In the early ‘40s, both the Army and the Marine Corps were looking for land for a large training base. The Army lost interest in the project, but in April of 1942 it was announced that the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores in California was about to be transformed into the largest Marine Corps base in the country. It was named for Major General Joseph H. Pendleton who had long advocated the establishment of a West Coast training base. After five months of furious building activity, the 9th Marine Regiment marched from Camp Elliot in San Diego to Camp Pendleton to be the first troops to occupy the new base. On Sept. 25, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived for the official dedication.
Camp Pendleton is proud of its colorful heritage and has been careful to preserve the past, as reflected in the home of the I Marine Expeditionary Force’s commanding general, which is now a National Historic Site.
Located in the
coastal city of Oceanside, about 35 miles north of San
Diego, Camp Pendleton is home to the 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force, 1st marine Division, 1st Force
Service Support Group and the 3rd marine Aircraft
Wing.
Main
phone numbers: Commercial
(760)725-4110/4111 or DSN 365-4110/4111
Mailing
address: Marine Corps Base camp, Camp
Pendleton, CA 92055-5001
Population:
33,600 active duty; 45,900 family members; 3,927
civilians
Housing: 760
officer family units; 6,003 enlisted family units; 168
unaccompanied officer spaces; wait averages eight months;
248-unit mobile home park (760)725-6246/6310
Temporary
lodging: 136 visitor units; 64-unit guest
house; campground (760)725-5304/5194
Community
Services Center: (760)725-5361
Schools: Five
elementary schools on base run by Oceanside and Fallbrook
school districts
Child
Care: Six centers for 750, 12-month wait;
130 approved homes (760)725-9723
Health
care: 123-bed hospital. Appointments
(760)725-4237; benefits (760)725-1283; Tricare
(800)242-6788. Four clinics on base.
Camp Pendleton, CA
has a
large and a medium size commissary - (760)430-1701, two large
exchanges, a mall, and one shoppette (760725)6233/7597-. Recreation at Camp Pendleton, CA
includes arts and crafts, bowling, auto hobby, recreation
center, theater, golf, gym, tennis, swimming, outdoor
activities, and stables.
