Camp Darby
Summary
Operating Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
Location | 🇮🇹 Italy |
Status | ◉ Active |
Usage | Military only |
Year built | 1952 |
Operating Organization | US Air Force |
Units |
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Description
The Darby Military Community, formerly known as Camp Darby, is a United States military complex situated in Italy, between Pisa and Livorno in Tuscany. The base was formally dedicated on November 15, 1952, and is named in memory of Brigadier General William O. Darby. The main square is dedicated to Pvt. Masato “Curly” Nakae. The facility is under Italian military control and is operated by both the Italian Army and the United States Army. It is specifically controlled by the Italian Army Special Forces Command and US Army Garrison Italy. The northern section of the base was transferred to the Italian Army, which relocated its Special Forces Command to Darby on June 10, 2020. The base remains operational. Current units stationed at Darby Military Community include the Darby Military Community itself, the 405th Army Field Support Battalion- Africa, the 839th Transportation Battalion, and the 731st Munitions Squadron. Historically, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the 7th Medical Command maintained its United States Army Europe (USAREUR) Contingency Hospital at the site. This 100-bed hospital was mandated following the 1983 Beirut Marine Corps barracks bombing, with a mission to respond to terrorist acts or natural disasters in the eastern hemisphere within 18 hours. In 2012, the U.S. Army announced a realignment, designating the Garrison at Camp Darby as a satellite installation of USAG Vicenza at Caserma Ederle, with some staffing reductions, and it was subsequently referred to as Darby Military Community.