MCLB Albany was established in 1952, selected for being fairly close to the Gulf of Mexico, near railways and roads, and away from corrosive salt air of the ocean. At first a medium importance supply depot, the base has grown to be the primary logistics base for the Corps east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1978 the base's name was changed - to the current one - and by the end of the Cold War had become the HQ for Marine Corps Logistics overall.

MCLB Albany was the main Marine logics base for Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom, supplying everything from bullets to band-aids to bulldozers, and continues to be the heart of the Corps' supply lines.

MCLB Albany is also was the station of Cpl. Dustin Lee and Lex, a Marine Corps military police dog team. In 2006 Cpl. Lee and Lex were working as explosive detection team when they were both seriously wounded in an explosion. Cpl. Lee was more seriously wounded, and Lex stood guard over him until medical aid arrived, entirely in keeping with the traditions of the Corps. Lex was "medically discharged," awarded an honorary Purple Heart, and adopted by Lee's family. In retirement Lex worked as a therapy dog.