Camp Callan
Camp Callan | |
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anti-aircraft artillery and coastal artillery replacement training center | |
Site information | |
Controlled by | United States Army |
Site history | |
Built | November 1940 |
In use | January 15, 1941 – November 1, 1945 |
Camp Callan was a
Location and current use
Camp Callan was located near U.S. Highway 101, about 15 miles (24 km) north of downtown San Diego in the La Jolla area. It occupied a roughly rectangular piece of land approximately 3 miles (5 km) north-to-south and 0.5 miles (0.8 km) east-to-west. This land is on the Torrey Pines Mesa and is near the Pacific Ocean.
The northern portion of the former base is today the 36-hole
History
Acquisition
On October 9, 1940, the San Diego City Council leased the
Early period of operation
On November 22, 1940, the
Middle period of operation
A period of significant change for the camp began in March 1942. The military had seen the terrible damage the Luftwaffe had inflicted on the United Kingdom so they decided to place full training emphasis on anti-aircraft weapons rather than on a combination of seacoast artillery and anti-aircraft weapons. This change marked the beginning of a two-year period of peak activity for the camp. Approximately fifteen thousand trainees were going through their training during each thirteen-week training cycle. Training ranges on the base included a 1,000-inch range, a 200-yard rifle range, a pistol range, an automatic weapons range and a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun range. The trainees learned to use 155 mm, 90 mm, 75 mm, and 40 mm caliber guns as well as the associated fire control equipment. Gun firing positions were established for this training. In addition to artillery gun positions and small arms ranges, a variety of other facilities and structures were built on the base. These improvements included barracks and cantonments, a 910-bed station hospital, offices, five Post Exchanges, three theaters, five chapels, support buildings, storage buildings and a landfill. In all, the developed part of the base covered twenty-three blocks and had over 297 buildings at this time. Various living amenities were provided for the health, general education and war training schooling of the trainees, much like other Army camps of the time. A weekly newspaper called The Range Finder and an annual pictorial review called The Callander were published at the camp. The camp eventually got its own 40-piece military band as well.
Late period of operation
In the last group of recruits attending Coast Artillery basic training at Camp Callan, was
Disposal
After the camp was declared surplus, the land it was on was disposed of over the course of a year. 710 acres (2,900,000 m2) and an additional 0.90 acres (3,600 m2) of leased land was cancelled on March 25, 1946. 120.08 acres (485,900 m2) of leased land was cancelled on August 9, 1946. 72.12 acres (291,900 m2) of leased land was cancelled on June 30, 1946. 367.00 acres (1,485,200 m2) of permit land was cancelled on December 13, 1945. 12.85 acres (52,000 m2) of licensed land was cancelled on March 25, 1946. The land under permit was released in lieu of restoration clause. The landfill was not on the permit land.
After closing
At the time the camp closed,