German Prisoners of War in Florida

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Some German Prisoners of War were housed in Florida camps, including Camp Gordon Johnston and Camp Blanding.

Photo Credit: Florida State Archives

During World War II, about 378,000 German and Italian prisoners were sent to prisoner of war (POW) camps in the United States. Florida, with its military bases, warm climate and agriculture and lumbering activity, was an ideal location for prisoner of war camps, and about 10,000 German prisoners were eventually incarcerated in the state.

The two major camps housing German prisoners were Camp Blanding and Camp Gordon Johnston. Beginning in 1942, some 7,500 prisoners were held at Blanding and at 20 branch or side camps. Starting in 1944, 2,500 prisoners were confined at Camp Gordon Johnston and its three branch camps.

Enlisted personnel worked in a variety of positions inside and outside the camp, and noncommissioned officers performed supervisory functions. German officers and noncommissioned officers maintained discipline inside the compounds. This often led to confrontations between Nazis, members of U-boat crews or the Africa Corps, and anti-Nazis, as well as between ethnic Germans and non-German prisoners.