Who knows or remembers? (Read 7,342 times)

Same thing I was wondering. The dorms just didn't look like what I was in. For some reason I think the top one might be the "Green Monster" as we called it.

AJ

Chanute?

Chanute's flightline fall of 1971.

F-102...........Like that paint job?


C-133 and a KC-97


B-52,,,,,,,,,I always liked the clean look of the older B-52's.

Good Ole Chanute! I spent a good amount of time there in 325X1 school in '69. Luckily no real winter crap. The biggest chow hall in the USAF I beleive (P23?). I know the 'clippers' were huge... and hot! Did four days there waiting for classes to begin in April '69. Back then it was "Retirement Heaven". It seemed that every weekend or so someone opted for a full military retirement ceremony with a parade. As the DV's BS'd away on the stage troops hit the ramp left and right in the Summer. I mean literally passing out. Those were the days being a "straggle rope" meant nadda.

This is a bit OT, but I found it humorous. One time on a quick three day pass I flew home in uniform. I had my blues on with that damned green rope. My Dad being a WWII B-17/29 vet was proud to see my in full uniform for the first time. He had to make our first stop from the airport the local American Legion and VFW posts. At the Legion one old WWII vet admired my uniform and asked if I was a special force of some kind (Rope). Not sure what to say I said, "Sorta". They all cracked up when another guy (USAF active on Griffiss) piped up and said what it meant in Tech School.

I never did get any pictures at Chanute, wish I had. I spent too much time trying to hitch-hike or grab a train to Chicago or Champaign on weekends. I do wish I had gotten pictures of us fools on the roof of our dorm watching tornadoes in the fields across from the base. We got crap for that stunt big time, plus the pile of smuggled 3.2 mini-cans scattered on the roof. That reminds me of one guy, Tom Gruber. Typical NYC talking guy. Always had a racket worked out to try. He got us seriously busted for trying to sneak into the B-36 there with some beer one night. Who remembers the Rantoul USO club?

Bull more pics if you got them of CAFB. Old age has dulled my memories of the place and could use some prodding. I do vividly recall one troop in our dorm that had some really gross (for that time) nudie pic's on the inside of his locker door. They were cool until our new female second louey did a barracks inspection and saw them. Not good at all.

AJ

Jeff it was PINGER(er) bar in my time. good ole 3.2 beer. :puke:

I remember now the PIT & PING / PINGER was the airman's club.

Anyone remember the "house" of records just outside the gate? It was an actual house they converted into a record store. Bought many a cassette there.

Let's see the little bar I was thinking about was near our dorm which was one of the old ones. I was there in 77 and I think the dorms were torn down in the spring of 78, they were moving guys out before the Christmas break. It was near the drivers training Building too.
Our dorm was just down the road from the BX and the clothing sales building where we all bought our Flight jackets with our career field patches on the back along with our home state patches, and the patches of the place we were going to. (I wonder what ever happened to that jacket )

3.2 Beer if you were under what was it 18? you had to buy the 3.2 version of beer, we just drank more beer than the others because of it

My first day there I woke up to see a German Shepard staring me in the face. Yep the Commander was was doing a "inspection" along with the cops and they brought the DOG. I was thinking first basic training and the TI meets you at 1am wearing sunglasses and now this!!!!

Egress went to school with the AGE personnel, I too asked about the Rope but was told because our Tech school was to short for us to go for one, we were only there for 7 weeks


Thanks Bullhunter seeing these picture sure brought back a lot of memories. Are your son-in-law and daughter still in?
Tell them I said a Big Thank you for all they have done for the Good Ole USA

When I checked it said the base was recommend for closure in 1988 and closed in 1993
The car looks like a old Lincoln to me.

The Pit & Ping Airman's Club! Now THAT brings back some memories. As does the Holiday Inn Jr outside the gate, down the street between the two gates actually.

Don't Shoot It, Chanute It! I met and married my first wife there, yea a tech school romance... WTF was I thinking? 3 kids and 9 years later I realized "not much" and we moved on to better things. That said, she ended up a Sixer as well, with the 5th FIS, the Det actually in Tucson.

As a crew dog you all are wondering what the hell I was doing at Chanute right? No? Tough, I'll tell ya anyway. I came in as a crew chief on heavies, Jet Over Two. Tech school for Jet Over 2 was Chanute, and Jet Under 2 was Sheppard. I trained on the B-52s at Chanute, then went to... Grand Forks!

You remember the Swap program? Some dumb bastard at Travis working C-141's swapped with me to Grand Forks so I ended up at Travis for a few years worked 141's and then C-5's (all A models haha) before getting the itch to have my name on the side of a plane. I lateraled to jet under 2, which is when I went to the Sixes. Actually my my wife (then) and I did it together and got assigned to the 87th together. The USAF had some military married to military thing then where they tried to keep you together.

Damn that all seems like a long time ago, back when I was young and thin.

Great pic's of those aircraft in snow.
I was always impressed by that B-36.
That's about the photo's I'd been searching for, but without the snow. Still have 2 or 3 photo's on main street Rantol someplace or they are lost and gone. Anyway was not main street the only street in Rantol? ;D

We picked up leaves at Chanute. Did not shovel any snow that I can remember. I left Chanute in Dec 1971 and I can't remember it snowing once. At 54 the memories are not always complete. :rolleyes:

Anyways, I bused to chicago and was put on a jet to LA, CA for an assignment at Norton AFB in San Bernardino. Landed and got my bags and headed for ground transportation. All of a sudden someone yelled, "Stop Airman" . Dam, did I get worried as I was in blues then, and we were worned about Vietnam war protestors giving troops bad times. I figuire time to run but a guy in a suit came up to me and said I needed to sign this paper. I said I'm not signing anything. The guy said you don't understand, you just walked acrossed a movie set during filming. If this is the best shot of that section of the movie we will want to use it and you would be in it and receive a few bucks. I wasn't sure weather to sign or not so I read it and all it was - was a release for then to have me as a standin person in the movie. I gave my name and contacts at Norton AFB and signed the paper. Never got a penny so I guess I didn't make the movie.
My welcome to LA and Hollywood.

Six, we went thru this once before. I was there the same time, 2nd class I think 325X1. (What Flight Number were you at Lackand? I was 310). I had the same thought about graduation, C-5 assignment due to the inordinate time they spent on the MADAR system. That turned out to be a real laugh I hear. I was glad I got Sixes.

The problem (not a big one) was myself and one other guy, Herbie Knowles (who later was the Thunderbirds Insturment Weenie in the mid 70's), were the only 325X1's in a shop full of 422s, two stripers and real JEEPS. Hehehe, the 158 stand scared the hell out of a few of the old 422s, along with O-scopes and, believe it or not, the AN-PSM6. But on PME talents with basic test equipment they were damned good.

Again off topic, but our Yellow/Red Rope, Bobbie Raymond, who I also did basic with, ended up a 32571 on the E4 A's and B's (NEACP) on Andrews at the time I was 89th in the mid 70's.

Hehehe, anyone do any "Tornado Watching" looking in the big fields across the road from Chanute? I recall seeing one small one.

AJ
(Oh, the B-36 was shortened I have heard on good reliability.)