California State Military Department
The California State Military Museum
Preserving California's Military Heritage
Historic California Posts:
Camp Otay
(Camp Weber)
 
Initially, a Mexican border patrol post. it was established prior to World War I by the California National Guard and located South of San Diego. It appears that the site was reestablished in the early days of World War II, again, as Camp Otay. It appears that during World War II that this installation, a sub-post of near by Camp La Mesa was also known as Camp Weber.
 
Corps of Engineers History of Camp Weber
 
LOCATION: The site is located on the northeast corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue, at what is now the southern limits of the City of Chula Vista, California.
 
SITE HISTORY: Named for Captain Edmund H. Weber, deceased. Information on the acquisition and disposal of the property that was once Camp Weber could not be found. Records of title indicate that the property was privately owned during World War II and no documentation of leasing and/or land use agreements with the U.S. Government could be identified. According to an officer in the 140th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, stationed in San Diego during the World War II, a Camp Otay; located very close (within 1/2 mile) to Otay River in the Otay Valley, was a sub-camp of Camp La Mesa, a battalion headquarters for the Army during that period. Due to corresponding descriptions of approximate locations, the estimated size of each camp location, and information derived from personal communications, it is believed that Camp Otay and Camp Weber are the same sites.
 
The officer of the 140th was not aware of how the camp started, but he was aware that it was a camp from December 1942 to February 1944, at which time his regiment was relocated. He recalls that it was about 10 to 20 acres in size, and that there were a limited number of houses and farms located nearby. The only known improvements to the site consisted of probably a total of 6 or 7 typical single story barracks used for housing about 200 troops. No evidence of the barracks remains.
 
The 140th was a standard infantry regiment, so most of the troops that stayed at Camp Weber were in rifle companies. The officer recalls that there was no rifle range present and does not believe that any kind of explosives were used at the camp. There was likely a small motor pool, but he does not think they fueled vehicles or performed extensive maintenance at this location.
 
The former location of Camp Weber on the northeast corner of the intersection of Main Street and Albany Avenue is now occupied by Otay Elementary School, the Otay Community Center, Otay Park, a San Diego Gas & Electric Co. substation, and a small vacant lot.

Very little information and documentation related to the former Camp Weber site is available.
 
Source: Los Angeles District, Corps of Engineers
 
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