Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Hotel Del Coronado
The Hotel Del Coronado
in the 1930s. (San Diego Historical Society)
The Hotel del Coronado has been a luxury
resort hotel since it opened in 1888. During World War II it
was situated at the hub of Navy activities in San Diego, as it
was adjacent to the Amphibious Base and the North Island Naval
Air station. The Eleventh District Naval headquarters were located
directly across San Diego Bay, about half a mile away. The hotel
was thus well situated to provide accommodations to Navy personnel
when space was not available on board ship.
Navy and hotel records show five leases for rooms in the hotel
between 1 July 1942 and 30 June 1946. The five leases comprise
the following:
1 July 1942 to 30 June 1943 for 6 rooms,
more or less, for the Commander of the Amphibious Force and his
staff;
1 January 1943 to 30 April 1943 for rehabilitation
of Navy personnel returning from war service at sea or overseas;
1 July 1943 to 30 June 1944 for 100 rooms,
more or less, as emergency quarters for 200 Navy officers;
30 June 1945 to 30 June 1946 for 37 rooms
for Amphibious Force officers; and
30 June 1945 to 30 June 1946 for 75 rooms,
more or less, as emergency headquarters for 200 officers.
No records were found to show which rooms
the Navy occupied.
The leases at the Hotel del Coronado were unusual because the
hotel continued to accommodate its civilian guests while reserving
a number of its 692 rooms for naval officer housing. Naval officers
staying there were treated as regular guests and, per the terms
of the lease, were provided the same food, privileges, and use
of the grounds, tennis courts, swimming pool and other facilities.
The Navy made no alterations to the hotel
to accommodate the Navy personnel.
Source: Los Angeles District,
US Army Corps of Engineers
The Hotel Del Coronado
today.
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