The Marine Corps Base at San Diego is surrounded by evidence of the Spanish heritage of southern California. Among the more conspicuous are the euphonious place names found everywhere, including the name San Diego itself, and the picturesque architecture that may be seen, not only in the city, but also in the permanent buildings of the Marine Corps post. This is a natural consequence of the fact that Calif.ornla was a Spanish possession for nearly three centuries. The region was claimed for Spain in 1542 by Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, a Portuguese navigator in the services of Charles V and the first white man to see San Diego Bay. It remained under Spanish control until 1821, when Mexico won her Independence from Spain. Thereafter, for about a quarter of a century, California was claimed by Mexico.