First Commander of Camp Atterbury. 

Activated and commanded Camp Atterbury through the bulk of World War II.

Franklin Evening Star - 13 June 1945

Camp Crier, 11/26/1943

Col. Welton M. Modisette, post commander of Camp Atterbury, has had 31 years of service in the Army, during which time he has held many important assignments.  Col. Modisette entered the Army in 1912, doing troop duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., and Ft. Bliss, Tex., until 1916 when he was assigned to Alcatraz Disciplinary Barracks.  He was stationed at Camp Premont, Cal., with the 8th Division in 1918, and then squadron commander with the 304th Cavalry, followed by command of the 43rd Artillery Regiment at Camp Stanley, Texas.  Aster acting as Executive Officer of the Disciplinary Barracks, in 1919, he served as Executive in charge of demobilization at Camp Funston, Kan.  After acting as Assistant Executive at Ft. Russell, Wyo., he commanded the post of Empire and a cavalry squadron, and was Executive Officer for a defense command in Panama.

Duty in Washington

In 1921, he went to Washington as liaison officer of the Recruiting Division in the War Department.  For several years he was Executive Officer and instructor of the 301st Cavalry Reserve in Buffalo, N. Y., then commanded squadrons of the ?4th Cavalry at Ft. Sheridan, Ill. and the 1st Cavalry at Camp Marfa, Texas.

From 1929 to 1933, Col. Modisette was Senior Instructor of the Kansas National Guard.  The next two years he commanded a squadron of the ??th Cavalry at Ft. Meade, S. D., in addition to being Executive Officer for 40 CCC camps in South Dakota.  After attending maneuvers on the Army corps staff at Pine Camp for the next six years, he was Assistant Executive and Executive Officer of the 78th Division and 3rd Military Area, 2nd Corps Area.  During that time, he directed the preparation of the mobilization plan used at Camp Dix and the operation of the military area, also the Provost Marshall procedure for the 2nd Corps Area in New York, New Jersey and Delaware.  He served as an umpire in ?st Army maneuvers in 1937 and 1940.

Arrived May 1942

Col. Modisette arrived at the partially completed Camp Atterbury in May, 1942, and has been its commanding officer since that time.  Under his direction, the huge camp of 40,000 acres is recognized as one of the finest military installations in the Middle-West, and its efficient administration has resulted in many commendations.

He is a graduate of the Field Artillery School, the Advanced Course at Cavalry School, and the Command and General Staff School.  Col. and Mrs., Modisette live in Columbus, Ind., and their son, Maj. Welton M. Modisette, Jr., is stationed at Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio, as Executive Officer of the Aircraft Section, Air Service Command.

Col. Welton M. Modisette, post commander at Camp Atterbury since its construction days three years ago is now on sick leave and is anticipating his release from the army. He was succeeded Wednesday as post commander by Brig. Gen. E A. Bixby, who has just returned from Germany where he was with the 3rd Army as an artillery officer.