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1901 Construction
begins on the 400 acre base Fort Des Moines on Des Moines’
South Side.
1903-1904 Two companies of the all-black
U.S. Army 25th Infantry surprise Des Moines’ local citizens
by arriving instead of white cavalry. The 25th had been
stationed on the plains and was replaced by the 11th
Cavalry Regiment a year later.
1907 The 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the 16th
Infantry Regiment, Company K, arrive on post.
1910 The 6th Cavalry Regiment reports for
duty.
1917 The 17th Provisional Training Regiment
becomes the first officer candidate class of African-Americans
in United State military history. Its 1,250 officer
candidates include 1,000 college graduates and faculty
and 250 non-commissioned officers. The successful 639
receive commissions on 15 October 1917. Most would lead
the 92nd Division on the battlefields of World War One
France. A training camp for black medical personnel
joins the 17th Provisional Training Regiment later that
year. Most were practicing physicians who left their
businesses to join the war effort.
1918 General Hospital #26 opens on the post.
1920 The 14th Cavalry Regiment reports
for training and a Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC)
trains 1,000 locals in community defense.
1922 The 2nd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery
Regiment arrives for training. Things get loud fast.
1925 The 9th Field Artillery Regiment joins
the 2nd for training. Things get even louder.
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1928 The 2nd Battalion,
17th Infantry regiment arrives for training.
1933-1934 A Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
camp operates and the 3rd Battalion, 80th Field Artillery
Regiment arrives on post.
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 1937
Eventual United States President Ronald
Reagan receives his commission as a second
lieutenant on 18 June 1937 where he learned to
ride horses with the 14th Cavalry. “We shared something
very special at Fort Des Moines and I think we
were lucky that the horses knew what they were
doing!” – 5 May 1983. The 14th Cavalry leaves
Fort Des Moines for Mexican border in 1940.
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1942 The first
and largest Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps/Women’s Army
Corps opened on post training 65,000 enlisted troops
and 7,000 female officers for non-combat duty. Many
later served in World War Two Europe and the South Pacific.
1945-1946 A WAC separation center and a veterans
housing project opened on the post.
1949 Fort Des Moines became a U.S. Army Reserve
training center and remains so today.
1976 Fort Des Moines became an official National
Historic Landmark.
1997 Efforts were launched to build a memorial to the black
officers camp which have become the Fort Des Moines
Museum & Educational Center.
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