Erie Proving Ground

Erie Proving Ground is a military testing facility located in Ohio that spans across Ottawa County with specialized sections for artillery evaluation and weapons testing. The grounds were designed to handle complex experiments with military equipment alongside the nearby Camp Perry complex.

The facility opened in 1918 as Camp Perry Proving Ground and grew into a major weapons testing center during World War II. It became an important location for developing and evaluating military equipment over several decades of operation.

The facility integrated Italian prisoners of war into its workforce through the Italian Service Unit program, creating connections between military personnel and foreign workers.

The site sits in an agricultural area with restricted public access due to its military nature. Most information about the facility can be accessed through archived records and documents held at the National Archives.

During World War II the grounds employed Italian prisoners of war through a service unit program. This arrangement created unusual connections between military personnel and foreign workers within a wartime testing facility.