Our Background

Established in 1922 under acting Secretary of the Navy T. R. Roosevelt Jr., U.S. Destroyer Base San Diego encompassed 97 acres of real estate. The land was originally purchased for $750,000. The first ship, USS PRARIE, moored at San Diego in May 1921. The base was renamed Repair Base San Diego in 1943 due to the expanding repair and maintenance operations leading up to World War II. During World War II, the base, comprised of 921 acres accommodating over 18,000 Sailors, performed conversion, overhaul and repair of battle damage for more than 5,117 ships.

After the War, with continued changes in base operations, increased fleet logistics support and training, the Navy re-designated the base Naval Station, San Diego.

During the Korean War, the base was expanded to 1,108 acres with a workforce of 14,000. In the 1990s, the Naval Station was realigned under Commander, Naval Region Southwest and was re-designated as Naval Base San Diego in 2008.