Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Here at Marine Chevrolet, we love Marine Corps history, and one of the pillars of our community is the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. It’s one of the largest military bases in North Carolina and having stood in the Camp Lejeune area for eighty years, it’s part of what makes Onslow County what it is today. 

The History of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is the second largest of the military bases in North Carolina, but long before we had the 244-square mile premier military training facility that we have today, Camp Lejeune started as a tobacco barn, farmhouse, and temporary tent city in the middle of a sandy pine forest. 

It was 1940 and World War II had been raging in Europe for a year. The military decided that they would need an amphibious training facility on the East Coast. So in 1941, the Navy purchased an 11,000-acre tract of land in Onslow County, North Carolina.

By the end of 1942, the base was named Marine Barracks Camp Lejeune after the 13th Commandant and Commanding General of the 2nd Army Division in World War I, Major General John A. Lejeune. In 1944, it would finally be renamed Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Its satellite camp Camp Johnson was named in honor of Sergeant Major Gilbert H. “Hashmark” Johnson in 1974, one of the first Black men to enlist in the United States Marines, and now plays a crucial role in the follow-on training of thousands of Marines every year. 

Men and women who have trained at Camp Lejeune have fought in wars in the Pacific Islands, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. And now, Camp Geiger, another satellite, trains more than 24,000 Marines every year in their Marine Combat Training. 

Of all the Military Bases in North Carolina, residents of Richlands, Sneads Ferry, and the rest of Onslow County owe Camp Lejeune the most, as the development of the base has helped our community grow. 

Marine Chevrolet is Proud to Serve our Active and Retired Military

Here at Marine Chevrolet, we don’t just love Marine Corps history. We also offer the best Military Discount in the nation. We’re proud to serve the communities in the Jacksonville area and to ensure that you get the best deal possible. Our friendly and professional staff promises to always exceed your expectations. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us today!