Camp Stoneman, Pittsburg, California

Camp Stoneman was located in N. California, at Pittsburg, 40 miles NE of San Francisco. A staging area and rifle range for troop training by the Army, and established as a Class I installation, it was also used as a facility of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation. Though the sound of thousands of marching feet is but a memory today, Camp Stoneman was once the principal "jumping off point" for more than one million soldiers destined for operations in WW II's Pacific Theater, and again several years later during the Korean War. Consisting of more than 2,500 sprawling acres, it sprang to life in 1942. Its function was to rapidly process troops for overseas service by completing paperwork and updating records, arranging for last minute training, providing medical and dental care, and issuing and servicing equipment. Camp Stoneman, named after George Stoneman, a Civil War cavalry commander and early Governor of California, had a lifespan of only 12 years, being activated on May 28, 1942, and decommissioned on August 30,1954. The day-to-day operation of the camp was a tremendous task. In addition to receiving, processing and embarking thousands of troops each week, waiting soldiers were housed and fed, medical and dental examinations and corrective work conducted, clothing, equipment and records put in proper order, final training provided, and numerous other odds and ends taken care of. Camp Stoneman consisted of more than 800 cream and khaki-colored buildings, capable of accommodating 20,000 troops at peak capacity. The average length of a stay for troops bound overseas was one to two weeks. When soldiers returned at the conclusion of World War 11 and the Korean Conflict, the average person was cleared out in less than 48 hours. A number of conveniences were maintained at the installation for use by the soldiers who were often restricted to post during their entire stay. The camp boasted three motion picture theaters, a tenthousand seat outdoor theater, weekly USO shows throughout much of World War II, eight well-stocked branches of the Post Exchange, a huge service dub, and much more. USO show entertainers included Hollywood stars such as Groucho Marx, Garry Moore and Red Skelton. The largest telephone center in the world was operated at Camp Stoneman in 1945. [http://www.militarymuseum.org/CpStoneman.html]

REVISED SITE SURVEY SUMMARY SHEET FOR DERP-FUDS SITE NO. J09CA077300 C M STONEMAN
SITE NAME: Camp Stoneman. The site was also known as Camp Stoneman Military Reservation; Camp Stoneman Military Reservation, Contra Costa; Pittsburg Staging Area; Central Valley Project; Camp Stoneman, Pittsburg; Rancho Los Medanos; Pittsburg Replacement Depot; Pittsburg Replacement and Reclassification Depot; Camp Stoneman Rifle Replacement & Reclassification Depot & Rifle Range; Camp Stoneman West ~anisoisoh Range; Camp Stoneman Rifle Range; Camp Stoneman U.S. Army Reserve Center; Camp Stoneman Military Reservation Pittsburg; and West Garrison Rifle Range, Camp Stoneman, CA.
LOCATION: The site is located in Northern California, in Contra Costa County, in the City of Pittsburg, 40 miles northeast of the city of San Francisco (Figures 1 and 2). -

SITE HISTORY: In 1942, the War Department acquired 1831.41 fee acres, 5.61 easement acres, 0.33 license acre, 0.03 permit acre, and 1004.16 leased acres. The total acreage acquired was 2841.54. Of the fee acres, 17.07 were acquired from the City of Pittsburg and 1814.34 were acquired from the private owners. The easement acres were acquired from private owners. Of the license acres, 0.28 was acquired from Contra Costa County, and the remaining 0.05 was acquired from private owners. The 0.03 permit acre was acquired from the State of California, Division of Highways. Of the lease acres, 897.01 were obtained from private owners and the remaining 107.15 were acquired from the City of Pittsburg. The site was used as a staging area and rifle range for troop training by the United States Army, and was established as a Class I installation (later used as a personnel replacement and reclassification depot). The site was also used as a facility of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation, known as the West Garrison Area of Camp Stoneman. The improvements to the site consisted of motor repair shops, ordnance storage, carpenter shops, paint and utility shops, oil storehouses, warehouses, target buildings, infirmaries, a hospital, clinics, dental shops, administrative buildings, mess halls, officers quarters, family quarters, md nurses quarters, barracks, latrines, chaplain office, firehouses, guard houses, stockades, a post office, recreational facilities, bowling alleys, gymnasium, tennis courts, a football field, baseball diamonds, softball fields, basketball courts, generator houses, steam plants, oil storage tanks, steam pumps, incinerators, a pump house, and septic tanks. The 1004.16 leased acres were terminated prior to 29 May 1958 (no indication of restoration). On 29 October 1954, a total of 1.46 fee acres were reported excess to General Services Administration (GSA), and were conveyed to the Pittsburg Unified School District by quitclaim deed on 20 January 1955. A total of 8.94 fee acres (used for a reserve center) were conveyed to GSA on 15 May 1964 and later turned over to private individuals by quitclaim deed. The remaining 1821.01 fee acres were sold to various individuals and city and state agencies between 1959 and 1962. There is no information regarding restoration for the fee acres.

REVISED SITE SURVEY SUMMARY SHEET FOR DERP-F'UDS SITE NO. J09CA077300 CAMP STONEMAN
The site is currently owned and occupied by the City of Pittsburg and various private owners.

SITE VISIT: A site visit was conducted on 4-5 March 1991 by Mr. Roger Norris and Mr.
Jenn-Yih Peng of The Earth Technology Corporation. Mr. Robert Bedell, retired senior engineering technician for the City of Pittsburg, provided historid maps of Camp Stoneman and provided detailed descriptions of the locations of camp remnants. The site is currently occupied by the City of Pittsburg and numerous private owners. According to Mr. Bedell, the only remnants of Camp Stoneman are the rifle range, the main chapel, the sewage disposal plant, two trash-burning incinerators, several sets of warehouses and some foundation debris. The 300-yard rifle range is abandoned and is located in a residential area. Records indicating whether the Army EOD swept the rifle range area before turning it over to the GSA are not available, however, according to Mr. Bedell, the City of Pittsburgh has thoroughly examined the rifle range and the adjacent area and have not found any explosive ordnance. The concrete-and-earth target line and two earth-berm firing lines are part of a vacant grass field. The Camp Stoneman military chapel has been renovated and is currently used by the Community United Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg (since 1954). The City of Pittsburg owned and operated the sewage disposal plant between 1966 and 1984 and abandoned it in 1985.. The sewage disposal plant property is currently leased to an automotive salvage company. Mr. Joseph White purchased the incinerator property from the DOD in 1962 and then sold it to Mr. Robert Markstein in 1978. The incinerators have not been used since DOD occupation. The DOD-built warehouses are currently used as warehouses and private offices by Tennessee Chemical Company, Merit Ends Inc., Central Valley Tire Service, and other businesses. Foundation debris is located along the north side of East Leland Road between Harbor Street and Loveridge Road, and along Harbor Street near Bliss Avenue. During the investigation performed by the St. Louis District DERP team at Camp Stonemen property, evidence was found that a military munition may be located at andther nearby site. An artillery round was found on the property of the Dow Chemical Company, Site No. J09CAOO8800. The investigation also identified another area where high concentrations of lead may be found. (See Attachment 1 - Extract from Draft Archive Search Report for Camp Stoneman.)

DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES

FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY

CAMP STONEMAN
CONTRA C O S A COUNTY, CALIFORNIA SITE NO. J09CA077300
FINDINGS OF FACT
I .

. ..

1.

Ln 1942, the War Department acquired (from private owners, the Ciry of Pinsburg,
2-

Contra Costa County, and the State of California) 1831.41 fee acres, 5.61 easement acres, 0.33 Lictnse acre, 0.03 pcnnir acre and 1004.16 leased acres. Toral acnagc acquind was 284 1-54. The site was known as Camp Stoneman Military Reservation; Camp Stoneman 2. Military Reservation, Conua Costa; Pinsburg Staging Area; C e n d Valley Project; Camp Stoneman, Pittsburg, Rancho Los Medanos; Pittsburg Replacement Depot; Pittsburg Replacement and Reclassiiication Depor Camp tone man Replacement & Reclassifcation Depot and Rifle Range; Camp Stoneman West Ganison Rifle Range; Camp Stoneman R i f l e Range; Camp Stoneman U.S. Army Reserve Center, Camp Stoneman Military Resewanon Pittsburg; and West GariLson Rifle Range, Camp Stoneman, CA. The site was used by the U.S. Army as a staging area and rifle range for troop training and was established as a class I installation for the b y (later used as a personnel replacement and reclassification &pot). The site was also used 'as a facility of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation. Improvements to the site consisted of motor repair shops, ordnance storage, carpenter shops, paint and utility shops, oil storehouses, warehouses, target buildings, infirmaries, a hospital, clinics, dental shops, adminisnative buildings, mess halls, officers quarters, family quarters, and nurses quarters, barracks, latrines, a chaplain office, firehouses, guard houses, stockades, a post office, bowling alleys, gymnasium, tennis courts, a football field, baseball diamonds, softball fields, basketball courts, generator houses, steam plants, oil storage tanks, steam pumps, incinerators, a p u p house, and septic tanks. The site was used exclusively by DOD during the period of DOD ownership. The 1004.16 leased acres were terminated prior to 29 May 1958 w i t h no indication of restoration. By quitclaim deed dared 20 January 1955, 1.46 fee acres were conveyed to the Pittsburg Unified School District 8.94 fee acres were transferred to the GSA on 15 May 1964, ayi subsequently sold to private individuals. The ~ m a i n i n g 1821.01 fee, 5.61 casement, 0.33 license and 0.03 permit acres were conveyed to various individuals, city and state agencies between 1959 and 1962. There is no information regarding restoration for the fee acres. The site is currently owned and occupied by the City of Pitrsburg and various private owners.

3 .

DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM FOR FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES, FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY; CAMP STONEMAN, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, SITE NO. J09CA077300
DETERMINATION

Based on the foregoing findings of fact, the site has been determined to be formerly used by the DOD. Therefore, it is eligible for the Defense Environmental Restoration Program for Formerly Used Defense Sites, established under T O USC 2701 et : seq.

120 3 ?3
Date ~rigadierGeneral, U.S. Army commanding

5
10 Mile

Figure 1

Scale

Source: Base map from U.S.G.S.. 1250.000

Location Map Camp Stoneman

Site No. J09CA077300

San Jose. Sacramento. Santa Rosa. and San Francisco Ouadrangles.

A,g
North

1R
1 Mile

Figure 2
Site Map Camp Stonernan
NO rth'.

Scale

Source: Base map from U.S.G.S.. 124.000 Antioch SouBh. Antioch Noflh. Clayton and Honker Bay Quadrangles
b

Site No. J09CA077300