During the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941, the U.S. Army and Air Corps divided itself into two opposing armies to practice for possible war in Europe. Among the noted commanders was General George S. Patton, whose mechanized armored forces launched a flanking attack on Shreveport from a point near Lake Charles, proceeded northward through East Texas, and entered north Louisiana just north of Caddo Lake. Before attacking Shreveport from the north, his forces camped overnight on September 27th just west of Belcher. The next day the forces proceeded through Belcher and Dixie and successfully attacked Shreveport.