US Naval Training Station
The U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, later known as Naval Training Center (NTC) San Diego, was a crucial facility for the United States Navy, operating from 1923 to 1997. Located in Point Loma, the station played a key role in preparing sailors for service, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It was one of the largest naval training centers on the West Coast, training over 1.75 million sailors throughout its history.
The training station was established in response to the Navy’s growing need for a dedicated facility on the Pacific Coast. Prior to its creation, naval training was primarily conducted aboard ships or at small shore stations. The Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings, designed by architect Frank W. Stevenson, gave the base a distinct appearance that remains a defining feature of the site today. Construction began in 1923, and the first recruits arrived in 1924.
During World War II, NTC San Diego became one of the most critical training facilities in the nation. Before the war, the base trained about 5,000 recruits per year, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, operations ramped up dramatically. At its peak, the station housed and trained 33,000 recruits at a time, operating 24 hours a day to keep up with wartime demand. Over the course of the war, more than 300,000 sailors passed through the station, learning everything from seamanship and weapons handling to communications and physical conditioning. To accommodate the surge, temporary barracks and training facilities were constructed, and the base continued expanding through the 1940s and beyond.
After the war, the base remained essential as the Navy modernized. During the Korean War (1950–1953) and Vietnam War (1955–1975), NTC San Diego continued to train thousands of recruits, with additional specialized schools established for electronics, radar, sonar, and nuclear propulsion. The base eventually grew to include multiple commands, including the Naval Training Center Command for basic recruit training, the Service Schools Commandfor technical instruction, and the Fleet Training Center, which provided ongoing education for active-duty personnel.
By the 1970s and 1980s, the station was at its peak, training over 20,000 recruits at a time. The site expanded further with modern facilities, including new classrooms, barracks, an updated medical center, and a massive mess hall. The USS Recruit, a landlocked training ship, was built on-site in 1949 to provide recruits with hands-on experience aboard a naval vessel.
With the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military underwent major downsizing, and in 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission recommended shutting down NTC San Diego. The station officially closed in 1997, and the land was transferred to the City of San Diego. Rather than demolish the historic base, city planners transformed it into Liberty Station, a mixed-use development featuring restaurants, shops, offices, schools, parks, and an Arts District. Many of the original Spanish-style buildings were preserved and repurposed, keeping the naval heritage alive in a new form. Today, Liberty Station is home to attractions such as Liberty Public Market, NTC Park, and a collection of museums and galleries.
Even though it no longer serves as a training facility, the legacy of NTC San Diego is honored throughout Liberty Station. The USS Recruit still stands, historical exhibits showcase the site’s past, and plaques commemorate the 1.75 million sailors who trained there. For over 70 years, the U.S. Naval Training Station in San Diego was a gateway for thousands of young men and women entering military service, shaping the U.S. Navy and solidifying San Diego’s identity as a major naval city.