Discover

(Redirected from Fort Knox, Kentucky)

'Fort Knox' is a United States Army post and census-designated place in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade Counties. It holds the U.S. Army Armor Center, the U.S. Army Armor School and the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.^[1] It is also the site of the U.S. Bullion Depository and the George S. Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor^[2], both located on or near the army post.

Contents

History

Fortification

Post war

New camp

Mechanized military unit occupation

Current uses

Geography

Demographics

In popular culture

Current units

See also

External links

References

History

Fortification

Fortifications were constructed near the site in 1861, during the Civil War when Fort Duffield was constructed. Fort Duffield was located on what was known as Muldraugh Hill on a strategic point overlooking the confluence of the Salt and Ohio Rivers and the Louisville and Nashville Turnpike. The area was contested by both Union and Confederate forces. Bands of organized guerrillas frequented and raided the area during the war. John Hunt Morgan^[3] the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry for the confederate army raided the area before staging his famous raid on Indiana and Ohio known as Morgan's Raid.^[4]

Post war

After the war, the area now occupied by the Army was home to various small communities. In October 1903, military maneuvers for the Regular Army and the National Guards of several states were held at West Point, Kentucky and the surrounding area. ^[5] In April 1918, field artillery units from Camp Zachary Taylor arrived at West Point for training. 10,000 acres (40 km²) near to the village of Stithton were leased to the government and construction for a permanent training center was started in July 1918.

New camp

The new camp was named after Henry Knox, the Continental Army's chief of artillery during the Revolutionary War and the country's first Secretary of War. The camp was extended by the purchase of a further 40,000 acres (162 km²) in June 1918 and construction properly began in July 1918. The building program was reduced following the end of the war and reduced further following cuts to the army in 1921 after the National Defense Act of 1920. The camp was greatly reduced and became a semi-permanent training center for the 5th Corps Area for Reserve Officer training, the National Guard, and Citizen's Military Training Camps (CMTC). For a short while, from 1925 to 1928, the area was designated as "Camp Henry Knox National Forest."^[6]

Mechanized military unit occupation

In 1931 a small force of the mechanized cavalry was assigned to Camp Knox to use it as a training site. The camp was turned into a permanent garrison in January 1932 and renamed Fort Knox. The 1st Cavalry Regiment arrived later in the month to become the 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized).
In 1936 the 1st was joined by the 13th to become the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized). The site quickly became the center for mechanization tactics and doctrine. The success of the German mechanized units at the start of World War II were a major impetus to operations at the fort. A new Armored Force was established in July 1940 with its headquarters at Fort Knox with the 7th Cavalry Brigade becoming the 1st Armored Division. The Armored Force School and the Armored Force Replacement Center were also sited at Fort Knox in October 1940, and their successors remain located there today. The site was expanded to cope with its new role. By 1943 there were 3,820 buildings on 106,861 acres (432 km²). A third of the base has been torn down within the last ten years, with another third slated by 2010.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has maintained the Bullion Depository on the post since 1937. This facility is operated by the Treasury Department and is independent of the Army's operations there. However, it is likely that the post's security forces would assist the Treasury Department's security staff if needed.

Current uses

Fort Knox is one of the places where the Army conducts Basic Combat Training and it is home to Army ROTC Leader's Training Course, under the auspices of the 46th Infantry Regiment, and is used by both the Army and the Marine Corps to train crews on the M1 Abrams main battle tank. From 1960 to 1994 the post was home to the 194th Armored Brigade, which, amongst other duties, assisted Armored School training.
The history of George S. Patton's armor division, which was born in Fort Knox, is being transferred down to Fort Benning, Georgia. Fort Knox will only support infantry training and the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor. Fort Knox will no longer serve as training ground for the U.S. armor division.

Geography

Fort Knox is located at 37°53'34" North, 85°58'29" West (37.892809, -85.974709), along the Ohio River.
According to the Census Bureau, the portion of the base occupied by housing has a total area of 54.2 km² (20.9 mi²). 54.2 km² (20.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.14% water.
Communities near Fort Knox include Brandenburg, Elizabethtown, Hodgenville, Louisville, Radcliff, Sheperdsville, and Vine Grove, Kentucky^[7]

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 12,377 people, 2,748 households, and 2,596 families residing on the base. The population density is 228.4/km² (591.7/mi²). There are 3,015 housing units at an average density of 55.6/km² (144.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the base is 66.32% White, 23.08% African American, 0.73% Native American, 1.65% Asian, 0.44% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 3.63% from two or more races. 10.35% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,748 households out of which 77.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.0% are married couples living together, 6.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 5.5% are non-families. 4.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 0.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.49 and the average family size is 3.60.
The age distribution is: 34.9% under the age of 18, 25.5% from 18 to 24, 37.2% from 25 to 44, 2.3% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 22 years. For every 100 females there are 155.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 190.3 males. All these statistics are typical for a military base.
The median household income is $34,020, and the median income for a family is $33,588. Males have a median income of $26,011 versus $21,048 for females. The per capita income for the base is $12,410. 6.6% of the population and 5.8% of families are below the poverty threshold. Out of the total population, 7.6% of those under the age of 18 and 100.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty threshold.

In popular culture

★ The 1959 James Bond novel ''Goldfinger'' by Ian Fleming, and the 1964 movie of the same name, are set partly at Fort Knox. Only the scenes of the surrounding base were actually filmed on location. Interior scenes of the depository were shot on soundstages, while the exterior was a replica built in Britain.

★ Portions of the 1981 comedy film ''Stripes'' were filmed at Fort Knox, making use of older World War II-era barracks.

★ In the 2007 film ''Smokin' Aces'', one of the characters quotes "No, I'm gonna go down to Kentucky and take Fort Knox with a fuckin' slingshot" in response to capturing a mob snitch.

★ In ''Viva La Bam'', an episode with guest star Johnny Knoxville was entitled ''Fort Knoxville'' as a play on words.

★ In 2000, at the end of the film ''Battlefield Earth'', the humans find Fort Knox full of United States gold reserves.

Current units

★ Ireland Army Community Hospital

★ 5th Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 194 Armored Brigade, 46th Adjutant General Bn, 1st Bn 81st Armored Regiment, 2nd Bn 81st Armored Regiment, 3rd Bn 81st Armored Regiment, 5th Sq 15th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Bn 46th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Bn 46th Infantry Regiment, 113th Band, and 19th Engineer Bn.^[8]

See also

★ United States Bullion Depository

★ List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky

★ List of cities and towns along the Ohio River

External links

★ US Army Armor Center, Fort Knox, KY

★ Satellite photo of the Fort Knox Bullion Depository, click to enlarge

★ Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor (at Fort Knox)

★ Fort Knox history

★ Official Base information from the DOD Military Installations website

References

1. http://www.knox.army.mil/
2. http://www.knox.army.mil/PattonMuseum/
3. Ramage, James A., ''Rebel Raider: The Life of General John Hunt Morgan.'' Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1986. ISBN 0-8131-1576-0.
4. http://www.knox.army.mil/IMA/sites/about/history.asp
5. ''New York Times'' July 17, 1903 pg 5
6. ''The Courier-Journal'' April 15, 1928
7. http://www.knox.army.mil/famcom.htm
8. http://www.knox.army.mil/units.htm