Soldiers of the newly formed 215th Coast Artillery Regiment, Minnesota National Guard, are introduced to the 90mm M-1 anti-aircraft gun during intensified training at Camp Ripley in the summer of 1940.
Camp Ripley’s first armory, located just inside the main gate, was completed in 1937. A new armory, adjoining a new post headquarters, was opened in 1980.
The aircraft hanger, shown here in a 1939 photo, was built in 1932 and served as home for the 109th Observation Squadron when it trained at Camp Ripley. In the forefront are two Douglas O-38 biplanes; a North American O-47 monoplane peeks out from the hanger.
Camp Ripley, a state-owned military reservation in central Minnesota, serves as the primary field training site for the Minnesota Army National Guard. It is one of the largest such installations in the country.