Photo Information

From left to right, Mike Nelson, Sabina Pendleton McDougal Neal, Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Yoo, commanding general, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, Oscar Villafranca, president, Dimension Construction, and Joe Koppel, engineer tech, facilities, get ready to cut the ribbon for the rededication ceremony of McDougal Hall aboard MCRD San Diego Feb. 27. Neal and Nelson are family members of Maj. Gen. Douglas McDougal, who the base theater is named after.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Eric Quintanilla

Depot theater gets new life

27 Feb 2012 | Lance Cpl. Eric Quintanilla Marine Corps Training and Education Command

Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Yoo, commanding general, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region along with members of the McDougal family, the president of Dimension Construction and a representative from facilities cut the ribbon for the re-opening and re-dedicating of McDougal Hall, the base theater, aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Feb. 27.

The base theater first opened in February 1943 and was dedicated to Maj. Gen. Douglas C. McDougal Feb 27, 1956.

McDougal’s granddaughter, Sabina Pendleton McDougal Neal, and great grandson, Mike Nelson, were the family members included in the ceremony.

“I’m very sentimental. I’ve been tearing up all day,” said Neal, a Texas native. “I’m very proud of my grandfather. This building is amazing.”

McDougal received this honor for serving as the commanding general of Marine Corps Base San Diego from May 1935 to May 1937. McDougal also served as the 10th Assistant to the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps.

After serving in the Navy, he was appointed a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in March 1900 and retired as a major general January 1940.

“The young men and women coming through these doors will be very impressed and I’m sure they will live up to the reputation of the Marine Corps,” said Neal.

McDougal Hall covers approximately 40,000 square feet and has a seating capacity of 2,487 in the main auditorium. It is used as a training and ceremony facility for Marine week classes, Visitor Day events, Recruiter School and Drill Instructor School graduations, religious worship services and more.

“It’s professionally done and is going to serve many people well. It’s a fantastic building,” said Neal. “I’m proud to say it will help strengthen our country for years to come.”

During about six months of construction the theater received various upgrades including refurbished seating, lights, lobby and much more.

“It’s an honor to work on it,” said Oscar Villafranca, president, Dimension Construction. “This is a really high profile job and we’ve really been looking forward to doing it.”

Marine Band San Diego provided musical entertainment throughout the ceremony. After the ceremony a reception was held in the lobby and Neal and Nelson were guided on a tour of the theater by Yoo.

“General Yoo has made it a wonderful experience,” said Neal. “It’s great to be on a Marine base again, I haven’t been here since ’61.”


Marine Corps Training and Education Command