Site Name: Naval Hospital Units 2, 4, & 5; Unit 2 was also known as the Balboa Park Annex during World War II and as the Naval Training Camp during World I; Unit 4 was also known as the Contagion Unit and the Rehabilitation Unit; and Unit 5 was also known as the Baggage Center.
Location: The Naval Hospital Units 2, 4, & 5 sites are located in three separate areas in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Unit 2 occupied buildings in the Prado area of the park. Unit 4 was
located in the southwest part of the park. Unit 5 was located in the northwest part of the park.
Site History: Museum and exhibition buildings in the Prado area of Balboa Park were first occupied from 1914 to 1917 by the U.S. Marines' Second Battalion of the Fourth Regiment along with a field hospital manned by Naval personnel, and again during World War I from 1917 to 1919 for the so-called Naval Training Camp. All of these uses are expected to have been primarily medical functions.
Shortly after 7 December 1941, following entry of the U.S. into World War II, the Navy took over from the city 33.0 acres and 29 exhibition buildings in the Prado area for Naval Hospital Unit 2. The Navy used park buildings in Unit 2 as hospital wards, nurses dormitories, and administrative offices. Establishment dates for Naval Hospital Units 4 & 5 are not known but are expected to have
been in 1944.
personnel. In 1944 these barracks were remodeled for use as the Navy's Contagion Unit, also known as the Rehabilitation Unit. Unit 5 was 2.6 acres in size and occupied 9 buildings which were also formerly used by the Army.
