Maurice Steinlauf (second from left on the top row)

Veterans Day

Fort Sheridan was a U.S. Army installation located on the shores of Lake Michigan, just north of Chicago, in Highland Park, Illinois. It was active from 1887 through World War II and played a major role in training, mobilization, and logistics.

By the time of World War II, Fort Sheridan had become a major induction and training center for American troops — especially for engineering, logistics, and support units like the one your family member served in.

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What Was Happening There During WWII

During the early 1940s, Fort Sheridan was used for:
• Basic training and processing of new soldiers
• Engineer unit training, including construction and logistics
• Staging and reassignment before overseas deployment
• Housing troops awaiting transport or reassignment

It was not a combat base — it was a preparation ground for war.

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What This Photo Likely Represents

This photo appears to show a training company or platoon, most likely taken:
• During basic or advanced training
• Before overseas deployment
• Possibly as a unit memento before being separated and reassigned

The men are wearing standard U.S. Army field uniforms, and the setting matches Fort Sheridan’s layout during WWII.