As the first shovel of dirt turned, the plans for the marine base construction were in production. The base, the largest project ever authorized for the Marine Corps, called for barracks,administration, and service buildings needed to accommodate several hundred marines. Plans called for a complete base development that would include everything from officer' s quarters to a sewage system(1). The total cost estimate for the base project came to five million dollars(2).
A substantial amount of dredging and filling had to be accomplished before major construction could begin. This work went on throughout World War I and continued during the peace that followed. Topsoil for future landscape requirements had to be trucked in to cover the tidal marsh soil from the dredge operations. On 15 March 1919, ground-breaking ceremonies inaugurated the first permanent construction on the base -- six barracks buildings(3). The Dawson Construction Company, holders of a one million dollar contract, began construction in early April 1919. Their contract called for the completion of the six barracks within 20 months(4).
To permit the training of the marines for their expected expeditionary role, initial plans called for a sea wall and a shipping pier. As dredging operations required to recover submerged tidelands advanced, the sea wall and pier requirements disappeared from the construction lists and did not return for reconsideration(5). During the training periods of 1941 to 1945, in World War II, landing ramps for beach landings became a necessary part of the training conducted at the depot. These existed in the vicinity of the present Spanish Landing park on San Diego Bay(6).
Later in 1919 the Navy Department initiated the first step towards the formal establishment of an expeditionary force to occupy the new base. In September 1919, now Brigadier-General Joseph H. Pendleton received orders back to San Diego to activate Headquarters, 2nd Advanced Base Force. General Pendleton had been commander of U. S. forces in Santo Domingo until October 1918. At that time he became Commander, Marine Barracks,Parris Island, South Carolina, until ordered to return to San Diego. General Pendleton arrived on 1 October 1919 and activated the 2nd Advanced Base Force Headquarters on that date(7).
While construction of the new base progressed, the San Diego Marine Headquarters remained in Balboa Park where General Pendleton had left it in 1917. When he returned, the forces there consisted of only two reduced companies, the 152nd and the 209th. All others had been drawn away by requirements of World War I and Santo Domingo. On 30 October 1919, the Marine Barracks in San Diego had only 9 officers and 220 enlisted marines. Headquarters, 2nd Advanced Base Force consisted of Pendleton, one other officer, and 17 enlisted(8).
From 1919 until his retirement in June 1924, General Pendleton remained in command of all Marine Corps activities in the San Diego area. He became deeply involved in the development of the base that had resulted from his earlier imaginative efforts. Also, during this five year period, the force under Pendleton's command grew as new units were organized, or reorganized. The 7th Marine Regiment had been organized for Cuban duty during World War I and then disbanded in 1919. On 1 April 1921, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment returned to active service in San Diego, as a unit of the 2nd Advanced Base Force. Similar activities also occurred in reestablishing the force level of the 1st Advanced Base Force in Quantico, Virginia. In November 1921, the 2nd Advanced Base Force changed its name to the 5th Marine Brigade and the 1st Battalion 7th Marines, became the 1st Separate Battalion, 5th Brigade(9).
On 1 December 1921, the new post stood ready for service. On that day General Pendleton placed it into commission as the Marine Advanced Expeditionary Base, San Diego, California with Headquarters, 5th Marine Brigade as the senior command present(10). The marines from Balboa Park moved in and took up residence in the new barracks(11). Although several of the major buildings had been finished, or were close to being completed, much additional construction remained. Several years would pass before all major construction would be completed.
The initial six barracks, a quartermaster warehouse, a 100 foot flagpole, paved roads and walks, and sprinkler systems for lawns had all been completed in 1921. As construction continued into 1922, major buildings to house the medical dispensary and the post exchange came into being. Although the initial dredge operations and fill work had been completed, an additional contract was awarded to the United Dredging Company to dig an estuary channel between the Marine Base and the adjacent new Naval Training Station(14). Of the total cost of $700,598.19, the Marine Base share would be $243,979.11 while the remainder, $456,619.08, would be charged to Naval Traininy Camp funds. The channel would allow shallow draft vessels to reach both the Marine Base and the Naval Training Station from ships anchored in San Diego bay.
In the summer months of 1923, the 5th Marine Brigade still remained the major tenant of the Marine Base. Housekeeping and service troops also formed part of the marine population, however, their function primarily rested in providing support to General Pendleton's Brigade. Soon an additional and important new tenant would become a part of the San Diego base. In August 1923, the Marine Recruit Depot for the West Coast located at Mare Island Navy Shipyards in Vallejo, California, moved to its new home at the San Diego Marine Base(16).
In the summer of 1911, the Marine Corps had established two recruit training posts on the West Coast, one at the Mare Island Navy Yard and the other at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington State. In 1912 the Puget Sound depot had been consolidated into the Mare Island depot(17). From 1912 until August 1923, Mare Island had served as the recruit training site for all new Marines from the western part of the United States. The recruit depot came to San Diego to become a component of the command already located there. The function of the depot grew in importance and size to such a degree that eventually recruit training would crowd out other base activities.
Departing Mare Island on 10 August 1923, the recruits sailed on board the USS Sirius for San Diego. The voyage for that day proved short however, when the Sirius struck a rock off Alcatraz Island and had to put into San Francisco to inspect the hull. No damage of major importance had occurred and the ship continued on, debarking at the Broadway Pier in San Diego on 12 August 1923. Master Sergeant O. S. Nelson, USMC Retired, a member of the first platoon, arriving aboard the Sirius, remembers what the training was like,
...we landed, at the foot of Broadway, then they carried us over to the base in trucks and we started to learn how to be Marines ... where the airport is now was water . . . there wa s an old wooden theatre and of course a dirt parade field ...(19)
The recruit depot had been in San Diego for just over six months when the post received the designation that it would be known by for the next twenty-four years. On 1 March 1924, the base that had been developed as a result of the vision and efforts of General Pendleton became, officially, the Marine Corps Base, Naval Operating Base, San Diego(20).
The time had now arrived for General Pendleton to end his active role with the base. More than any other man, Pendleton had been directly responsible for the process that had moved the base from dream to reality. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 on 2 June 1924, Pendleton could be proud in the work accomplished and the solid foundation that had been laid for the base. For the next eighteen years, the now retired General would watch the base develop from Coronado, California(21). General Pendleton had been one of the first of a long list of distinguished Marine leaders assigned to command Marine Corps activities in San Diego. In 1974, the 62nd such Marine leader commands.
No further major construction would occur at the base from the time of General Pendleton's retirement until 1939. Minor improvements and changes such as beautification projects would be accomplished. The parade ground, dirt in 1924, was finally paved in 1930. Major development of the base was, however, considered to be at a halt in January 1926(22). A listing of all completed construction included: an administration building, a large power plant, an ice plant, a laundry, a bakery, carpentry and machine shops, a quartermaster storehouse, seven barracks, and five sets of officers quarters. The base now consisted of approximately 600 acres of which some 367.76 acres had been reclaimed tidal area(23). Although over four million dollars had already been spent on the base at the time, in terms of the original plans, it stood as only about 60 percent complete. The important installations were completed and expansion, in case of an emergency, could be quickly handled. Sufficient area existed for establishment of tent cantonment areas if such a need should develop(24).
Various recreational facilities had been included in the development of the base. Athletic fields for baseball and football as well as courts for handball, tennis and basketball had been completed. Boxers and wrestlers could exercise and conduct their workouts in a small gymnasium. The physical conditioning of the Marines could be maintained without resorting to off base facilities(25).