Historic Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields

San Diego Antiaircraft Seachlight Battery Site No. 35

 

 

 

 

US Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District History (1992)

 

Location: The site is located in the City of San Diego, California, at San Diego International Airport near the intersection of Harbor Drive and Wake Taxiway (adjacent and to the west of Wake Taxiway, and extending 620 feet north from a point 20 feet north of Harbor Drive) .

 

Site History: The Navy acquired this 0.5-acre site by quitclaim deed in 1916 or 1917 as part of a much larger acquisition for the San Diego Marine Corps Base. The Navy reportedly did not improve the site, but did use it at some point as a staging area for amphibious landing practice. The Navy granted temporary use (by permit) of the site to the Air Force in 1944. The Air Force
proposed to use the site for the distribution of searchlights and for the housing of military personnel (i.e., construction of a 20' X 50' Army barracks). The barracks was to be connected to the sanitary sewers. The Air Force permit expired in 1946, and in 1949, the Navy quitclaimed the site to the City of San Diego. Information was not available concerning use of the site during the 3-year period following termination of the Air Force permit and prior to disposal by the Navy.
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US Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District History (1995)

 

The Navy acquired this O.S-acre site by quitclaim deed in 1916 or 1917 as part of a much larger acquisition for the San Diego Marine Corps Base. On S June 1944, the Navy granted temporary use (by permit) of this 0.5-acre site to the 244th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group, Fourth Air Force.

Prior to use by the Army Air Forces, this site was reportedly used as a staging area for amphibious landing practice and contained no structures or other improvements. The Army proposed to
use the site for the distribution of searchlights and for the housing of military personnel. Specifically, this land was requested for installation of a "searchlight section" and for construction of a 20' X 50' "Theator of Operation" type of barracks. Information was not available concerning use of the site during the 3-year period following termination of the Air Force permit and prior to disposal by the Navy.

On 26 April 1946, the searchlight battery site was retransferred from the Army Air Forces to the Navy. On 9 August 1949, the Navy quitclaimed this 0.5-acre site to the City of San Diego, as part of a 244.8-acre transaction. In accordance with the San Diego Unified Port District Act of 1962, this property was subsequently transferred to the State of California and granted to the Unified Port District to manage. The Unified Port District continues to manage the site, which currently is within the boundaries of the San Diego International Airport.

 

 

Additional Information:

 

The December 1945 War Department Inventory of Owned, Leased or Sponsored Facilities lists the capacity as 791 enlisted personnel and 63 officers billeted in hotel rooms and 396 more enlisted soldiers being housed in "Theater of Operations" type barracks.

The former Redistribution Station was restored to the individual private owners after the war when leases for the 68-acre site were cancelled between 15 March 1946 and 13 February 1947.

 

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Updated 8 February 2016