Camp Shelby in Forrest County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Store House/Greer Chapel
Interwar World War II Cold War
1935
Photographed by James Hulse, January 3, 2026
1. Store House/Greer Chapel Marker
Inscription.
Store House/Greer Chapel. Interwar World War II Cold War. In 1935, when Camp Shelby was selected to be the permanent home of training activities for the Mississippi National Guard, construction soon began on several permanent buildings on the site of the camp's former World War I base hospital. One of the structures built that summer was the Regimental Store House. Constructed of brick, it was used to store supplies, and continued to be used as a store house throughout World War II., After the War Assets Administration sold and removed all of Camp Shelby's World War II chapels, training site chaplains were left without a sufficient structure capable of holding large religious services. Funding could not be secured to construct a new chapel, so it was decided to remodel the brick regimental store house into a permanent chapel., On July 3, 1965, the renovated structure was dedicated as Greer Chapel, in honor of Mrs. Ruth (Nunnery) Johnson Greer. Mrs. Greer was the mother of Mississippi Adjutant General Walter G. Johnson, and was instrumental in selecting the structure as the new post chapel. Gov. Paul B. Johnson was present for the dedication., "Recently, plans for an adequate chapel for Camp Shelby were turned down by authorities in Washington on the assumption that the facilities would not be used enough to justify the expenditure. This, of course, raises the question in my mind as to just where we are now placing the emphasis in our training. An army is only as strong as the character of the men that make it up. History has proved this fact." - Maj. Aubrey C. Walley (Post Chaplain), 1956, Captions , (Photo #1) Builders stand at the south corner of the store house, overseeing construction in 1935. , (Photo #2) The completed store house stocked with supplies in 1935. , (Photo #3) The store house as it appeared during World War II. , (Photo #4) Greer Chapel was renovated and rededicated in 2005, and has remained in continued use as a chapel since 1965.
In 1935, when Camp Shelby was selected to be the permanent home of training activities for the Mississippi National Guard, construction soon began on several permanent buildings on the site of the camp's former World War I base hospital. One of the structures built that summer was the Regimental Store House. Constructed of brick, it was used to store supplies, and continued to be used as a store house throughout World War II.
After the War Assets Administration sold and removed all of Camp Shelby's World War II chapels, training site chaplains were left without a sufficient structure capable of holding large religious services. Funding could not be secured to construct a new chapel, so it was decided to remodel the brick regimental store house into a permanent chapel.
On July 3, 1965, the renovated structure was dedicated as Greer Chapel, in honor of Mrs. Ruth (Nunnery) Johnson Greer. Mrs. Greer was the mother of Mississippi Adjutant General Walter G. Johnson, and was instrumental in selecting the structure as the new post chapel. Gov. Paul B. Johnson was present for the dedication.
"Recently, plans for an adequate
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chapel for Camp Shelby were turned down by authorities in Washington on the assumption that the facilities would not be used enough to justify the expenditure. This, of course, raises the question in my mind as to just where we are now placing the emphasis in our training. An army is only as strong as the character of the men that make it up. History has proved this fact." - Maj. Aubrey C. Walley (Post Chaplain), 1956
Captions (Photo #1) Builders stand at the south corner of the store house, overseeing construction in 1935. (Photo #2) The completed store house stocked with supplies in 1935. (Photo #3) The store house as it appeared during World War II. (Photo #4) Greer Chapel was renovated and rededicated in 2005, and has remained in continued use as a chapel since 1965.
Erected by Camp Shelby Historic Trail.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, Cold • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is July 3, 1965.
Location. 31° 11.955′ N, 89° 13.43′ W. Marker is in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in Forrest County. It is at the intersection of Forrest Ave W and Jackson Ave W, on the left
Photographed by James Hulse, January 3, 2026
2. Store House/Greer Chapel and Marker
The view of the front of the chapel.
when traveling west on Forrest Ave W. The marker is located near the grounds of the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 850 Forrest Ave W, Hattiesburg MS 39401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Mississippi’s Pine Belt. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
More about this marker. The marker and the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum are located at the historic Camp Shelby, an active Mississippi National Guard military installation. The museum is open to the public, but appropriate identification is required for access.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 24, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 61 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on January 25, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
