During World War II, the U.S. military established multiple Prisoners of War (POW) Branch Camps at the request of East Texas communities seeking to boost federal economic investment and address local labor shortages. San Augustine, a branch of Camp Fannin (Smith Co.) was completed in March 1944. The first POWs, part of Germany's Afrika Korps, arrived here in April 1944, with a peak population of 331. POWs worked primarily on forestry projects. The camp remained open longer than any other branch camp in East Texas. After the war, several area branch camps closed and sent their POWs here, and later Camp Fannin, before repatriation to Europe. Camp San Augustine closed in April 1946. Texas in World War II - 2009