Help with WW2 Photograph!

I purchased this photo awhile back and I find it quite intriguing. I was wondering if anybody could help me identify the location. I believe the location is written on the back of the photograph, but it is quite difficult to read. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

Devens, Massa ? Fort Devens Massachusetts ?


Kyle

 

Looks like almost the same spot in this picture! http://175thengineers.homestead.com/homepage.html


JULY 1966 Fort Devens Ma. 175th ENGINEERS 3rd Platoon waiting for a bus to Boston Harbor , destination Vietnam

 

Seems like a good hit Kyle.

 

Yes it does! That's incredible! Thanks for the help Grazing and Kyle, I really appreciate it.

 

Well read and confirmed by the photograph albeit more than 20 years later.

Regards
Tom

 

I concur it is Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

From Wikipedia:

"In 1940, at the onset of World War II, Fort Devens was designated a reception center for all men in New England who would serve one year as draftees. A massive $25 million building project was begun, including more than 1200 wooden buildings and an airfield. The 1st, 32nd, and 45th Divisions trained at Devens during the war. Devens also housed a prisoner of war camp for German and Italian prisoners from 1944 to 1946. It was designated as early as 1942 for detaining "enemy aliens" of Italian, German and Japanese birth."

Here is a World War I vintage postcard of the place; the buildings look similar.



EDIT: I am guessing that these men photographed are with the 32nd Infantry Division. By this point, the 1st Infantry Division had left and the 45th Infantry Division did not arrive until late 1942. It looks like the 32nd was slated to go to Europe, but ended up in the Pacific.

Again, from Wikipedia:

"The (32nd) division was initially ordered to prepare for an early departure overseas to Europe and the division moved to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, to prepare for transport to Northern Ireland. The 107th Engineering Battalion left Camp Livingston on 2 January 1942, and was shipped by train to Fort Dix, New Jersey. The 107th was shipped ahead of the rest of the division as an advance party so they could prepare an overseas camp for the division's arrival.
The rest of the division was to have three months to prepare for embarkation to the front in Europe. However, Japan had rapidly advanced into the South Pacific, progressively occupying an increasing number of islands. Japan was evidently intent on cutting Australia off from its American supply lines, and Australia feared that Japan was planning to invade."