During the spring and summer of 1940, the Japanese Navy menaced Southeast Asia and Hitler's armies blitzed their way across France. While Pearl Harbor was still far in the future, it was obvious to most Americans that the cause of freedom was in grave danger. President Roosevelt ordered most of the National Guard into federal service and signed legislation which authorized the first peace-time draft in American history. As General of the Army, Omar Bradley, later said: "a gigantic mess ensued." All existing military facilities were swamped by various units trying to mobilize and bring their readiness up to Army standards. Without a major new building program, there would be no place to teach the draftees how to be soldiers and get them ready to join their units.

On November 8, 1940, the War Department announced that one of these new training centers would be located in Spartanburg County, SC. The climate and terrain were perfect for year-round training. The community had supported nearby Camp Wadsworth with enthusiasm during World War I, and had fought unsuccessfully to make it a permanent installation.

The military reservation was named "Camp Croft" in honor of Major General Edward Croft (1874-1938), a South Carolinian who had served with distinction as an officer in World War I and retired as Chief of Infantry. It was located on the Southern Railroad about five miles southeast of Spartanburg.