The history of Pendleton stretches centuries before World War II

Names such as Tarawa and Lejeune are seen on street signs or in housing areas throughout Marine Corps’ Installations, but some may wonder where Camp Pendleton’s unfamiliar camp names originated.

When explorers discovered modern-day Camp Pendleton, it was common for Catholic missionaries to name points of arrival or rest stops for the patron saint whose holy day coincides with time they arrived. A majority of Camp Pendleton locations can be traced to these Spanish padres and voyagers who traveled to Southern California in the late 18th Century.

“The land we know as Camp Pendleton has a rich and...