Camp Ruston
Military· WWII· Delta

Camp Ruston

A WWII prisoner-of-war camp near Grambling that held 4,315 German and Allied POWs at peak capacity. The camp housed the captured crew of U-505 in isolation after the secret seizure of German naval codes — one of the war's most classified operations. Prisoners worked cotton, timber, and construction across North Louisiana.

Quick facts
  • ·Operated 1943–1946 as one of the largest U.S. POW camps
  • ·Peak capacity 4,315 prisoners
  • ·Held crew of captured U-505 German submarine in isolation
  • ·U-505 capture kept secret to protect code-breaking intelligence
  • ·Prisoners worked local agriculture and construction

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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.