationalmatches.com NRA National Rifle & Pistol Championships webpage]
* [http://www.odcmp.com Civilian Marksmanship Program webpage]
* [http://www.nrahq.org National Rifle Association webpage]
* [http://www.cpmr-oh.org Camp Perry webpage]
* [http://www.cplcc.com Camp Perry Lodging and Conference Center]
* [http://navalmilitia.ohio.gov Ohio Naval Militia]
* [http://ohmr.ohio.gov/ Ohio Military Reserve]
* [http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/psu/309/index5.htm USCG PSU 309]
* [http://offo2.epa.state.oh.us/DOD/FUDS/NWfuds/Erie_Army_Depot.htm Erie Army Depot]