Camp Mathews, the lost infantry school

Comments

MSgt Edd Prothro, USMC Ret. 1964-1984 - March 28, 2020

I had the honor of being assigned to Plt. 141 during the summer of 1964, the last recruit series to fire the rifle range at Camp Matthews. Because we had 100% qualification, the following week we were assigned to maintenance instead of mess duty. Our primary job was to disassemble the target carriages, load and take them to Edson Range at Camp Pendelton. My fondest memory of living in the hard-back tents was hitting the rack at 2000 while it was still light, and reveille at 0400 when it was pitch black dark. At morning chow we were not allowed to drink coffee because it would supposedly give us the jitters. So we drank hot chocolate which was wonderful in the cool, misty breeze coming off the ocean.

In 1985, after I had retired from active duty, my wife and I were visiting San Diego on our way to Hawaii. Going up the San Diego Freeway to LA, I seen an exit for Torrey Pines and the memories came flooding back. So, we got off and found ourselves on the campus of the University of California Medical School. There wasn’t much left of the old camp except the flag pole and a plaque where the old Camp Headquarters had once stood. It was strange to see students walking around, and not a damn one of them was in formation. Semper Fi!!!