The Camp Perry National Match Hut Endurance Award As part of the CMP's 100th anniversary celebration of the National Matches, the CMP has created a special contest and award--a tribute to the wonderful competitors who, every summer without fail, stay in the Camp Perry huts. According to Anna Bovia, a Camp Perry historian, during World War II, Camp Perry was leased by the War Department for use as a Prisoner of War camp for prisoners from the European theatre of operation. Italian and German prisoners were housed in "temporary" huts constructed of wood and tar paper. At one point, there were over 500 huts, with four to five men per hut. Given Ohio's cold winters, these huts even included coal stoves. Bentley Brothers, an Ohio-based construction firm, was contracted to build these temporary structures. Ironically enough, many of the huts lasted longer than the company contracted to build them. When the National Matches returned to Camp Perry after WW II, the POW huts became competitor housing and since then have been an important part of the "National Matches experience." Thousands of competitors annually take advantage of the low cost housing that the huts made possible. Many long-time competitors, in fact, claim bragging rights for how many nights they have stayed in the Camp Perry huts and their huts experiences are the topics of many huts stories. The Camp Perry National Match Hut Contest is simple. If you are a dedicated National Match competitor who has stayed in the huts for many years (in spite of flooding, wasps, distant showers, lack of privacy, no air conditioning, bad mattresses and now, high prices and lack of repairs), figure out how many nights you have spent in the huts and send us a note telling us how many years and days you've actually spent in the the huts. Document how many nights you have spent in Camp Perry huts as best you can. Also, good hut stories may enhance your standing in the contest. Send your entry for the Camp Perry National Match Hut Endurance Award to the CMP, Attn: Competitions, Hut Contest; P. O. Box 576 or email your entry to competitions@odcmp.com. The contest winner will be announced during the CMP and National Matches Centennial Celebration that will take place at Camp Perry on Saturday, 9 August 2003, after the Garand Match and a special prize will be awarded. We'll also do a story on the top contest entries in one of next summer's editions of The First Shot.