Near Stafford in Stafford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
An Established Front
1951
•The Navy was assigned Joint-Service (Navy, Marine Corps, Army & Air Force) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) responsibilities for explosive training, as well as research and development.
1958
•The Basic School (TBS) HQ ended its 3-year stay at Camp Upshur and moved to Camp Barrett. The 26-week course annually graduated about 1,500 lieutenants and 150 new warrant officers at that time, including foreign students from China, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
1963
•Ramer Hall, for swimming and physical fitness training, was completed and opened.
1965
•Marines began to land in force in the Republic of Vietnam. Quantico geared up for its wartime, role.
1968
•Marines from Quantico helped restore order when riots broke out in Washington, DC after Martin Luther King’s assassination.
1973
•Construction was completed on a new student officers’ quarters, Graves Hall, yet the average student load dropped to 820 by the beginning of 1974.
1977
•The Woman Officers School was disestablished and women Marines began to be billeted and trained a Camp Barrett alongside their male counterparts.
Hazards on the Landscape
Unexploded Ordance
You may come across ammunition (bombs, bullets, shells, grenade, land mines, etc.) that wer fired, but did not detonate. In particular, munitions used between the early 1900s and the 1940s are commonly found on Marine Corps Base (MCB) Quantico, where almost every acre of land has been used as a target range at one time or another.
UXO Action Steps:
1. DON’T TOUCH IT.
2. Mark the location.
3. Call the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Section, open 24 hours a day.
Natural Hazards
MCB Quantico sits on nearly 60,000 acres of land rich in plant and animal species, some of which can be potentially hazardous. Look out for these natural hazards!
Many plants on base are toxic if ingested or touched, the most common of these is poison ivy. Poison ivy can be avoided once identified by its three irregularly shaped leaves coming from a single stem.
Over 20 species of snakes have been recorded on base, but only one is venomous – the Copperhead. The Copperhead can be recognized by its triangular head, vertical pupils, pale ground color and crossband pattern.
Many insects such as mosquitoes, wasps, bees, yellow jackets, and hornets, are capable of injecting toxins into the skin through irritating or painful bites. If you’re sensitive to bee stings, always carry an allergy kit. Mosquitoes are primarily an annoyance, but they can transmit dangerous diseases so always apply insect repellent when outdoors.
The tick is a common hazardous pest. Tick bites general cause itching and swelling, but in some cases are responsible for Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1951.
Location. 38° 29.893′ N, 77° 26.127′ W. Marker is near Stafford, Virginia, in Stafford County. Marker can be reached from Gilbert Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 24180 Gilbert Rd, Stafford VA 22556, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Period of Firsts (within shouting distance of this marker); Growth of Training (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); In the Beginning (about 400 feet away); Raider Hall (about 600 feet away); Ray Hall (about 600 feet away); Gonzalez Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away); William Groom Leftwich, Jr. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Heywood Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Stafford.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 31, 2017, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 442 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 31, 2017, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.