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Marine Corps Logistics Command, History

 

U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Command history

                                                                                     

 

 Past, present and future

The origins of Marine Corps Logistics Command (MARCORLOGCOM) can be traced back to a canvas tent on the grounds of the Philadelphia Naval Base that served as a Marine Corps' Depot of Supply in 1798.

In 1804, the Depot was assigned a function that was to become one of it's main tasks for the next 158 years. The Secretary of the Navy designated the Depot an “establishment in barracks for the making and mending of clothes” for Marines.

For the next 100 years, clothing manufacturing was carried out in the barracks aboard the Philadelphia Naval Base and in a four-story building in Center City, Philadelphia. Much of the work was contracted out to local tailors, but material was also cut at the Depot and distributed to local housewives who made it into uniforms in their own homes.

In 1908, upon the completion of a new building on Broad Street and Washington Avenue, the Marine Corps Supply Activity was established. Nine years later, the Activity was confronted with the demands of World War I. Between 1917 and 1918 the Activity outfitted and equipped 36 expeditionary units, including four regiments of 4,000 men each for service in Europe.

World War II witnessed a significant expansion the Supply Activity’s capability and responsibility. Throughout the conflict, more than 6,000 employees worked around the clock making uniforms, tentage and such lumber and metal products as tent poles, lockers and bunks.

After World War II, the activity supported Marines in Korea, Lebanon, Dominican Republic and Vietnam. During this period, the historic clothing manufacturing function of the Activity was transferred to the Defense Personnel Support Center, a Department of Defense agency organized to procure uniforms for all military services. The Supply Activity subsequently shifted it's focus to the management of secondary items and repair parts.

In 1952, an installation was established in Albany, Ga. and designated the Marine Corps Depot of Supplies.

Two years later, in 1954, the Marine Corps Depot of Supplies was redignated as the Marine Corps Supply Center Albany, now responsible for managing and controlling supplies at storage and issue locations in the eastern half of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. Depot-level rebuilding operations began this year, as well. With the deactivation of the Supply Activity in Philadelphia in 1976, the Marine Corps Supply Center Albany was redesignated the Marine Corps Logistics Support Base Atlantic, assuming the inventory control, financial management, procurement, and technical support functions formerly performed in Philadelphia.

In 1978, the Marine Corps Supply Center changed its name to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany. With this, the full spectrum of logistics support functions required to sustain the life cycle of the Marine Corps weapons systems and ground equipment was performed here. In 1990, the Commandant of the Marine Corps designated the commanding general at Albany to be the commander of the Marine Corps Logistics Bases also. The reorganization placed control of MCLB Barstow, Calif., Blount Island Command at Jacksonville, Fla., and MCLB Albany under a single commander.

1999 saw the establishment of the Headquarters, Marine Corps Materiel Command (MATCOM) aboard Albany, an organization that combined the acquisition and sustainment capabilities to provide the most effect materiel lifecycle management of weapons systems and ground equipment.

In 2003, the MATCOM headquarters was merged with the Albany Base headquarters to establish Marine Corps Logistics Command.

Ten years later, Marine Corps Logistics Command executes its global mission with a clear and precise objective: to ensure that Marines in harm’s way have every measure of logistical support to accomplish their mission.

Marine Corps Logistics Command is currently the largest tenant organization aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga. 

Marine Corps Logistics Command Headquarters - Albany, Georgia