IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 59 

Recognizing the 75th anniversary of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2017 

Mr. ISSA (for himself, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. PETERS, Mr. VARGAS, Mrs. DAVIS

of California, Mr. JONES, Mr. COOK, Mr. KNIGHT, Mr. HIMES, Mr. 

BYRNE, Mrs. HARTZLER, Mr. GALLAGHER, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. 

MOULTON, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. PITTENGER, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. COLE, Mr. LAMALFA, 

Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. BOST, Mr. COFFMAN, Mrs. MIMI WALTERS of California, Mr. HILL, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. CORREA, Mr. KILMER, and Mr. 

BANKS of Indiana) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 75th anniversary of Marine Corps Base 

Camp Pendleton. 

Whereas Camp Pendleton, California, has been a critical 

training base for the United States Marines for 75 years, 

and upon the anniversary of its three-quarters of a century of service, it is deserving of the highest commendations and the heartiest congratulations; 

Whereas in March 1942, Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores was purchased for $4.2 million and officially named 

after retired Major General Joseph Henry Pendleton, 

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cate for a Marine Corps west coast training base before 

his death in February 1942; 

Whereas, on September 25, 1942, in an unpublicized visit to 

the base, President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated the new training base as Marine Barracks, Camp 

Joseph H. Pendleton; Mary Fay Pendleton, the widow of 

Major General Pendleton, assisted with the raising of the 

flag; Gunnery Sergeant Carl A. Ostrom presented the 

Colors; and Governor Culbert L. Olson of California was 

also in attendance; 

Whereas throughout the next few years as the base was growing, Marines trained for combat in the Pacific, and Pendleton-trained Marines fought at Bougainville, Tarawa, 

Cape Gloucester, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, 

Iwo Jima, and Okinawa; 

Whereas a group of American Indians known as the Navajo 

Code Talkers were trained at Camp Pendleton during 

World War II, and these communication specialists successfully confused the Japanese who were unable to decipher their unique code based on their unwritten native 

tongue; 

Whereas in 1946, Camp Pendleton was declared a permanent 

installation and became the permanent home to the 1st 

Marine Division in 1947, and in July 1950, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Edward Craig, left Camp Pendleton for combat in 

Korea; 

Whereas in fall 1951, to train the Marines for the extremes 

of temperature found in Korea, a satellite camp was established at Pickel Meadows in the High Sierras, which 

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continues today to train Marines in severe cold weather 

situations and in mountain warfare techniques; 

Whereas, on September 1, 1953, Camp Joseph H. Pendleton 

was redesignated as Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California; 

Whereas in 1965, Camp Pendleton Marines were again called 

upon to test their training on the battlefield, this time in 

the jungles of Southeast Asia; the 1st Marine Division 

headquarters would be gone from Camp Pendleton until 

its return in 1971; and Staging Battalion at the base became the training pipeline for replacement troops going 

to Vietnam; 

Whereas in April 1975, Camp Pendleton became home to 

more than 50,000 Southeast Asian refugees, who were 

housed in 8 massive tent camps which were erected in the 

northern part of the base, and the camp operated this 

refugee housing for 6 months; 

Whereas in August 1990, Camp Pendleton Marines found 

themselves the first combat troops on the scene in Southwest Asia preparing to fight against the superior numbers of Saddam Hussein’s military forces, and they returned home 9 months later, victorious, and proud of 

being the world’s finest fighting force; 

Whereas in 2001, Camp Pendleton’s 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted combat operations against the 

Taliban and Al Qaeda during the opening days of Operation Enduring Freedom after the September 11 terrorist 

attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia; and 

Camp Pendleton provided the training ranges and other 

support facilities to all I Marine Expeditionary Force 

Units who deployed to Afghanistan; 

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Whereas in early 2003, the I Marine Expeditionary Force 

with supporting units to include the 1st Marine Division, 

the 1st Force Service Support Group, and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing deployed in support of Operation Iraqi 

Freedom for operations in Iraq; and in a high-speed attack, and in conjunction with the Army’s 1st Armored 

Division and 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Marine Division 

conducted the longest ground march in Marine Corps history; 

Whereas Camp Pendleton has a daytime population of 70,000 

military and civilian personnel, with more than 38,000 

military family members occupying base housing complexes; 

Whereas in 2017, Camp Pendleton is celebrating its 75th anniversary in service to the Nation, the Marine Corps, and 

the citizens of southern California; and 

Whereas Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and its marines 

and sailors will continue to conduct and advance their 

training and technology to enhance their skills as the Nation’s premier fighting force, always at the ready, to operate in any climate or place: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) commemorates the service, dedication, and 

4 sacrifice of our armed service members and their 

5 families who served at Marine Corps Base Camp 

6 Pendleton; 

7 (2) recognizes the fighting force of the I Marine 

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1 rine Logistics Group, Marine Corps Installation2 West, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, Wounded War3 riors Battalion-West, Marine Corps Air Station at 

4 Munn Field, Marine Aircraft Group 39, Marine 

5 Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, Marine 

6 Corps Recruit Depot San Diego’s Weapons & Field 

7 Training Battalion, Marine Corps School of Infan8 try-West, Marine Corps and Army Reserve Forces, 

9 the Navy’s Assault Craft Unit 5, Naval Hospital 

10 Camp Pendleton, and 1st Dental Battalion; 

11 (3) commends the brave members of the Armed 

12 Forces who deployed from Camp Pendleton to fight 

13 in World War II and the Korean, Vietnam, Kuwait, 

14 Iraq, and Afghanistan wars; and 

15 (4) reaffirms its commitment to continue to 

16 honor the memory of Camp Pendleton and its crit17 ical role in the security of our Nation. 

Æ