Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Air Fields
Camp Christiansen
(Camp Natoma)
History
by SGM Dan Sebby, Military Historian,
California Military Department
A former California State Relief Adminstration
camp for "unemployed, single men" named Camp Natoma.
The camp was located on the Jackson Highway (now California State
Highway 160), near the town of Perkins. After it was acquired
as the Sacramento post for the California State Guard (CSG),
it was renamed in honor of 2nd Lt Hans Christensen, who was killed
in the attack on Pearl Harbor, on 13 December 1941, The 47-acre
post served as the regimental headquarters and training camp
for the CSG's 10th Regiment and as a station hospital for local
units of the CSG. California State Guard General Order 31, dated
12 April 1943 indicated that the 1st Provisional Tank Corps,
California State Guard was established there with a single M-3
"General Lee" Medium Tank.
The 4 November 1943 issue of the Sacramento
Bee indicated that the California Highway Patrol established
its academy at the camp. In various articles published in th
Sacramento Bee, it appears that State Guard quit the post some
time in 1944 with the California Department of Finance placeing
the site up for sal in 1945.
Sacramento
Bee Article,
13 December 1941
Sacramento
Bee article,
19 December 1942
Click image for a larger
view
2nd Lt Hans
Christensen
Born in Woodland, Lt Christiansen
was a fighter pilot assigned to the Air Corps' 44th Pursuit Squadron,
18th Pursuit Group stationed at Bellows Field. As the Japanese
attacked the airfield, ground personnel rushed to disperse, fuel
and arm the squadron's twelve P-40 "Warhawks" lining
the edge of the runway. Christiansen was one of the first pilots
to reach his plane. However, as Christiansen started to get into
the cockpit, enemy fire struck him in the back and he fell at
the feet of his mechanic.
For his actions that day,
Christiansen received the Silver Star for gallantry, the Purple
Heart for wounds resulting in death, the American Defense Service
Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War
II Victory Medal. He is buried in National Memorial Cemetery
of the Pacific, Honolulu, HI; Section M, Plot 147.
