Historic California
Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields
Camp Otay
(Camp Primus,
Camp Weber)
Initially, a Mexican border
patrol post known as Camp Primus. It was established prior to
World War I by the National Guard of California's 1st Provisional
Field Battalion and located on Otay Mesa, 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.