California State Military Department

The California State Military Museum

A United States Army Museum Activity

Preserving California's Military Heritage

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Historic Posts, Camps, Stations, and Airfields

Camp Elliot

(Camp Linda Vista, Green Farm Camp and Jacques Farm Camp)

 

On June 14, 1940 the camp was formally designated Camp Elliot in honor of Major General George F. Elliot, the Marine Corps tenth Commandant 1903-1910.

While construction was underway the Marines had to live in tents. Early construction progressed quite well and by October 1940 twelve barracks and a mess hall was completed. Additional land acquisition for Camp Elliot was accomplished through a Declaration of Taking on April 8, 1941- Including the main camp area of 19,298.25 acres which came under federal ownership. This was further expanded to 26,034 acres.

In September 1942, Camp Elliot became the home of the Fleet Marine Force Training Center, West Coast with the mission of training individual replacements for combat duty. In January 1942, with over 10,000 Marines in the San Diego area, the 2nd Marine Division, under the command of Major-General C. F. B. Price, assembled at Camp Elliot and assumed the responsibility for the conduct of the training there. Although thousands of Marines passed through Camp Elliot enroute to Pacific duty, even this area could not meet the expansion needs for the training of the overseas replacements.

Camp Elliot, on 1 July 1946, became War Assets Administration Property for disposal and decommissioning. Portions of this training area came under Navy control and, in 1944, the Navy took over Camp Elliot from the Marines, who were later transferred to Camp Pendleton. Camp Elliot continued to function through the Korean War. The Navy maintain control of Camp Elliot and let the U.S. Air Force use it for the Orion Project testing in 1960.

In addition to the main Camp area there were other training camps established on the Camp Elliot reservation –Camp Linda Vista, Green Farm Camp and Jacques Farm Camp, as well as a Parachute School.

In 1961 the Navy reported approximately 15,000 acres as excess to the General Service Administration (GSA) for disposal. The city of San Diego and San Diego Unified School District obtain portions of a 4,600 acre site for public use and educational purposes under a community development plan. Other parcels of Various size were sold to private parties. The property for the Tierrasanta residential community, 1,800 net acres, was purchased on 15 October 1968 by Leland S. Murphy and transferred to the Christina Development Co.

The Mission Trails Regional Park was conveyed to the city of San Diego by quitclaim deed on 10 January 1964. This deed restricted the use of the 2,100 acre site to historic monument/public recreational purposes for 20 years.

The East Camp Elliot area was reported excess to the General Service Administration by the Navy in 1961 and disposed of by quitclaim deeds to private parties between 1973 and 1974. The parcels vary in size and the total area is approximately 3,200 acres. A landfill, operated by the county of San Diego, is located within the East Elliot area.

The area north of Tierrasanta, Mission Trails, and East Elliot is still in use by Department of Defense (primarily the Navy with some Marine Corps and Air Force activity) and encompasses approximately 15,500 acres. Activities include movement and simulated exercises by reserve units. A rifle range is also located within the area and is still in use.

Posted 18 February 2009

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