NAVAL TRAINING CENTER SAN DIEGO (NTC:RTC SAN DIEGO)

• NTC/RTC San Diego was established in 1923 and became the primary training center for Navy recruits on the West Coast. • During World War II, NTC San Diego trained over one million recruits, making it one of the largest Navy training centers in the world. • NTC San Diego was also used as a filming location for several Hollywood movies, including "Top Gun" and "A Few Good Men." • In the 1960s, NTC San Diego was the site of protests and demonstrations against the Vietnam War, with many recruits refusing to participate in training exercises. • NTC San Diego was officially closed in 1997, and the property was later transferred to the city of San Diego for redevelopment. • Today, the former NTC San Diego is known as Liberty Station, a mixed-use development with shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions. • Many of the original military buildings at NTC San Diego have been preserved and repurposed, including barracks that have been converted into offices and art studios. • NTC San Diego has a rich history of naval aviation training, with the first aircraft carrier landing taking place in San Diego Bay in 1911. • Several famous naval aviators, including Admiral Chester Nimitz and Admiral John McCain, trained at NTC San Diego before becoming heroes in World War II and the Vietnam War. • NTC San Diego played a crucial role in the development of Naval Special Warfare, with the first Navy SEAL teams being trained at the facility in the 1960s.