The Raleigh County Historical Society unveiled a marker at Camp Prince Army Station on Friday, July 17. Camp Prince was an Engineer training and testing facility that provided testing of bridging equipment and techniques that were employed in the Korean War and training for the Army until 1957. The site was originally chosen for its unique directional flows and proximity to the Bluestone Dam. The terrain at Camp Prince is also very similar to the terrain in Korea.
Merle Cole, the Program Manager at Raleigh County Historical Society, gave a little history about what the location meant to him.
“We’ve installed 8 markers in the county and this one has some personal significance to me,” Cole said. “I actually fished right here with my father, we would see some soldiers here sometimes but not very often.”
Major General Robert Whittle, Commanding General of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division was the featured speaker. "I was the 97th Commandant of the U.S Army Engineer School. I was responsible for the very type of bridging training that was conducted here, so being here speaking has special meaning to me, "he said.
Other speakers included Tom Sopher, President, Raleigh County Historical Society; Lizzie Watts, Superintendent, New River National River, National Park Service, and Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kincaid, representing the West Virginia Army National Guard.