Lt. Col. Arthur T. Lobdell
Lt. Col. Arthur T. Lobdell
commanded the camp at Algona from June of 1944 to its closing in February of
1946. He also was the first commander of the prisoner of war camp at
Clarinda, Iowa from late 1943 until his transfer to Algona.
Lobdell was an engineer by profession, serving the Nebraska
State Highway Commission before the war. He also served in France as a
junior officer during World War I. He remained in the reserves between
the wars and was recalled to duty to instruct ROTC at the University of
Nebraska in Lincoln when World War II began.
He was described as 'firm but fair'
by his men and was also remembered by some of the prisoners held at Camp
Algona. After the war, several former prisoners visited Lobdell,
including Chaplain Alex Funke and Eduard Kaib,
architect of the nativity scene.