San Diego, California: United States Naval Training Center, 1942

Fine color printed pictorial map San Diego, a guide to the members of the U.S. Navy while ashore there, the title upper left and a legend running along the bottom: “This is your property. Save it or mail it home as a souvenir to your first liberty”.  As stated in the legend upper right, “This map is prepared for your help and guidance in planning your liberty, “Ashore in San Diego”.

Victor Green clearly took the advice given and sent his example of this lively and useful map of San Diego to his family.  His notes include at the North Island Naval Air Station: "Here is Where We Are Going To Go On Our Next Liberty Cause There Are Thousands of Airplanes And Service Personel [sic] Are Allowed to Go Through Them".  He also adds the location of the base, the bus to Mission Beach, “Pictures Taken” at the Dance Hall at Mission Beach, “Spent a lot of time at Balboa Park”, “Road The Street Car Through Balboa Park”, “Refreshments at the USO in Hillcrest”, “Rode the Bus Downtown”, “Visited Broadway USO Downtown”, “Walked Along Broadway”.

In the mid-1920s, the City of San Diego offered more than 200 acres of land to the Navy at the north end of San Diego Bay. Throughout its 70-year history as a military base, the Naval Training Center, San Diego (NTC), provided primary, advanced and specialized training for members of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve. By the early 1990s, San Diego had become home to more than a sixth of the Navy's entire fleet. The end of the Cold War led to military downsizing and the need to close surplus bases. The Navy officially closed NTC on April 30, 1997, and ceased all military operations.