Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow is a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

supply and maintenance installation located in the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

east of Barstow, in

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

, Southern

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. Its mission is to rebuild and repair ground-combat and combat-support equipment and to support installations on the

West Coast of the United States The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S ...

. Today, one of MCLB Barstow's most important facilities is the Marine Corps Logistics Bases’ Maintenance Center. The only other facility of this kind is located at MCLB Barstow's sister installation, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany.

Location

The base is located on

Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...

, 3.5 miles (6 km) east of the city of Barstow. The base lies at the junction of three major highways systems of I-15,

I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...

, and SR 58. It is approximately 98 miles from the

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), also known as 29 Palms, is the largest United States Marine Corps base. It was a census-designated place (CDP) officially known as Twentynine Palms Base located adjacent to the city of Twentynin ...

. The base is within of the two major seaports of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

and

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...

History

The Marine Corps Logistics Base, presently the second largest employer in the Barstow area, was established as the Marine Corps Depot of Supplies at its present location on December 28, 1942, when the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

turned it over to the Marine Corps as a storage site for supplies and equipment needed for

Fleet Marine Force The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...

s in the Pacific theater during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. By the end of World War II, the base had outgrown its facilities and as a result, 2,000 acres (8 km²) of land, approximately seven miles east of the Nebo Main Base were annexed from the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

in October 1946. In 1954, the Commanding General, Marine Corps Depot of Supplies, Roy M. Gulick, moved his flag from

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

to Barstow and since then the base has grown in stature, strength and size. USMC 07 Rose Parade

In March 1961, the importance of MCLB Barstow increased dramatically with the establishment of the Depot Maintenance Activity. (Need Help to correct the start date if needed--"In 1977 TOW Company was assigned to MCLB Barstow through 1980 while facilities were being built at 29 Palms, California.") In November 1978, the base was redesignated to its present title of Marine Corps Logistics Base to emphasize its broad logistics support mission. In the early 1980s,

MCLB Albany Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany is a United States Marine Corps base located just outside Albany, Georgia. The primary mission of the units on the base is to rebuild and repair ground combat and combat support equipment and to support install ...

and

Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...

worked aggressively to integrate logistics support for the Fleet Marine Force and eliminate duplications. As a result, all operational logistics functions moved to Albany and in January 1990, the Commanding General, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, was redesignated Commander Marine Corps Logistics Bases. The command was redesignated again in 2003 as a result of the merging of Material Command MATCOM and Marine Corps Logistics Bases to form

Marine Corps Logistics Command Marine Corps Logistics Command (MARCORLOGCOM) is a major command of the United States Marine Corps responsible for support for fielded weapons systems and support services and supplies. Mission To provide worldwide, integrated logistics/supply ...

(MARCORLOGCOM). In late 2005, MCLB Barstow started a transition from military police to civilian police to free Marines for deployment; the Provost Marshal Office,

military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...

, was augmented with a civilian Marine Corps Police Department, while many of the Marine Military Police stationed aboard the base have transferred to other commands. The transition from a Provost Marshal Office to a Marine Corps Police Department ended in 2007. As of late 2007, the department became the first police department in the Marine Corps to consist of all civilian officers. In 2010, the department became a blended force again with military police.

Sites

The base comprises three principal sites: Nebo Annex, Yermo Annex, and a third site serving as rifle and pistol ranges. Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow annexes

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow annexes

Nebo Annex

The Nebo Annex encompasses and functions as base headquarters and is the main facility for administration, storage, recreational activities, shopping, and housing functions. The Nebo annex had a population of 1,174 as of the 2000 Census. Of the population 54% is male; 65.6% is between the ages of 18 and 64, and 34.2% is under 18. The median age is 22.6.

Yermo Annex

The Yermo Annex, (Yermo Marine Corps Supply Center) in the town of Yermo, encompasses and is primarily a storage and industrial complex for the Marine Corps.

World War 2

Yermo Holding and Reconsignment Point opened on July 22, 1942, to control the shipment of supplies into West Coast ports by rail. In October 1946 the facility was transferred to Marine Corps Depot of Supplies. Later renamed Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow in November 1978. During World War 2 the site housed: *Yermo Holding and Reconsignment Point: For storing lend-lease supplies and supplies assigned to go overseas. *Yermo Sub-Depot: 2,031 acres for Ammunition Igloos and Ammunition magazines storage. *Yermo Army Service Forces Depot: transferred to the Navy Department in 1947. * Yermo Transportation Corps Sub-Depot, under command of the Lathrop Transportation Corps Depot in

Lathrop, California Lathrop is a city located south of Stockton in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The 2022 California Census reported that Lathrop's population was 30,659. The city is located in the San Joaquin Valley in Northern California at th ...

. *Yermo Quartermaster Sub-Depot was under the command of the Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot in

Mira Loma, California Mira Loma (Spanish for "Hill View"), now officially part of Jurupa Valley, was a census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States. Its population was 21,930 in the 2010 census, up from 17,617 in the 2000 census. Mira L ...

.Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot, Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot
/ref> Stationed at the Yermo depots during World War 2: *359th and 361st Quartermaster Service Companies *129th, 130th and 131st Italian Quartermaster Service Companies *2nd Platoon, 351st Quartermaster Service Company (Colored) *7907th Service Command Unit at Yermo Holding and Reconsignment Point *9216th Transportation Corps Technical Service Unit at Yermo Holding and Reconsignment Point *3992nd Service Command Unit at Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot

References

External links

MCLB Barstow's official website

''The Prospector''
base newspaper * {{CAMilitary, state=autocollapse United States Marine Corps bases Military installations in California Military facilities in the Mojave Desert Military in San Bernardino County, California Barstow, California Mojave Desert Logistics of the United States Marine Corps Military logistics installations of the United States Military Superfund sites Superfund sites in California 1942 establishments in California Military installations established in 1942