Camp Beauregard
Camp Beauregard Today
Camp Beauregard serves as the primary annual training and pre-mobilization training platform for the Louisiana National Guard. Camp Beauregard supports all training of the Louisiana National Guard, and Department of Defense (DoD) customers in support of military and emergency operations both federal and state.
Additionally, Camp Beauregard serves as both a staging base for National Guard personnel and a logistical staging area for various emergency response agencies during times of State and Federal Emergencies.
The facility was renamed in 2023, and became the Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville.
Early History of Camp Beauregard
Camp Beauregard is located in Pineville, Louisiana, and is named for Confederate general and Louisiana native Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. It dates back to World War I when it was authorized by the War Department on July 15, 1917.
Originally, Camp Beauregard included the property that is now Pinecrest State School and a large tract directly behind the Procter and Gamble plant on U.S. Highway 165 as well as the present camp proper. The Camp Beauregard Base Hospital in 1919 became a U.S. Public Health Hospita,l and in 1920 a U.S. Veterans' Administration Hospital.
It served as a training facility for soldiers who were sent to France from 1917 to 1918 and was closed in 1919 and turned over to the State of Louisiana which used the grounds periodically for National Guard training.
It was reactivated as a federal facility in 1940 and served as the hub of the Louisiana Maneuvers. The WWII camp grounds also included nearby Esler Field.
Post World War II
 Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum |
Following World War II, Camp Beauregard reverted back to state control and was used as a training area for two years before again being deactivated. It was revived in 1973 and currently serves as a logistical and training base for engineer and aviation units of the Louisiana National Guard.
Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum
The Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum tells the story of the massive army maneuvers that prepared the United States for World War II and was centered on several army camps in the Pineville area.
Built as a replica WWII barracks, this museum houses memorabilia and artifacts from the WWII era, as well as WWI and earlier time periods. View life size military vehicles, authentic military uniforms, and historic pieces from the home front.
Admission is free. It is located at 623 G Street, Camp Beauregard.
The museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm. For additional information, and for arranging after-hours and weekend tours, phone 318.641.5733.
Camp Beauregard Historic Postcards
Shown below are images of Camp Beauregard in a series of historic postcards provided courtesy of the Louisiana History Museum.
Camp Beauregard, April, 1915 154 INF, 135 INF, 39 DIV |
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Camp Beauregard, February, 1919 |
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The original Camp Beauregard water tower when the camp opened. It was located near the current Pine Plaza Shopping Mall in Pineville on the Military Highway. |
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Other Military Camps in Central Louisiana
Military Camps in Central Louisiana in WWII |
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 Louisiana Maneuvers sign, outside Hotel Bentley, downtown Alexandria, Louisiana |
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Esler Field aka Camp Beauregard Army Field, and Esler Army Airfield. Construction began in 1939, and renamed in 1941 to honor Lt. Wyler Esler, a pilot who was the first casualty of the airfield when his plane crashed on April 11, 1941 Camp Polk (WikiPedia), near Leesville Barksdale Field in Bossier City (later renamed Barksdale Air Force Base) |
Other Sources of Central Louisiana Military Camp Information
Several other sites have significant information about these military camps, including:
- Louisiana National Guard
- Camp Beauregard at GlobalSecurity
- Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard
- WikiPedia Articles: Camp Livingston and Camp Claiborne
- The National World War II Museum, New Orleans
- Louisiana History Museum, Alexandria, Louisiana
- Camp Ruston POW Facilities (PDF)
- 32nd Infantry Red Arrow Division Veteran Association