Camp Perry History Tidbits
Part of the mission of the Friends of Camp Perry is to maintain the historical significance of Camp Perry. We are going to use these pages to give you some of the "back stories" that you may not be familiar with about Camp Perry.
Denizens of Camp Perry may know that the ranges are named in honor of sons of Ohio that gave their lives during World War II and subsequently received the Congressional Medal of Honor. What you may not know is that Building 3 which houses CMP Headquarters, the Bataan Armory and the PX was named in honor 2nd Lt. Albert Baesel of Berea, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Lt. Baesel was not only the first Ohioan to receive the Medal of Honor for World War I actions, but also the first Ohioan to be killed in action in World War I.
Building 3 Dedication Plaque
Lt. Baesel was mortally wounded while attempting to rescue Cpl. Sterling Ryan during a battle near Montfaucon, France. Soldiers under his command loved him saying he was fearless for leading raiding parties into the enemy trenches. American Legion Post 91 in Berea, Ohio which was formed in 1919, was named for Lt. Baesel as the first Ohio casualty of World War I and local hero. Baesel's Medal of Honor was awarded on December 23, 1922 to his widow Lydia. The Baesel family maintains a website about Lt. Baesel. To learn more about 2nd Lt. Albert Baesel, click here.
I found an interesting video on archive.org that shows Camp Perry in the old days, circa 1946. Entitled " The Making of a Shooter" it follows a teenage boy learning how to be a safe and accurate shooter by some of the most famous shooters of the day. With footage from the Grand American Trap Shoot and National Matches it's quite a piece of history. The video is public domain and can be downloaded in various formats. Troll around archive.org and you will find WWII marksmanship training films and a lot of government shot films regarding military history!

Click here to watch!
Rev. 11/12/15
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