▁m ug gy ▁weather ▁made ▁this ▁a ▁logical ▁location ▁for ▁training ▁American ▁troops ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁East - As ian ▁war ▁efforts . ▁The ▁camp , ▁and ▁several ▁tens ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁acres ▁of ▁surrounding ▁land , ▁including ▁Camp ▁Cla ib or ne , ▁Camp ▁Living ston , ▁Camp ▁Cook , ▁Fort ▁Pol k ▁and ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Es ler ▁Regional ▁Airport ▁were ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁M ane u vers , ▁a ▁training ▁exercise ▁involving ▁almost ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁men , ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁the ▁batt les ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Two - third s ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁military ▁rot ated ▁through ▁these ▁war ▁games . ▁A ▁large ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Louisiana , ▁centered ▁on ▁these ▁large ▁cam ps , ▁became ▁almost ▁an ▁occupied ▁territory . ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁camp ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁state , ▁which ▁used ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁training ▁area ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁and ▁then ▁de activ ated ▁it . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁the ▁camp ▁was ▁react iv ated , ▁and ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁premier ▁military ▁training ▁areas ▁in ▁Louisiana . ▁Since ▁then , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁buildings ▁have ▁either ▁been ▁torn ▁down ▁or ▁rem ode led , ▁and ▁many ▁new ▁buildings ▁have ▁been ▁constructed . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 5 6 th ▁Infantry ▁Brigade ▁Com bat ▁Team ▁of ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁Army ▁National ▁Guard ▁often ▁makes ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁Camp ' s ▁training ▁and ▁lod ging