California: Drive Through Former Castle AFB, Atwater, 6/2/15

A drive through the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California, on June 2, 2015.
In 1946, the base was named Castle Army Air Field to honor Brigadier General Frederick Castle, who had been killed in action in 1944.
In 1995, when the AFB was officially closed, and after the more than 6,000 military and civilian personnel moved away, it left Atwater, Merced, and the other surrounding areas with a huge economic downfall. I remember many houses with either for sale or rent signs, and many apartment buildings with vacancies offering move-in incentives (i.e. sign a one year lease, get the first two months free, etc.). It had been common to see military personnel walking around town in their uniforms and flight suits, and to hear the planes overhead. It was odd when all of that was gone.
I was not in the military, but had been on the base several times as a guest. For many years after it was closed, the buildings went unoccupied. Slowly, private companies moved in and set up shop. The airfield is still used, but for private planes.
For those of you who were stationed at Castle AFB and are curious as to what it looks like now (June 2015), here you go!
Just a side note, the San Joaquin Valley is suffering from a severe drought and most people and businesses are conserving water by not watering.
Enjoy!
28:09 Barracks
DASH CAM: Garmin 20 with GPS, 1080p

[@harbor1968]

As an Air Force Brat, I grew up at Castle from 1951-1961. Thank you for this video, but it breaks my heart to see it in ruins. I have so many great memories of this Base and Atwater. My dad was Base Operations Officer and I remember riding by bike to his office in the Tower just to say hi. We lived in Castle Gardens for several years, but Dad was sent to Osan, Korea so we moved into Atwater. We all thought dad would retire there but he was transferred to McChord AFB, Tacoma, WA and he loved it, so that was the end of our Air Force Life. So sad to hear of what Atwater has become, a place that holds so many great memories for me.

[@eat_my_ass]

I was born here in Atwater in 2003 and I'm actually thankful that you explained so much history that I have been intriguing for after so many years of this abandoned town. And You were around during the 1950-60's? *Please tell me everything about how life was here in Atwater during that time!*

[@gwendolynlucas-davis3301]

Same here-an Air Force "brat" and an Army Soldier, courtesy of ROTC! We were stationed at Castle from about '67-'69, after being stationed at Lockbourne AFB(SAC), Columbus, OHfor almost 6 years. It is now Rickenbacker Air Field. We were ther so long and during my formative grade school days that I identify with Ohio as being my adoptive home State. I was born in Oklahoma City not long after my parents met on Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Dad from Orangeburg, SC-Mom from Idabel, OK! I attended Mitchell Senior Elementary School just right off of Castle's Base Housing. Walked to school. I can remember some of the housing having long, Palm tree lined driveways and ranch styled duplexes with carports centrally located. We had a 7-11 "quik stop" within walking distance too. I remember a Gottschalk's store, A & W Root beer fast food restaurants, the Youth Center on the Base; PYOC (Protestant Youth of the Chapel) and our family's Sponsor to the Base-Bill Powell. My Mom had an Aunt and Uncle near Tulare, CA and a cousin in LA. I remember getting a "B" in 8th Grade Civics class that entitled me to go with classmates ( who either made an A or B as well ) to Sacramento's Capitol building for a field trip day. I remember PYOC retreats to Turlock, CA. And we had service member friends stationed on Hamilton, AFB-Mom and I went to see them and we also went to Disneyland with them. I will show Mom this video. She will be 89 in November, but maybe she can remember more about Castle than I can! I'm a Proud Air Force "brat"!!❤❤❤

[@josephdelgobbo8903]

Thanks for the tour! Castle AFB was my first duty station after basic and tech school.. I was a Security Specialist and had requested California on my "Dream Sheet" when in tech school. I arrived in late April, 1978, assigned to the 93rd SPS. MANY of the buildings around the base have been torn down, including the SPS dorm and ALL the clubs (Officer's, NCO and Airman's). I did recognize some of the buildings that were left, including the gas station, Wing & Support Group HQs and Base Ops. Met my wife - also enlisted AF - there (She worked at the hospital in the ER), and in 1982, we moved to San Antonio TX. It was an okay base, and with Atwater and Merced nearby, there were things to do. Very sad to see how it's deteriorated over time, as so many of the bases that closed have either thrived in their new purposes, or sank into obscurity. Again, thanks for the video and walk down memory lane...that base will always hold a special place in my AF memories.

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome!

[@WildBillHabiki]

this hits hard. castle was my 1st base after tech school March 1982. I'm 62 now. I recognize a lot of the base thanks to this video. I really appreciate it.

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome.

[@wolfshanze5980]

Castle AFB was my first duty assignment from 1986 to 1988 before moving on to the rest of my career, retiring in 2006. I lived on base in the dorms and worked in the big hangar for 93rd FMS and main supply for 93rd Supply Squadron.

[@donaltman9780]

I remember when the SR71 flew in and was decommissioned here. My father was stationed at Castle for a few years. He was a navigator on a KC135 Stratotanker. I loved living the area it was a nice place.

[@Bhakti-rider]

I wondered if I'd recognize anything in the video, but I didn't really. I was a photo interpreter in Headquarters Squadron, 47th Bomb Wing, in 1967-1968. (I scored B52 training missions based on radarscope photography.) One of the nicest, friendliest guys I met in the Air Force was there: Jim Patton, who was a grandson or nephew or something of General Patton.

[@gwendolynlucas-davis3301]

Same here, I couldn't recognize the Base. We were stationed there in approx. '67-'69, after being stationed at (former) Lockbourne AFB, Columbus, OH for nearly 6 years. Both were SAC bases(?). Attended Mitchell Senior Elementary School (Atwater) 7th and 8th grades prior to our going to be stationed at Zaragoza, Spain. Yep, an Air Force "brat" for sure. Dad served 26 years, retiring as a M/SGT (1949-1975) and he loved every minute of it. He is buried in Fort Jackson National Cemetary, Columbia, SC. I served in the Army for 3 active and 3 Inactive Reserve via ROTC. it was an honor to have served as well!!❤❤

[@garyjones2582]

Linda I want to thank you for posting this.. I was stationed at Castle AFB twice, in 71-72 and in 74.. It used to be so beautiful and now it looks like a dried up ghost town.. As you were driving down G st. (I believe) you past by the 93rd FMS dorms.. I glanced over and saw my old room that I lived n for 1.5 yrs.. I was immediately flooded with memories from 50 yrs ago.. Wow.. I see they have remodeled them somewhat since then.. Linda thx again for taking us along for the ride.. God Bless and take care...

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome, Gary. I remember it looking so manicured when the base was still open in the early 1990s.

[@garyjones2582]

@@LindaJB2 maybe one day again... Thx again Linda...

[@amylouisamontgomery]

@@garyjones2582 Gary, You enticed me to look this up from the Clinton Sherman video. You in fact were stationed at Castle the same time as my Father. What great memories. Castle was very beautiful at that time. Love looking at the old videos. Makes me feel pretty old though.....LOL :)

[@garyjones2582]

@@amylouisamontgomery I might have rubbed elbows with your dad while at Castle..lol.. I worked at ETSU (EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY) and while making a delivery I ran across a retired Lt . Col from the A.F. and after a lengthy conversation we discovered that we were at Castle AFB at the same time and we were TDY to Guam at the same time and he passed thru Eielson AFB while I was stationed there.. And if my memory serves me correctly, he was stationed at McCoy AFB, which was 3 miles from my home in Orlando FL.. It's a small world...

[@MikelK2112]

I enjoyed seeing this video, I was born on this base in July of 1956 and always wanted to go back but probably never will so thanks for the video.

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome!

[@wcharliewilson7004]

Have a younger sis and brother born there. Sara, August 17, 55 and Sam, March 8, 56. I was born at Ft Bliss in 54. My dad was stationed at Castle and a part of the very first wing of B52s. Let's just say he was amazed by watching every single one of those brand-spanking-new planes fly in. All I remember is quonset huts and driving to his buddy's (Joe Makita) house and then running through his strawberry fields..

[@gwendolynlucas-davis3301]

Great year, 1956! I was born the same year bur near Tinker AFB, where my parents met. We were at Castle from about 1967-1969. We had left being stationed at what was Lockbourne, AFB, Columbus, OH-my "adoptive" hometown!! Go Buckeyes!! We were there for almost 6 years. Dad was a T/SGT. After Castle ( I went to Mitchell Senior Elementary within walking distance from Base Housing) for 7th and 8th grades. From there we were stationed overseas to Zaragoza AFB, Spain for almost 3 years. I dang near graduated from High School there. One of our last Bases before Dad's retirement with 26 years under his service belt was Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, TX, where I graduated from High School and left my beloved parents there to attend Oklahoma State University. (Loved those two people but did not want to go to College anywhere near them!). I'm an only child(adult now!) and was told from almost my first day on Earth that I'd go yo college. Graduated from South Carolina State College (now a University), class of 1979, with a BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology. The college was in my Dad's hometown county, and the transfer from OSU to SCSC was worth it in the long run. I changed majors from Education to Speech Pathology. Most of my Dads' kin folk were from the area and St Matthew's(so is Viola Davis the actress), North, SC(my Dad is a distant cousin of the late actress Eartha "Santa Baby" Kitt who was from North); and from Charleston, Monks Corner snd Beaufort, SC. Most of Dad's kinfolk around Orangeburg were and are educators. Dad left his home at 17 with my Grandparents signing for him to enlist. He finally retired in 1975 and is buried at Fort Jackson's National Cemetary, in Columbia, SC. I'm a very proud Air Force "brat" turned Army service memember: 3 years active and 3 years Inactive Reserve during the Gulf War-with Honorable discharge!❤❤❤

[@Fitzroy_Fox]

Was an Air Force brat on Castle from 1990-1993. Was sobbing as I saw the Base Ops tower. My mom worked there for a bit and I fondly remember the milkshakes they made and the NeoGeo arcade game there. My dad was stationed there and I remember so much.

[@robertburgess1091]

I was stationed at Castle in 1973-1974. We closed half of our bases nationwide in the 1990's as a result of the Base Reallocation and Closure Act (BRAC). When Castle was closing in 1995, McClellan AFB was closing in Sacramento. Sacramento County took over McClellan and they have done a wonderful job of re-developing it. 95 percent of the buildings at McClellan are in use and this includes old dormatory buildings that have become apartments. Today McClellan is a beautiful industrial community providing 17,000 jobs. Most of Castle is managed by Merced County's Department of Commerce and Aviation and half of the buildings sit vacant. Mark Hendrickson is the Director of the Department of Commerce and Aviation and he expresses big dreams to the County Supervisors but the Base remains a ghost town. Mark has promised the county a Foreign Trade Zone, A enterprise Zone and now he says Castle will become the Manufacturing Hub of Central California. Buildings at Castle have sat vacant for over 20 years and they can not stand much more neglect. Our County Supervisors are gullible and they need to be replaced.

[@robertburgess1091]

McClellan provides 18,000 jobs while castle provides 1800 jobs. McClellan provides 10 times the jobs and lease revenue Castle provides. Our County Supervisors have been promising grand and glorious things for 24 years while they have demolished half the buildings and want to demolish 55 more.Mark has had ten years to prove himself and his lame ideas are a joke. We need to fire Mark Hendrickson and start building and stop tearing down. We need to fill spaces and create a industrial park. Mark's manufacturing hub, cargo hub and autonomous vehicle test area ideas need to be scrapped. Castle has gone down hill during Mark's tenure because his advice from GLD partners does not fit the real world.

[@plumberguy4768]

Thank you for posting this! I was stationed there from 87'-91'. Wonderful memories. I am proud to say I was stationed there.

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome.

[@robertrutan7535]

I was stationed there from April 1990 to August 1991 I worked in the weather station at base ops as a weather observer. Detachment 2, 9 Weather Squadron

[@gregfussell4859]

Thanks for the video. My first duty assignment was Castle AFB from 1984 - 1987 with the 93rd Field Maintenance Squadron. Met a lot of good friends and and enjoyed my time there....Hope to make it back out that way for vacation. After 25 years in the Air Force, this sure does bring back good memories.

[@LindaJB2]

+Greg Fussell You're welcome!

[@TheNinjaPicker]

+Greg Fussell I was there from 83-87 Fire Dept! Thanks to LindaJB2 for posting this video

[@cjair6639]

Thank you for the video. It brings back a lot of great memories there. My father was stationed there from 82 to 93. He also taught martial arts there at community center next to Castle Park. So, sad to see what’s become of it.

[@rerod]

Yeah, a wannabe teacher. You lived across from me in base housing and always let your dog crap in my yard.

[@brutuskleais4178]

My thanks to linda for bringing back fond memories of being stationed here with the 84th FIS F-106 unit in 1975-1978. At about the 12:28 time mark, the two buildings left and right of the center building were the Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) maintenance shops. The smaller building was the weld shop. The open area in front of the shops was our equipment ready line. One day I came out of the door of the first building and was walking out towards our ready line. Some thing attracted my attention out on the flight line and I walked straight into and bounced of that same first telephone pole. Fortunately, no one saw me or I'd have been the butt of many jokes! Good times here. Met my bride to be who was also stationed here and still married over 47 yrs later!

[@joethegeographer]

Thanks for posting this. I worked there off and on for a few years back in the 1990s. Nice to see there's some substantial reuse going on now.

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome!

[@bogdog999]

Cool video. My great grandfather's house sat right under the landing pattern in Merced, and as a kid I was so fascinated by he B-52s and tankers passing overhead at low altitude. The outdoor air museum there is the best I've ever been to...such a huge variety of aircraft, and where I actually got to walk up to and touch an SR_71(!).

[@WildBillHabiki]

WOW WOW what a trip down memory lane. Castle was my first duty station in Feb 1982. I loved it. I loved the San Joaquin Valley. Man you could see the snow caps from the Sierra Nevadas on a clear day. Anyway, thank you Linda. This brings back a lot of memories from over 30 years ago.

[@LindaJB2]

You're very welcome. :)

[@aspjake123]

Wife and I Married at the church seen to the right at 0:24 Spent 13 awesome years there and left in Dec 1994. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@aspjake123]

@@Twolife Oh no. Wanted to revisit during the 93rd/693rd SQ reunion. Like, is it gone gone as torn down gone?

[@robertburgess1091]

Castle closed in the 1990's, along with Mather AFB and McClellan AFB in Sacramento. Castle had 6000 people, Mather had 7000 and McClellan had 8500 people. Sacramento turned Mather and McClellan into industrial park gold mines and they employ more people now than when the Air Force was still there. Both of these bases have over 9000 workers today. The old main base at Castle is owned by Merced County (Originally it was Merced City, City of Atwater, and Merced County). Mark Hendrickson manages the real estate for Merced County and he has been a horrible failure. He says he has 1200 jobs out there but drive through and you will not see a fraction of that. When people try to buy or lease land or buildings, they usually hear "Oh, that is not available". The usual phony excuse is, "Asbestos". The Air Force quit putting Asbestos in buildings in 1978 and Mark claims asbestos on buildings constructed in 1990. It looks like Mark probably gets real estate commissions when he sends business away from Castle. We lost 1 large tenant before Mark Was hired and that tenant was making portable classroom buildings in the old B-52 Hangar. That was probably the tenant's fault, because he failed as a businessman. Then we lost a big tenant who was leasing 7 big buildings to build commercial trailers for big trucks. This was the county's fault. They jacked up the rent so high the tenant had to leave. I personally tried to lease or buy buildings at Castle 15 years ago and was turned down, so I understand the problem. Several years ago, The County Supervisors worked with Mark Hendrickson to hire Global Logistics Development Partners LLC to make a Development Plan for Castle and they paid Adam Wasserman of Arizona $971,000 for a hair brained scheme that could not possibly Work. They signed an agreement with the Port of Los Angeles to Make Castle the Manufacturing Hub of Central California, and a Inland Port and a rail Cargo Hub . They said this would bring 10,000 jobs. You can see how many jobs it brought. Don't give up yet - Between Mark Hendrickson, Adam Gray, and County Supervisor Daron McDaniel, they got a grant of $4 million to turn the little railroad spur at Castle into a world class rail cargo hub. This is sad, but we only have 2 railroad lines and they are north-South. You need East - West connections for a rail cargo hub! There were 1307 empty barracks beds at Castle when the base closed and half of this was built in 1990, only 5 years old when the base closed and much nicer than the new dorms at U.C. Merced. I contacted Supervisor Daron McDaniels and suggested this be offered to a developer of senior housing. McDaniels replied and told me we could not have housing in the middle of a huge manufacturing hub. The 1990 Dorms were 3 story Concrete and brick with beautiful 2 man rooms, individual 2 man restrooms and kitchenettes, and Mark Hendrickson just had half of them demolished. We may still have a pilot training school at Castle called Sierra Aviation Academy and they may still be using some of those beautiful 1990's dorms. We still may still have WAYMO Driverless Cars leasing land at Castle. Mark Hendrickson may wonder what brought WAYMO here. (WAYMO is owned by Google). I saw a post on my computer showing that Google was was looking for airport land in the San Jose Area and I sent them a comment describing Castle Runway, buildings, etc. Three days later a delegation from Google was all over Castle, looking at everything in sight, and they leased what they wanted from Mark Hendrickson. There are a handful of good buildings still standing at Castle, but there is not much left to save after Mark Henrickson and his buddy Daron McDaniels ran it into the ground.

[@ralphortegon4719]

I was TDY at Castle A.F.B. in early 1967. I enjoyed all the cool amenities that the base and the surrounding outdoors offered: Lake Yosemite, Yosemite National Park and of course downtown Merced! But most of all I really enjoyed "wrenching" on the "E & F Models" of the B-52 Bomber. I was in the 93rd OMS, on loan to the Klowns of the OMS. I was from the 22nd OMS, from March A.F.B., Riverside, CA. Those boots and their jeeps were a blast! I was on those filthy "C & D B-52 Models", so it was great to wrench on clean airplanes

[@davidlsmith5256]

I recognize the barracks that I stayed at! (23:09 on the vid) I was stationed at Castle AFB November, 1984-February,1986. Security Specialist (81150) with the 93rd Security Police.

[@WildBillHabiki]

5:00 the ATC tower and the building with it. Does anyone else remember the snackbar/grill there? I was there in 82-83. The front half was flight ops but the back half was the eatery.

[@garyjones2582]

I remember.. stopped there many times for a hamburger 🍔... Stationed there twice in the early to mid 70's...

[@marin5381]

I have forgot.I was there in 2012😢

[@garyjones2582]

@@marin5381 I would love to get out that way one day .. I have so many fond memories of that place...Are you located near Castle? Being in TN. it's quite a drive to get there.. Well I hope you get to visit again soon...Take care my friend....

[@marin5381]

@@garyjones2582 I’m not in US right now,and I will be back there in future.

[@louxiong2332]

My family went their for airplane shows, with the guard shack, and it was an experience of a lifetime. So sad to hear of the crash and it being closed

[@marypatten9655]

Homeless people could be put up in the barracks. Job training programs could utilize the workshop areas for automotive training, carpentry, mess halls for cooking classes for chefs fir the homeless and poor to get a step up and out if poverty.

[@ollieperry7628]

My first duty station 1990 - 1993. Great times for sure.

[@tottenhamteacher]

Thank you for posting this. The comments alone have enlightened me some on what it was like to have the base around. It closed down the year I was born and I'm on base a lot for trainings but just wondered what it was like in it's glory days.

[@scottmarkuson7824]

I missed see morning taps and revelry at the end of the day on the parade grounds as a kid. FYI if you ever server, were stationed hear, or if you lived here as a dependent I just found out after watching this guy’s full video with walk through of the air museum that the base is an EPA Supersite. The health conditions related to this are not good and even learning and behavioral disabilities are apart of the effects the effects. Base housing was not out of the contamination zone either.

[@robertburgess1091]

The EPA began a superfund clean up years before the base closed. There are at least 2 huge waste treatment plants and they may still be operating. There are test wells all over the old base and they are still monitored by the Engineering firm of Cm2Hill. Huge amounts of dirt were hauled out and hauled in.

[@Jj-uz8rh]

My father jay fields was stationed there late 80's to early 90s they had a nice gym he would bring me as a kid and workout there everyday

[@coop0819]

Pretty interesting! I lived and worked there from 1976 - 1979 with the 93rd SPS.

[@W4RFIGHT3R1]

So did I. 1985-1992 Delta Flight and then A Flight

[@ddabney67]

I started my MX career there in 1990 when they still had DCMs during the Famulare/Johnson WG/CC regime. Central location had me in the bay area, Yosemite and even LA on long weekends. Good times!

[@danelder6846]

Colonel Eugene Famulare was a great wing commander.

[@Pumapana]

Thanks for the video. I was stationed at Castle from 81-83 as a Command Post Tech. Lots of good times there for sure.

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome.

[@markwarner8291]

I was stationed there in 1979 to 1981. Man I'm. Old. Thanks

[@mikem1956]

I was there about the same time jet mech kc135 engine shop

[@bourgeoisbrats]

...got assigned there after I re-upped in 1980. Had a civilian for a boss. Her name was Betty White. She was responsible for the budget for the entire base. Still remember how she stood up to full colonels that tried to "pull rank" on her! Lol Managing and submitting the budget for a SAC base, was a lot more stressful job than it seems.

[@gwendolynlucas-davis3301]

We were stationed there approximately '67-'69. Base Housing was just of the Base for families. I attended Mitchell Senior Elementary School for 7th and 8th grades. Housing was older, possibly circa WWII. Ranch style with carports for the most part and kind of in a low area. California was beautiful to visit. We had friends who were stationed at Hamilton AFB near Oakland. And my Mom had an Aunt and Uncle near Tulare. She also had a cousin in LA.

[@MFH916]

This is cool! A blast from the past. I was stationed there from 1976 to 1979. The building I worked in is still standing. It was the budget and finance office when I was there. It's now the Merced Union High School District building next to the old flight line.

[@gwendolynlucas-davis3301]

Thanx for sharing this video. We were stationed there in the late '60s prior to being stationed at Zaragoza AFB, Spain and after being stationed at the former Lockbourne AFB, Columbus, OH! Yep, an Air Force "brat" all the way!!❤❤❤❤😊

[@rerod]

Loved the commentary

[@bulltwinkie45]

I was stationed here from 1983 to 1990 - my entire enlistment. Arrived just as they broke ground for the new hospital. Helped move into it. Got out as they were discussing adding to it again. It really is sad how the base has just fallen apart. Merced and Atwater have just really wasted the place. The Memorial Parade Grounds are trashed, a lot of the buildings are gone (the theater, the clubs, dormitories, the gym...). The roads are covered in weeds and falling apart, the swimming pools, the tennis courts, the Shoppette, the Library - all gone. Such fond memories of the NCO Club, the El Dorado room, the Bowling Alley. Looking back, it was a great assignment. Now Atwater and Merced are nasty places to live, drug and gang infested welfare states. As soon as I retire from my job here at the Junior College - I am out of here.

[@medrep1000]

93rd Bomb Wing, stationed at Castle 1963-1967.

[@aspjake123]

1981-1994 93rd OMS B-52 Crew Chief

[@aspjake123]

@@Twolife Yea tell me about it! SAC used to mean Stuck At Castle!! But in hind sight I would like to have done more time there.

[@WizardOfChicamunga]

I was born and raised in 1950 in the little town of Winton about 3 miles from there.

[@eat_my_ass]

Wait wait wait, Winton Was a thing back then?! Please tell me how life was here in Atwater and Winton during the 50's and 60's!

[@randyvelez7297]

I was stationed in Castle fresh out of Boot CAMP IN 1986. I was restationed to Diego Garcia in the Indean Ocean to promote Desert Storm. Frpm there I was restationed to Rhien Mein Germany. From there I retired from the Military. When I googled Castle on My Computere I discovered it was not even there any longer. Pretty strange since that spot had a lot of Military hisitory Significance! It was heart breaking to say the least. I was forced to retire on a medical discharge. I remember raising my 3 kids on the base and had a lot of very special memories that can cannot be replaced. That base base has history dating back on World War ll. Is this american Gorvernment could not find ways to "lower the budget", explainit to the thousands of Families who lost Love Ones during that time, I love my Country and would serve in it if I had to do it over again as well as any really Proud Americans Would. That base made me Grow Up. TO SEE IT CANNABILSED like it has been (Besides they pawned off the Base to the highest biller.) They could have never matched the monitary valley and Human Sufferring by their families given by the countless off airmen who lost But I must be stuped And real & ignoriariant but I thought lifes of heroisims and courage matter.Thease people gave up there life to protecters us for a Nervous Time in History.But What does The Grvernment do, I sells the Bas to another who probably dos not care about it past History, I may be wrong, but iI dought it. Gust anger Way for the government to just leave town when the job is done. Please don't get me I wrong. I'm a Proud Retired Air Force SSGT. with Honners.I Love my Cuntry but it does such full thinges. Can't they appreciate physical history as well as Physcologigal ones?

[@homerfry9234]

Worked in the big hangar 93rd OMS bomber phase team 1, 1977-81

[@bobbycalabrese831]

I was stationed at Castle from 1980 to 1983. I was in the 93rd AMS in the ECM shop. My youngest son was born in the Castle Clinic; the base holds a lot of great memories for me. It's a shame to see the condition of Castle today, I drove through in 2015 it was sad.

[@garyramthun9791]

Knew Joe Calabrese, a pilot at Minot 66-70

[@stephenberkheiser9131]

Wow ! hard to believe I spent four years there. I don't recognize much at all.

[@Jefff72]

5:15 wasn’t there a snack bar in there? At 9:21 I’m certain that was my old dorm. The first bld on the left. I think that was Travis fed Credit Union on the right. I was there 92 to 93 and worked in Sheet Metal Fabrication flight, 93rd FMS later MS after convert SAC to ACC.

[@garyjones2582]

Jeff I was stationed at Castle AFB twice.. In 71-72 and after a stint at Eielson AFB then I came back to Castle in 74.. I was in the 93rd FMS and lived in the same dorms as you.. It brought back so many memories seeing it again, but it looks awful.. They tore down all the older wood frame bldgs from the WW2 era.. They were in great shape when I was there.. Huge oak and Maple trees.. It was green everywhere.. Now everything looks dead.. I was a jet engine mechanic and worked on the phase docks when I first got there and then I was transferred to the Flt line at a small bldg.. It was hard to recognize things, as they were either gone or changed.. It looked as if they had remodeled our old dorms.. They looked different.. I believe the old chow hall that was next to our dorms is gone.. Bittersweet memories..I hope u get a chance to read this...

[@cdubois13]

I was born on this base in 1981.Never been there since I was little when my dad was stationed there.Any idea where the old base hospital was?

[@LindaJB2]

It's now called Castle Family Health Centers; you can see it at 0:52 in the video. Thank you for watching!

[@garyjones2582]

It used to be called Hospital Rd.. after u went through the front gate (guard shack) it was the first road to the left.. hope that helps..And a big thank you to Linda for the wonderful memories in this 30 minute video...

[@cdubois13]

@@LindaJB2 Is it true there was also a more modern hospital built a few years before the base closed? I heard that mentioned before

[@LindaJB2]

@@cdubois13 I hadn't heard of that. I believe the only medical facility there now is the Castle Family Health Center.

[@jenniferp1792]

I remembe climbing up the air traffic control tower with baby in tow, for my ex husbands reenlistment.

[@jsb65]

was there when my dad was stationed there 1973 to 76

[@ruez]

In last mouth, I saw an E-6 Mercury flying above Merced and landing at Castle. I thought the base was closed.

[@ralphortegon4719]

Part 2 cont'd. from Ralph O.: If any of you guys remember me I'm still FIGMO?! Man, I worked hard there and I learned so much at Castle OMS, that additional knowledge made me an additional stripe and made the rest of the March Weenies-Green with jealously! I made Sergeant after 2 1/2 years of being in the Air Force. And then two overseas tours and as a Crew Chief & on flying status. Those *"':;!?*"':;!?, lofers would get pissed off, after all there weren't many "Mexicans Americans" as first timers on fly'n ssssstatus as those old bastards called it.To me, the Air Force was loads of Fun! I took my AFDC very serious, but I partyed like 1999! If you knew me back in the day, I was Wolfman Jack from the Big XERB, Del Rio Texas. If you don't know Chief Chalambow, then you can't pretend to know my Krew!C h eye dooey key G.I.and oh yeah, Gil S. my ol roommate, Man U were Krazy in Guam and insane in Thailand! Great times and good memories!

[@loslaynes]

I was stationed there for 1-year--Jun 1981 to Jul 1982. I worked at the dilapidated building at the 10:00 mark. That the the base Print shop or Base Reprographics.

[@solidlift]

Sad to see it this way.

[@robertsilva8097]

Thank you for the Great video

[@LindaJB2]

You're welcome!

[@robertburgess1091]

When you go into the Castle Commerce Center wanting to buy or lease Castle Airport land you are usually told the land is not available and you are referred to a local contractor or land owner who sells you his land and builds for you if buildings are needed. Back around 1995 word was getting out that Castle was closing and some local owners of nearby land and buildings did not want this surplus government property competing with their real estate in the market. It looks like these people made a deal with with the local JPA managers at Castle and the management at Castle began doing bait and switch, sending people who wanted Castle real estate to nearby land owners and contractors. The JPA died over 15 years ago and Merced County took over Castle and it looks like the old bait and switch is still taking place. This explains why most of the 1703 barracks beds at Castle have sat vacant and abandoned for over 24 years. The Castle Commerce Center invents stories about imaginary asbestos and other hazards in these buildings to keep them empty. Most of these dorms were built in 1990, 12 years after the USAF quit putting asbestos in buildings and these 1990 dorms (Summit Dorm Complex) do not contain an ounce of asbestos.The Sierra Aviation Academy has approx 100 student pilots living in the Summit dorm complex, while the County pretends these dorms are vacant. Sierra pilots have been living in this complex since 2006. These students live there because these dorms are safe and free of asbestos. The USAF initiated a massive asbestos eradication program in 1978 but they did not have the resources to remove all of the asbestos from all pre 1978 buildings, so some of it remains. A pre 1978 building with a building number something like 348 was probably the worst. A school district tried to remodel this building for auto shop classes and approx 20 students were exposed to asbestos dust while trying to remodel without any proper safety equipment. 2 employees of the remodeling contractor went to prison and someone paid a lawsuit or fine in the neighborhood of @2 million. Injured students received settlements from this. Merced County got Economic Development advice between 2013 and 2018 from Adam Wasserman of GLD Associates of Scottsdale Arizona. He sounds like the Adam Wasserman who got in trouble for money laundering in Florida a few years prior. The IRS dropped the charges on him in Florida provided he never serve as CEO of an American Corporation again. The Adam Wasserman of GLD Partners is not a CEO, he is a "Managing Partner". Now we see why the former Air Bases in Sacramento have 10 times the jobs Castle has(18,000 compared to less than 1800). Merced paid Wasserman $971,000 between 2014 and 2017 for a plan to develop Castle. The plan partners with the Port of Los Angeles to make Castle the Manufacturing Hub of Central California, the Rail Cargo Hub of the West Coast, and the home of 2 Autonomous Vehicle Test Facilities. The County plans to spend 6.5 Million on a Autonomous Vehicle track beside the one Google (Waymo) already operates there. These plans for Castle can't possibly work and they are not intended to work because they are a smoke screen for Hendrickson's plan to run Castle into the ground, while helping local realtors develop nearby private land. Hendrickson and his assistant, Mark Mimms must be getting commissions from realtors and hiding the money in foreign bank accounts. This explains why Hendrickson and his department want to help Steve Tinetti Real Estate market the old Pepsi plant at the same time they want to demolish rather than advertise 55 good vacant buildings at Castle(go to www.investmerced.com and click "available properties) Local government has already demolished half of the perfectly good buildings at Castle, rather than advertise and sell them. The IRS should audit Hendrickson and Mimms and look for money laundering in foreign bank accounts. The Fresno Bee should send a undercover investigator to the Castle Commerce Center pretending to be someone needing a large commercial building and see where his search takes him.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Plenty hangar space?

[@eutimiochavez415]

Is the base closed now?

[@LindaJB2]

The Air Force base closed in the 90s. It is now in use by public and private businesses.

[@alexanderoakes4883]

was stationed there from 1982-1989 with 93rd CES and was there back in May checking out my former duty station. does not look as a remember it

[@WildBillHabiki]

I also was in CES from 1982-1983. It was my first duty station out of tech school. Got shipped off to Osan in 83. I really loved Castle and the surrounding area. I have a lot of good memories from that time and that place.

[@bladerunner3417]

I was there from 82-85- AMS Bomb Nav. Guess I don't remember it being so desolate but maybe a few more trees. The old AMS building was just left of the tower and it appeared there was some structure still there. When I first got there, I lived in the dorms shared with the SF squadron. (they didn't have any room with the Avionics folks). Seemed like "Chips" was always on in the break room TV! ha..... Doesn't seem at prosperous as some other base closures, such as Lowry AFB in Denver. (Million $ homes for the most part). Kinda sad in a way watching this.

[@robertsilva8097]

Keep up the Great work

[@joshuaosswald9610]

Looking for a service member Bob Fitzer (Fetzer) Mid 80s. 93rd FMS Corrosion Control shop

[@charlesglandon7840]

Too bad there is no narrative to tell what you are looking at.

[@coachm86]

My mom's was station there back in 76-77

[@Yogenh]

I was stationed there from 1982 to 1992. 93FMS

[@Jefff72]

What section? I got there late Jan 92. Work Structural Maint Fabrication

[@Yogenh]

@@Jefff72 I was jet engines worked in phase dock

[@Jefff72]

@@Yogenh I have a memory of an engine shop but not sure if I’m remembering at Castle or Lakenheath. I remember the phase hanger too.

[@Yogenh]

@@Jefff72 it was a big hanger. I was ECMP for 3 years too.

[@jeffeverhart8464]

90 to 93 baby!

[@antjones8083]

Castle was my first base, my first child was born there, I was also a D.J. at the NCO club, "AJ".. 93rd FMS. Jet engine mech. from 82-86. those pictures make me want to vomit. That was a cool base. Went To Kadena then for 7 years. But Castle will always be on my mind, and the smell of horse zhit every morning, like JP-4..

[@enoerofebowtb7571]

@. Ant Jones That’s very funny and a little strange!! Same here but the exact opposite! I was at Kadena from 76’ - 78,’ 18th FMS hydraulic shop, and at Castle from 78’ - 80,’ 93rd FMS hydraulic shop, Sgt. Parker was my head NCO of the shop, forget what the actual title to give him. big hanger. Lived in the dorm on the left in this video at 9:15, left end of the dorm second floor very last room. Oh the memories, Chow hall was right next door across the sidewalk and women’s dorm was right across the street to the left. This is amazing. So sad Castle is all but gone. Maybe you know a few fellows from the hydraulic shop? And oh yeah, I remember the smell. And it was really strong on those thick foggy nights and mornings. I was told and have always believed that the smell was from the onion grown in the valley on the farms in the valley but now that you say it is horse caca that seems reasonable. Strange as it may sound and believing that that smell was the smell of onions... I really enjoyed that smell... actually... hahahaha!!!

[@briangriffin4808]

There is a wonderful collection of aircraft and history at the Castle Air Museum The collection of aircraft my wife Dale cared for as Curator of Castle Air Museum. She wrote the book "History of Castle Air Force Base, Home of the B-52." It is available at the Castle Air Museum gift shop [phone]. All the money for the book goes to the Castle Air Museum.

[@luken.2612]

My old flight school here

[@robertburgess1091]

Castle should be a gold mine like the Former McClellan AFB and the former Mather AFB., but Merced County owns it and local government has run the property into the ground on purpose. Developers of nearby real estate have manipulated the Castle Manager into keeping buildings empty and knocking buildings down and promoting the developers property rather than this County Property. 1703 vacant dorm beds should have become 800 senior apartments but the crooks won't let that happen. The crooks tried to create the illusion that Castle was finally going to develop by signing a ridiculous agreement with the Port of Los Angeles in 2017 that re-named Castle the Mid California International Trade District. They said they were bringing 10,000 jobs. Castle was to become the manufacturing hub of Central California, a rail cargo hub, a truck cargo hub and a huge test center for autonomous vehicles. That was 4 years ago and that pile of Crap has not brought us 1 job or 1 new tenant. The old gas station became a beer tasting room with 15 jobs but that fell into the County's lap unexpectedly. The big plan was totally fake. It was based on the assumption that a foreign investor from a unknown country would bring 1 billion dollars to Castle and spend his 1 Billion on manufacturing capacity. The County was under pressure to do something, so they did something fake. County Supervisor Daron McDaniel might have believed the deal with Los Angeles would work. He is stupid enough to go for something like that.

[@marypatten9655]

Was money invested? Sounds like a money scam.

[@robertburgess1091]

@@marypatten9655 Investors have come and gone at the former Castle AFB over the years. Originally, most of the old base was given by the US Air Force to County of Merced, City of Merced and City of Atwater. The first manager was a retired Colonel and he leased the biggest building (B 52 Hangar) to a company that built portable classrooms for schools. That business failed. The Navy wanted to come to Castle and bring 5000 jobs but the Colonel made the mistake of saying "No". Then the cities pulled out, so the County owned the base except for a building or two. Mark Hendrickson has been manager out there for about 18 years, with the title of "Director of Commerce and Aviation." Now half of the buildings have been torn down, 10 percent of the buildings are in use and Mark wants funding to tear the empty buildings down. I think Mark runs business off because he is paid illegally by a local realtor to send business to that realtor. The County paid $971,000 to a Economic Development Advisor for stupid worthless ides that could never work. I wrote letters to the editor of the local paper for a year or 2 and they quit printing my letters. I do not have proof of any wrongdoing but I think some crooked county officials are paid under the table to send business off. Hendrickson does not manage runways for aviation, just land and buildings.

[@kendoman3150]

Mather and McClellan AFBs redevelopment were very successful because they are both located in a large, economically vibrant metropolitan area. Castle is located in the middle of nowhere and the San Joaquin valley is not and probably never will be appealing to any industry except for ag. The base served its purpose and let nature take it back.

[@robertburgess1091]

@@kendoman3150 Mr. Kendo Man thinks we should let Castle fall into ruin because it is in the middle of nowhere, where there never will be industry or demand for buildings. Castle had a mission of training B-52 bomber crews from 1955 to 1995 and training refueling tanker crews those same years. There was an average of 6000 military people at Castle over these years. After Castle closed in 1995, there were 1703 vacant dorm beds and approx 300 apartment buildings on the main base that were visiting officer quarters. Mr. Kendo thinks there will never be industry in the area, or people or a need for buildings. The UC MERCED CAMPUS Was FOUNDED in 2005 and had 8276 Undergrad Students in 2018. One industry in this community is a university with more people than Castle ever had. UC Merced has 10 huge dorm complexes and these will not meet the housing needs of that University. The Summit Dorm Complex at Castle was built in 1990 out of Concrete and Brick and it is much nicer than the University Dorms. Half of the Summit Complex is leased to a airline pilot training school and half of that complex was torn down earlier this month. Castle is managed by Mark Hendrickson, chairman of the Castle Commerce Center. Hendrickson has run Castle into the ground with horrible mismanagement. There is bus service between Castle and UC Merced and Merced College. The dorms just torn down sat vacant from 1995 to present and should have ALWAYS HAD COLLEGE Students in them from 1995 to present. Mark's excuse for destroying these buildings is imaginary fake asbestos. The USAF quit putting asbestos in buildings in 1978 and these dorms were built 22 YEARS LATER in 1990. Mark tore down buildings blaming asbestos when they never contained an ounce of asbestos. Kendo Man says McClellan and Mather are successful because they are part of a vibrant community. Kendo is full of shit. Take a drive by the other Merced Airport and see numerous beautiful buildings constructed long after Castle Closed. Merced County can not build homes and apartments quick enough to keep up with demand and Merced is a bedroom community to the "Vibrant" communities Kendo speaks of. My house is 1 of 3 identical homes built in Merced in 1994. One of these 3 houses houses just sold for $330,000 to a man who works for Tesla in Richmond and commutes 280 miles round trip daily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a reason Castle fell into ruin and it is not location or demand. Real Estate Brokers Panicked when word got out that Castle was closing because they did not want their expensive private land having to compete in the marketplace with cheap vacant government land. These fat little realtors pressured local government into hiring managers for Castle who would keep Castle Vacant and demolish Castle, while pretending to develop Castle. Local Citizens should initiate a class action lawsuit against Mark Hendrickson for breach of fiduciary responsibility and the court should separate Mark from every dime he has. I recently visited a Merced County Website and found that the Merced Commerce Department with Mark Mimms and Mark Hendrickson was advertising a privately owned commercial building for sale or lease and their ad did not include any County Owned buildings. They were advertising the old Pepsi Plant for Steve Tinetti Real Estate. I complained on line and the County put a few Castle Buildings in their advertising, but with only 1 picture and very little information. Now all buildings have been taken off that ad. When Mark Hendrickson starts trying to snow you with claims of hazardous conditions or chemicals at Castle, remind him of the Super Fund Clean Up that was initiated at Castle several years before the base closed. That clean up continued into 2018 with the engineering firm of Cm2Hillstill testing wells. The County Supervisor responsible for Castle is Daron McDaniel and he is just as bad as Mark Hendrickson. McDaniel once sent me an email that said the Federal Government would not allow the County to let people live at Castle. Numerouse people were living at Castle when Mark tried to snow job me into thinking no one could live out there. Sierra Aviation had student pilots living in the Summit Dorm Complex, and Apartments beside the Museum's RV park were rented to permanent renters. Also, there were permanent renters in the RV Park.

[@robertburgess1091]

@@kendoman3150 Kendo - you say Castle must fall into ruin because it is in the middle of nowhere, While the County Supervisors re-named it the Mid California International Trade District. They say a foreign investor is coming with 2 billion dollars and this will bring 10,000 jobs. The Supervisors paid $973,000 dollars to Global Logistics Development Partners (GLD) of Flagstaff Arizona for this brain dead plan. They made payments totaling 973,000 between 2014 and 2018. The mismanagement at Castle has been insane from 1995 to present. I am guessing some county people are getting kick backs out of this and we should ask the Merced County Grand Jury to investigate.

[@lionell59]

bagong kaibigan

[@lionell59]

gusto mo b dumami sabskriber mo, nagpapa angat po ako ng tynnel attend ka po sa LIVE ko 6;00PM pinas time, may sabs, views like, at isama kita sa GC ko libre lang po ito..sabihin mo lang invite by Lionell 59

[@nancystanton3291]

I am happy for so many who have fond memories of Castle, however I am in the minority in that opinion. I thoroughly hated being based there. I was one of the 800 or so from Kincheloe AFB who were transferred there when we closed in Sept 1977. Maybe I was spoiled by the excellent family atmosphere and leadership of the Kinch but my experiences in OMS from 77-78 weren't even close in comparison. At Castle as a supervisor, I was constantly fighting for my people who were being threatened with Article 15's or LOR's that at the other bases I served at would be an ass chewing. Maybe it was the completely ass backward way of scheduling maintenance actions, or the ridiculous base regulations of things like no shorts in the hospital, BX, etc that made it less than fulfilling. And apparently the experiences in other squadrons by Kinch transferees wasn't any different. Because in July 1978 the SAC IG came to Castle to investigate why so few Kinch transplants were re-enlisting, were requesting transfers of a variety of type, and why in only one year there were now only 180 of that original 800 (80% of whom were career Airman) left. It was one of the reasons among several others I declined to re-enlist for a third enlistment. Having said this, I must say I worked with some outstanding individuals in our flight and we accomplished quite a bit and areas like Yosemite were stunning. Now I know there will be those who want to criticize my comments, or who found Castle their best comment. Good for you and I am happy for you, and before you ask I will be leaving the site.

[@h.h.6171]

I'm right there with ya! Stationed there 93-95. Watching this video, which was shot 20 years after I departed, nothing much changed. A dumpy base, in a dumpy town, in a dumpy state. The museum was the lone bright spot. One of the happiest days in my life was putting Cali in the rearview mirror!

[@kendoman3150]

I'll pile on. Dad was stationed there 90-92 and I went to Atwater H.S. It was a miserable and economically depressed area then. Looks a lot more deserty than when I lived there.

[@Jefff72]

Don’t cross the red line! Jk

[@illdrumatik391]

Lots of Asians around there now...Makes you wonder what they're up too...

The same thing you are, living.