[CPEO-MEF] Officials investigate impact of Camp Grant

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Illinois
Officials investigate impact of Camp Grant
Interviews with area residents prove to be key for the Army Corps of
Engineers.
By CHRISTINE BYERS ‚ Rockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — Some of Charles and Verona McGuire’s greatest memories are of
three years they served at Camp Grant during World War II. More than 50
years later, their memories have become invaluable to the federal
government.

For the McGuires, Camp Grant is where they met and fell in love. For the
government, it’s a Formerly Used Defense Site, or FUDS.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers strolled down memory lane with the
McGuires for a study about whether environmental hazards lurk beneath
the old military installation. They want to know whether Camp Grant
poisoned the earth with its morgue, machinery repair garages, even
so-called “gas chambers” used for training in the use of tear gas.

The McGuires are among dozens who responded to corps’ advertisements
urging people to come forward with their experiences. The corps also
sent inspectors to Rockford to scour libraries and interview history
buffs. The result is a report, completed last week, that will be sent to
the state Environmental Protection Agency.

This article can be viewd at:
http://www.rrstar.com/localnews/your_community/rockford/20030210-31610.shtml

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