Naval Hospital Santa Margarita Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naval Hospital Santa Margarita Ranch |
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| San Diego County, California, U.S. | |
Naval Hospital Santa Margarita Ranch at Lake O'Neill in 1943
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 Location in San Diego County, California
Shown within San Diego County, California
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| Coordinates | 33°19′51″N 117°19′29″W / 33.330886°N 117.324722°W |
| Type | Former military naval hospital |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | US Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | September 1943 |
| In use | September 1943 – 1971 |
Naval Hospital Santa Margarita Ranch was an important U.S. Navy hospital. It was located in Oceanside, California, on Camp Pendleton. This hospital was the first naval hospital in the area. It opened in 1943 to help soldiers wounded during World War II.
The hospital was built on a large piece of land called Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. It was near Lake O'Neill, which was part of the training center. When it first opened on September 3, 1943, it had 600 beds. The hospital was built very quickly using 76 temporary wooden buildings.
The hospital and its support buildings covered about 252 acres. By 1945, it grew to have 1,584 beds. After the war, in 1946, the number of beds was reduced to 920.
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A Changing Name
Over the years, the hospital's name changed a few times. In 1950, it was renamed Naval Hospital Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, Oceanside. Later, in 1967, it was given its current name: Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.
New Hospitals Over Time
The original hospital buildings were used for many years. In 1971, construction began on a brand new, eight-story hospital. This new building opened in December 1974.
That 1974 hospital was then replaced by an even newer hospital in 2014. The place where the original Naval Hospital Santa Margarita Ranch once stood is now used for several things. These include the Lake O'Neill Campground, Camp Pendleton Youth Sports, and the O'Neill Fitness Center. It also houses the Wounded Warrior Battalion West and Camp Pendleton Fire Department Station 4.
The current Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton is a large, modern facility. It opened on January 31, 2014. This hospital is a four-story building that covers 500,000 square feet.
Its construction was part of a special government plan called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A special ceremony to start building was held on December 2, 2010. The construction was finished on October 17, 2013.
What the Hospital Does
This hospital is part of the U.S. Military Health System. It has 150 beds and was built under the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton also runs smaller clinics in Southern California.
The hospital offers many important services. It has a 26-bed emergency center and provides primary care. It also has intensive care for very sick patients. The hospital cares for active-duty military members, veterans, and their families. Other services include nine operating rooms, six imaging rooms, and a program for labor and delivery. The parking lot even has a large solar energy system to help power the hospital!
