Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base. It is located in Southern California between the cities of Oceanside and San Clemente. The base was established in 1942 to train U.S. Marines for service in World War II. By October 1944, Camp Pendleton was delared as a "permanant installation" and by 1946, it became the home of the 1st Marine Division. It is named after Marine General Joseph Henry Pendleton, who long advocated setting up a West Coast training base for the Marine Corps. Today it is the home to a myriad of Fleet Marine Force units including the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and various training commands.