It was established in August 1942 on the Patuxent River, called: USNATB, United States Navy Amphibious Training Base.

[8][9][10] In 1948, the Bureau of Yards and Docks opened the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory (NCEL), which worked on amphibious equipment at the Annex.

Naval Recreation Center Solomons had cabins, store, camping, fishing, adventure zone, boat rental, pool and beaches.

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt from his experience in the Spanish-American War established a Joint Army-Navy Board in 1903, but no Amphibious Training Base came out of this.

One of the first small-scale Amphibious Training took place in Culebra and Vieques, Puerto Rico at the request of the Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels in 1913.

[16][17][1] With new concerns in the Pacific, in 1921, Marine Commandant Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune asked Major Earl "Pete" Ellis to make up plans for an amphibious war with Japan, as to be prepared.

Ellis wrote OpPlan 712: Advance Base Operations in Micronesia, which outlined modern amphibious warfare.

European theatre saw major amphibious operations at the invasion of North Africa, Southern France, Sicily, Italy and Normandy.

[24][25] In addition, Seabees built and operated sea ports, airfields and served as elements the United States Marine Corps.

[27][2] Due to the demand for Amphibious Training, overseas bases were founded in North Africa and the South Pacific.

[28][29][1] The United States Navy needed to train with the US Army and US Marine Corps, as amphibious landing require complex operations:[30]