The Los Angeles Port of Embarkation was located in Wilmington, Los Angeles County, California, approximately 19 miles south of central Los Angeles.The site consisted of 117.998 acres of land; 101.354 acres of leased land acquired from private, municipal and commercial owners by War Department Directive RE-D773 dated 10 April 1942, and 16.644 acres of lesser interests acquired by permit (2 tracts) and license (5 tracts) from the City of Los Angeles and private owners by War Department directive RE-D 773 dated 10 April 1942. Leases, permits and licenses for the 118 property tracts were obtained from property owners in the time period between 9 January 1943 and 26 February 1945. It was controlled by the San Francisco Port of Embarkation un late 1943 when it became autonomous..
The site was used as a port of embarkation by the US Army during World War II. The War Department (and the US Maritime Commission) utilized existing facilities such as: docks, utilities, roads, railroad tracks, warehouses and other buildings, and constructed additional facilities, such as flood lights and associated electrical equipment, and six (6) mooring dolphins and connecting catwalks. Existing facilities and improvements were conveyed back to original property owners upon termination of leases.
Records indicate that the effective date of disposal of the site by the War Department was 30 April 1947; actual disposal of property tracts was accomplished between 31 March 1944 to 10 February 1950. The leases on 93.651 acres of property were terminated on 30 September 1947. All lesser interests, totaling 16.644 acres, were terminated between 31 March 1944 and 31 March 1947. The leases on 3.859 acres of property were transferred to the Navy Department between 9 October 1945 and 15 April 1946. The lease on 3.844 acres of property was transferred to the War Assets Administration (WAA) on 15 August 1946. Additionally, 34 buildings on the site were sold on 6 March 1947. No record of purchase or Navy construction of these buildings were available. The dates of termination for Navy Department and WAA leases is unknown. Current ownership of the site is by private owners and the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Los Angeles Harbor Department. Site usage includes harbor facilities, petroleum storage facilities, LADWP Power Plant, railroad, light industrial, commercial and parking.his former vehicle storage area is bounded on the west by Eastern Avenue, on the south by Randolph Street, and on the north by the Los Angeles Junction Railroad.
Sub-Posts:
- Camp Anza (also known as Arlington Staging Area)
- Camp Ross
- Long Beach Ammunition Loading Pier
- Los Angeles Back-Up Storage Facility (later known as Rialto Back-Up Ammunition Storage Area)
- Los Angeles Port Of Embarkation Station Hospital (also known as Torrance Station Hospital)
- Port Animal Depot, Puente
- Wilmington Classification and Holding Yard
- Women's Army Corps Housing Area
Historical Data Card, Army Center of Military History
Units Posted at the Los Angeles Port of Embarkation:
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Source: US Army Corps of Engineers, Center of Military History US Army