As September 1918 was drawing to a close, New Jersey and much of the Northeast stood on the brink of disaster. Throughout the month, the Spanish influenza had swept through military installations, including Camp Dix in Burlington County, claiming more lives than were being lost in the trenches of France on the Western front. Government attempts to prevent panic among its citizens and to continue the war effort confused the decision makers and the public.

While the men of Camp Dix were under a strict quarantine, the civilian population was totally unprepared for what was…