On Jan. 1, 1948, Recruit Depot, San Diego, was once again re-designated. This time, it was named Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. This step had been taken 13 months earlier when Marine Barracks, Parris Island was re-designated Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, according to Guillemete. The rifle range detachment, where recruits were taught to fire the rifle, was re-designated as Weapons Training Battalion, located at Camp Matthews, La Jolla, Calif.
"Usually if Parris Island made a change, the Depot would make the same change just after," said Guillemete.
When the Korean War began, once again, recruits began to pour in. The Recruit Training Command grew from three to eight battalions and over 700 Quonset huts were constructed to house the additional recruits.
President John F. Kennedy visited the Depot in 1963 to inspect the Sea School Honor Guard. He stood on the yellow footprints outside Recruit Training Regiment Support Battalion and the set he stood on was later plated in gold. A person can see them shine from a mile away, according to Guillemete. Kennedy was assassinated later that year in Dallas.
The firing ranges were moved from Camp Matthews to Edson Range, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, Calif., in 1964, because the residents of the area wanted to use the land for other purposes. The land that Camp Matthews occupied is now the University of California, San Diego.