Pelham Bay Naval Training Station
Pelham Bay Naval Training Station was a World War I-era United States Navy training facility located in Pelham Bay Park's Rodman's Neck in the Bronx. Located near City Island, and Westchester county, it was operational from 1917 to 1919. History. Prior to the creation of the Pelham Bay Naval Training Station, a national guard base was set up in the heart of Pelham Bay Park. The 280 acre site was designed by the architectural firm of Ewing & Allen and included a ninety acre hospital. The camp also featured entertainment facilities provided by  the Knights of Columbus, the Y.M.C.A., and other organizations including the American Red Cross and the American Library Association. Curriculum. The camp offered a number of sequential training courses, with mastery of a given course being required to advance to the next one. Influenza pandemic of 1918. The camp suffered from the Influenza pandemic of 1918 from late September 21 through late October 21, 1918, and again in December 1918. There were 2,399 cases of influenza, with a total of 145 deaths. Personnel. Librarians. A number of Queens Borough Public Library staff members took a leave of absence, and were  placed at the Naval station via the efforts of the American Library Association. The station's library staff included: