By 1943, the large number of Americans joining the military worsened the labor shortage and prompted the use of P.O.W. labor as allowed by the Geneva Convention. As the need for manpower escalated, prisoners of war were eventually dispersed among more than 500 camps in almost every state. Of the 21 camps in Idaho, Camp Rupert was the largest, at one time housing over 4,000 prisoners and about 1,000 army personnel and civilians. It was designated a base camp from which 24 branch camps in Idaho, Montana, and Oregon were managed.

Location: Liberty Hall, 325 W. Benton