News Release Manager

Final five-year review of the former Camp Elliott Tierrasanta and Mission Trails Formerly Used Defense Sites

Los Angeles District
Published Sept. 16, 2021

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District has conducted the fourth and final five-year review for two former military training areas known Tierrasanta and Mission Trails. These two sites are Formerly Used Defense Sites that were once part of the former Camp Elliott.

Military use of the former Camp Elliott began in 1917 and continued to 1960. It included training by the U.S. Marine Corps for artillery, anti-aircraft, and machine gun training. After Camp Elliott closed in 1960, the Navy and the Marine Corps each conducted ordnance clearance activities in portions of the former camp. Even after the multiple surface clearances, two Tierrasanta boys were killed by accidental detonation of a 37mm high-explosive projectile in 1983. This accident prompted the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobil Unit to perform two searches for unexploded ordnance in the area, one in 1984 and the other in 1985. These searches indicated the need to conduct extensive munitions removal activities. The Corps of Engineers performed additional clearance activities from 1990 to 1994, locating and removing unexploded ordnance, munitions debris and trash from the project area.

The Tierrasanta and Mission Trails FUDS projects are currently under Long-Term Management. The Corps of Engineers conducts five-year reviews to evaluate if previous removal and remediation activities and current educational awareness activities are still protective of human health and the environment.

The fourth and final five-year review is available for review at the public repositories located at the Tierrasanta Branch Library in San Diego and the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center and here.


Contact
Dave Palmer
602-230-6990
james.d.palmer@usace.army.mil

Release no. 21-008