Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Near Oceanside, California in the United States
Marines hiking at Camp Pendleton during 2014
MCB Camp Pendleton Location in the United States
Coordinates	33°12′53.1″N 117°23′15″W / 33.214750°N 117.38750°W / 33.214750; -117.38750
Type	Marine Corps base
Area	> 125,000 acres (51,000 hectares)
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Marine Corps
Controlled by	Marine Corps Installations West
Condition	Operational
Website	Official website
Site history
Built	March–September 1942 (1942)
In use	1942–present
Garrison information
Current commander	Brigadier General Jason G. Woodworth
Garrison	I Marine Expeditionary Force
Airfield information
Airfield	Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by Oceanside to the south, San Clemente in Orange County to the north, Riverside County to the northeast, and Fallbrook to the east.

The base was established in 1942 to train U.S. Marines for service in World War II. By October 1944, Camp Pendleton was declared a "permanent installation," and by 1946 it became the home of the 1st Marine Division. It was named after Major General Joseph Henry Pendleton (1860–1942), who had long advocated setting up a training base for the Marine Corps on the West Coast. Today it is home to myriad Operating Force units, including the I Marine Expeditionary Force and various training commands.