Person:Clarence DeCamp (2)

From the North Jersey History & Genealogy Center at the Morristown and Morris Township Library:

Neither marriage produced any children. Colonel Austin DeCamp's life was one of service to his country and in the community in which he lived. Colonel Austin's professional life began in 1914 when he served as Treasurer of the San Francisco Military Engineers Society, organized to prepare volunteers for preparatory induction into Officer Training Camps. In 1917 Colonel A. DeCamp was then appointed to the San Francisco Draft Board. Soon after, that same year, he was ordered to active duty as a first lieutenant in the Signal Corps. After receiving his first command, Colonel DeCamp's introduction to the American soldier left him with an impression that these men were woefully ignorant of their American heritage and this ignorance was manifested in the soldiers' indifference to the obligations of citizenship in general and military service in particular. Thereafter, DeCamp was determined to educate the American public in the concept of man and his government. Colonel DeCamp later embraced these very principles during his several commands when on active service in World War II. Colonel Decamp was a life member of the Retired Officers Association of the San Francisco Chapter, and the American Military Engineers of the California Commonwealth Club. In early 1950, Colonel DeCamp moved to Carmel, California where he became very active in Carmel affairs. in his later years, he was a much sought after speaker at patriotic events, and a frequent contributor to the one time public opinion journal, The San Francisco Argonaut. His ties to New Jersey and Boonton, in particular, can be seen in his letters to his younger sister, Joy DeCamp. Both brother and sister wrote often to each other throughout their lifetime and their letters detail an array of family activity in both New Jersey and California.

1.   North Jersey History Genealogy Center of the Morristown and Morris Township Library www.jfpl.org/HCFindingAids.

   DeCamp Family Papers, 1745-1976