Carl Fernelius was born 6 September 1923 in South Weber, Utah. He was drafted in June of 1943, and received his orders to go to Ogden, Utah to work as an MP at the POW camp at the DDO. See also Stewart Library digital collection oral history Interview, WWII Prisoners of War in Ogden and MS 418 Venture Academy for his oral history interviews.

The Ogden Defense Depot, designated as a POW camp on October 11, 1942, was one of the first ten camps in the country. An estimated 5,000 Italian prisoners and approximately 4,000 German prisoners were sent to the facility. The prisoners worked in local warehouses, farms, and orchard.