Camp Darby

Camp Darby is a United States Military base that is located between Pisa and Livorno. The Army base was dedicated in 1952 and named in honor of Brigadier General William O. Darby, who was killed in action on the shores of Lake Garda, Italy.

American Beach in Terrenia is the only United States Military beach in Europe, and it is a popular vacation spot for military personnel and their families when they are on leave. Camp Darby is also the home to United States Army garrison Livorno, 731st Munitions Squadron (MUNS), 3rd/405th Army field support Battalion, 839th Trans, 497th Trans, Livorno Unit Schools, AAFES, DECA and AFN Livorno.

History of Camp Darby

Camp Darby came into being in 1951, when the United States and Italy signed an agreement that the United States would operate lines of communication across Italy and occupy some land near Livorno. After the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955, all United States occupation forces in Austria were withdrawn, and Camp Darby was the designated base for the removal of soldiers, equipment and supplies from Austria.

In Camp Darby Italy, the main square is dedicated in memory of Private Masato “Curly” Nakae, a Japanese-American Soldier who fought during World War II. He fought near Pisa with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate), and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts there. When Private Masato Nakae’s submachine gun was damaged during an enemy attack, Private Nakae used a wounded comrade’s rifle and grenades to hold off the advancing enemy. Despite being severely wounded, he refused to surrender and eventually succeeded in causing the enemy to retreat.

The 7th Medical Command had its United States Army Europe (USAREUR) Contingency Hospital housed at Camp Darby during the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The USAREUR Contingency Hospital was congressionally mandated after barracks in Beirut, Lebanon were bombed. The Contingency Hospital’s mission was to be prepared to respond to any terrorist or natural disaster in the eastern hemisphere upon 18 hours notice from Congress. Captain Laurent La Brie was in charge of configuring the unit and taking care of the maintenance from 1987 to 1990.

Special Events at Camp Darby

Camp Darby is well known for many things, one of which is their Annual Camp Darby Olympics. On September 16th of 2011, Camp Darby had their 3rd Annual Camp Darby Olympics, with soldiers from Camp Darby’s Army units competing with the Airmen of 731 Munitions Squadron. The events include swimming, running, volleyball, basketball, a tug-of-war, and finishes up with the Tire relay.

The Camp Darby Association hosts many activities, including a community yard sale, flea market, and an annual “Run to the Tower.”

Units at Camp Darby

Camp Darby is a large military base and 26 Army, Air Force and Department of Defense tenant activities have their home there. The different Army organizations included are the Combat Equipment Battalion-Livorno, and the 839th Transportation Bn. The Combat Equipment Battalion-Livorno is in charge of storing and maintaining prepositioned equipment and vehicles. The 839th Transportation Bn. is assigned to the Military Traffic Management Command and is in charge of running all the seaports supporting United States Military operations throughout the Mediterranean.

The 2,000-acre Ammunition Storage Facility, whose 125 bunkers hold ammunition reserves for the United States Army, Europe, United States Air Force, Europe, and Army Materiel Command, is housed at Camp Darby. The post’s resident Air Force units include the 31st Munitions Squadron and the 31st Redhorse Flight. The 31st Redhorse Flight unit keeps two complete sets of prepositioned engineering equipment, about 500 pieces in all, that the Air Force can use to build airfields and repair damaged runways.

While there are many different units at Base Camp Darby, the largest of Camp Darby’s military bases is the Combat equipment Battalion-Livorno. They are the only American facility of its type in southern Europe; they store and maintain equipment for what’s known as a “two-by-two brigade set” – two armor and two mechanized-infantry battalions. There are enormous warehouses on site at the base that hold all the material, repair parts and support items the units would need, including M1 tanks, M2 and M3 Bradleys, M88 tank-recovery vehicles, Humvees and trucks. It is also used as an ammunition storage region.

The following is a list of the units that are housed at Camp Darby:
2×2 Brigade Set (APS-2), 14th Transportation Bn MCT-L, 31st Munitions Maintenance Squadron, 31st RED HORSE Flight, Leghorn Army depot, (one mile from post), 314th Support Center (Reserves), Coltano, Italy, (five miles from post), 509th Signal Battalion, SATCOM, Stagno, Italy, (three miles from post), 839th Transportation Bn., MTMC, (one mile from post), Combat Equipment Bn.- South (CEB-S).

Housing at Camp Darby

While Camp Darby has a revolving population of soldiers that come and go, it retains a permanent population, counting the units and family members, of more than 2,000 people. Included in this number are about 350 military personnel, which are comprised of equal numbers of both Army and Air Force personnel. Between the Region support Team staff and the CEB-L, there are about 580 Italian employees that reside on base and Camp Darby is also used as a training base for the Army National Guard. During the summer months about 700 Guard soldiers are deployed; these are usually mechanics or engineers, though Camp Darby also uses military police units.

Since no on-post housing is available at Camp Darby, most service members and their families reside in government-leased quarters. Service members not in government quarters and DOD civilians live on the economy. The overseas housing office is authorized to supplement BAQ and to defray rental and utility costs for service members.

While in a strategically important location, Camp Darby is also regarded as a beautiful vacation spot. Right on the edge of the Italian Riviera, it has amazing facilities that are also relatively inexpensive. All United States Military members or retirees, family members and DOD civilians have access to the post’s MWR facilities, including the PX and commissary. As well, all people assigned to NATO units who have NATO ID cards or NATO orders receive full access.