Location:
The former Santee Camp (a name given to an unnamed site by Corps
of Engineers Formerly Used Defense Sites program) is located
on the southeast corner of the intersection between Magnolia
Avenue and Woodside Avenue in the city of Santee, San Diego County,
California. It is approximately a half mile west of the Woodside
Avenue exit from Highway 67. Although identified as being in
Santee, the 1 June 1943 edition of the Army of the United
States Station List does not show any Army unit there. However
the units listed below are shown as being in neighboring El Cajon
which had no other recorded Army installations. This area which
is now considered part of the City of Santee may have been considered
part of El Cajon during World War II.
Site History: The Army acquired the use of the Santee
Camp through unknown means sometime in 1941. There are no records
of the camp's existence after 1943. The Army used an existing
structure, built in approximately 1915, as a headquarters building
(this structure was known as Greenleaf's Ice Cream Parlor, which
then became the Wagon Wheel restaurant and dance hall, and is
currently.known as Mulvaney's Restaurant). The Quartermaster
Corps units stationed at the camp lived in tents, which were
located on the north side and on the east side of the headquarters
building. There may also have been tents located.to the south
of the headquarters building. First-hand witnesses of the camp
suggested that the site was used as a fuel depot for Army trucks.
The former headquarters building still exists, and is now used
as a restaurant. Except for a small field to the south of the
headquarters structure, the entire site has been developed into
a commercial area. Other than the restaurant building, no other
military improvements remain on the property.
Army Units Assigned
to Santee during World War II
Data Source
Date(s)
Unit(s)
Army
of the United States Station List
1
June 1943
Company D, 26th Quartermaster
Regiment (Colored) (WDC)
583rd Ordnance Ammunition Company
(Colored) (WDC)
3459th and 3460th Ordnance Automotive
Maintenance Companies (WDC)
AAF = Army Air Forces
| AGF = Army Ground Forces | ASF = Army Service Forces Units
| WDC = Western Defense Command
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