Joint Base Lewis-McChord

1917

Camp Lewis Established by Pierce County Land Donation

On January 6, 1917, Pierce County residents voted to bond themselves for $2 million to purchase approximately 70,000 acres to donate to the federal government for a new military post named Camp Lewis after explorer Meriwether Lewis. In just 90 days, construction crews erected 757 buildings, and the first recruits moved in on September 5, 1917.

1927

Camp Lewis Redesignated Fort Lewis as Permanent Post

On September 30, 1927, War Department General Order 15 officially redesignated Camp Lewis as Fort Lewis, transforming it from a temporary World War I training facility into a permanent Army installation. Construction of permanent red-brick barracks, a chapel, and hospital facilities began immediately, replacing the deteriorating World War I-era wooden structures.

1950

2nd Infantry Division Deploys to Korea from Fort Lewis

In 1950, Fort Lewis's 2nd Infantry Division became the first full American division to leave the United States for Korea, rushing to the Pusan Perimeter as North Korean forces threatened to overrun the peninsula. The division fought for two years in Korea and the post became a major mobilization and training hub for the entire Korean War effort.

2003

First Stryker Brigade Combat Team Certifies at Fort Lewis

On September 23, 2003, Fort Lewis's 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division became the first certified Stryker Brigade Combat Team in the U.S. Army, completing the transformation initiative announced by Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki in 1999. The 3rd Brigade then deployed to Iraq on November 2, 2003, becoming the first Stryker unit to see combat.

2010

Fort Lewis and McChord AFB Merge to Form JBLM

On October 1, 2010, Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base were formally consolidated into Joint Base Lewis-McChord pursuant to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendation. The merger created one of the largest military installations in the U.S. by land area, combining the Army's I Corps headquarters with the Air Force's 62nd Airlift Wing.