skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: America's Atomic Army: The Historical Archaeology of Camp Desert Rock

Conference ·
OSTI ID:919770

Established in 1951, Camp Desert Rock served as the training ground for America's 'Atomic Army'. For the next six years, U.S. ground troops traveled to the Nevada desert to participate in military maneuvers during atmospheric atomic weapons testing. Nearly 60,000 soldiers received physical and psychological training in atomic warfare. Abandoned when atmospheric testing ended, Camp Desert Rock was dismantled and its buildings moved to other locations. Today, the camp appears as a sterile expanse of desert marked by rock-lined tent platforms, concrete foundations, and trash scatters. Although visually unimposing, the site is rich with the history of America's nuclear testing program.

Research Organization:
Desert Research Institute, Nevada System of Higher Education, Las Vegas, NV
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC52-06NA26383
OSTI ID:
919770
Report Number(s):
ABST-2007-DEES02; TRN: US200825%%289
Resource Relation:
Conference: Society of Historical Archaeology Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 2008; Related Information: This is an abstract.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English