Camp Bouse
The 526th A. I. B. - Canal Defense Light Project
— Desert Training Center - 
California – Arizona Maneuver Area —
Inscription

Camp Bouse was established in Butler Valley 30 miles behind this monument in Sept. of 1943. It was one of twelve such camps built in the southwestern deserts to harden and train United States troops for service on the battlefields of World War II. The desert training center was a simulated theater of operations that included portions of California and Arizona. The other camps were Young, Coxcomb, Granite, Iron Mountain, Ibis Clipper, Pilot Knob, Laguna, Horn, Hyder and Rice. 

Camp Bouse was the home of the 9th tank group which consisted of six tank battalions, one armored infantry battalion, an ordnance company and a station hospital. The group trained in absolute secrecy mainly at night. The light device consisted of a high powered search light, mounted in an armored housing on a tank. Its purpose was to temporarily blind the enemy at night. The role of the 526th Infantry was to defend the operations of the CD tanks and attack if security of the tanks was being threatened.

The 526th AIB was separated from the 9th tank group in France, August 1944 and was assigned to the 12th Army Group HDQ under command of Gen. Omar Bradley, "C" Company became a security unit for Gen. Bradley in Luxembourg. The remainder of the battalion was heavily involved during the Battle of the Bulge, fighting the enemy in the Belgian towns of Trois-Ponts, Stavelot, Malmedy, Hedomont, Bougnee, and Geromont.

After the Bulge and until VE Day the 526th became part of "T" Force. The purpose of "T" Force missions were to seize, safeguard and process enemy documents, archives and material of intelligence or counter-intelligence and capture enemy agents, military officers and key collaborators.

This monument is dedicated to all the soldiers that served here and especially for those who gave their lives in battle, ending the Holocaust & defeating the armed forces of Nazi Germany.

January 1997 - 526er's Reunion
(l-R) Dick Ferris, Glen Damron, Chris Breuninger, Doug Ryder, Merrel Nilsen, Les Crosswhite, Tom Henderson, Bill Cordova, Jack Wilson (behind Monument), "Spider" Boyle, Merle Free, Frank Morrison, Claude Woods, V.J. Baca, Lloyd Jansen, Lucille Holderman (Ray), Norma Brown (Roy).
Not Pictured: Vic Brennan, Anna Marie Storiede (Harry), Leo Pereselin, Richard Damon, John Lynch, George Wendt (who was taking the photo)

526th Medium SP Amored Infantry Vet's - Ray Holderman & Roy Brown inspect metal tent cap left at Campsite.

John Bennett meets with
Tom Henderson - 526th AIB, B Company
AND GGerald Johnson - 526th AIB, Service Company

9th Tank Battalion 2001 tour (Top l-R) Damon, Chambers, Kirk, Morrison, Doug Rider (554th)
(Bottom L-R) Love, Ortega, George Wendt (526th) and Glenn Damron (526th)

ERECTED - 1997 by Lost Dutchman, Billy Holcomb, John P. Squibob Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, The 526th Armored Infantry Battalion Assoc and the Bouse Chamber of Commerce.
 
LOCATION - 33° 55.903′ N, 114° 0.3′ W. 
Marker is in Bouse, Arizona, in La Paz County. Marker is on Broadway Avenue (Arizona Route 72 at milepost 27) south of Main Street, on the right when traveling west.

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