Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune, the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, who served from 1920 to 1929. The construction of Camp Lejeune began in 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The base was built to provide a training and staging area for the Marines during World War II. The first units to occupy the base were the 1st Marine Division and the 3rd Marine Division.

During World War II, Camp Lejeune was used to train over 1 million Marines, who were sent to fight in the Pacific Theater. In addition to training, the base was also used as a staging area for the amphibious assaults on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Okinawa. After the war, the base was used to demobilize the Marines and to house refugees from the Korean War.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Camp Lejeune became a hub for Marine Corps training and operations. The base was used to train Marines for the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In addition to training, the base was also used to test new weapons and equipment.

One of the most significant events in the history of Camp Lejeune occurred in 1980 when a Marine Corps CH-53 helicopter crashed into a barracks, killing 14 Marines and injuring over 100 others. The incident led to changes in the way that the Marine Corps trains and operates.

During the Gulf War in the early 1990s, Camp Lejeune was used to train Marines for the war in Kuwait. In the years that followed, the base continued to be used for training and operations, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2012, it was discovered that the water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated with harmful chemicals, including trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE). The contamination is believed to have been caused by a dry cleaning company that was located outside the base. The contaminated water has been linked to numerous health problems, including cancer, birth defects, and other illnesses. The discovery of the contamination has led to ongoing efforts to clean up the water and to provide medical care for those who were affected.

Today, Camp Lejeune is home to over 170,000 active-duty and retired military personnel and their families. The base is used for training, operations, and as a support center for military families. Camp Lejeune continues to play a vital role in the defense of the United States and in the history of the Marine Corps.