Corona Naval Hospital/Corona Naval Surface Warfare Center

Overview

The location of the Corona Naval Hospital was originally a spot for Hollywood stars to relax at during the Roaring Twenties. Due to the Great Depression, the building was in decline until it was repurposed as a Naval hospital during World War II. Here, it served a vital purpose for injured servicemen, and subsequently drew a lot of public attention. After the War, the Hospital was temporarily shut down, then reopened for the Korean War, and finally closed permanently a few years later. As a result of its it peculiar past, the buildings here were eventually recognized as having historic value in 2000. However, despite efforts from conservancy groups supporting their maintenance, they have fallen into disrepair. Whether they are ultimately preserved or not, the buildings at Lake Norconian which saw the rehabilitation of thousands of Navy serviceman during WWII will always hold a special place in the memory of local residents.

Pre-War

Just before the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that rocked the U.S. economy, a developer named Rex Clark built a luxury resort in the small, rural town of Norco, California. It contained a casino, a golf course, an artificial lake, and other amenities which made it the perfect oasis for stars from around Hollywood to escape from their daily life in Los Angeles. It quickly lost profitability during the depression, however, and it would be repurposed as a Navy hospital during WWII after being purchased under the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

World War II

The Corona Naval Hospital became a vital asset to the war effort on the Pacific Coast, as wounded soldiers and naval officers were brought there in droves.  By 1945, the facility housed 4,500 wounded or ill servicemen.[1] In the middle of WWII, the hospital was an active hub for famous individuals and groups looking to support the brave troops who had been injured. The Red Cross was just one organization that maintained a significant presence there, most notably with the division known as the Gray Ladies who performed various services to assist wounded soldiers. An article in the Corona Daily Independent stated that “These trained women read to the patients, write letters for them, encourage them if they are engaging in any study, and shop for them.”[2] In addition to daily support from groups like the Gray Ladies, high profile individuals also made occasional visits to boost morale. Eleanor Roosevelt paid a visit to the troops under care there during the peak of the war in 1943. She described the hospital as “beautiful and so attractively situated. It is indeed an admirable place for the Navy to take care of its men.”[3] Such praise helped boost the success and important standing of the hospital during the war years, but like other facilities that were of great importance during this time of hardship in the U.S., it eventually lost its value during peacetime.

Post-War

The hospital maintained significance for a short period after the war. Given that it was originally designed as a luxury resort, it served the purpose of a comfortable rehabilitation center for injured officers. In 1947, two years after the war had ended, the hospital still had 1,200 patients under its care, and was referred to as “one of America’s finest institutions dedicated to the health and welfare of its war veterans.”[4] It was first closed in 1949, then reopened for the Korean war in 1951. However, during the postwar economic boom, it could no longer serve its purpose as a wartime hospital.

Footnotes

1. "2700 Patients at Naval Hospital; 4,500 a Year Ago," Corona Daily Independent, March 22, 1946.

2. “Red Cross Does Splendid Work at Naval Hospital,” Corona Daily Independent, March 22, 1946.

3. “Mrs. Roosevelt at Naval Hospital,” Corona Daily Independent, April 26, 1943.

4. "2700 Patients," Corona Daily Independent.