Exploring a Secret World War 2 Military Camp | Fort Ritchie - Underground Pentagon Support

Exploring a Secret WW2 Military Camp
Join me as I explore what remains of Fort Ritchie. A secret military camp, turned fort, which played an important role in both WW2 and the cold war and is hidden away in the mountains.
Any suggestion for new places in the mid-atlantic region or elsewhere to explore are welcome!
Support further adventures through Patreon: / ian_martin_exploration
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Music:
Bensounds.com
Skyward by Scott Buckley www.scottbuckle...
Charms - 02 Train by Sergey Cheremisinov / sergey-cheremisinov-1
Sunrise On Mars by Audionautix audionautix.com
Bongo by KV / kvmusicprod
All Creative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported - CC BY 3.0

[@5.56Media]

UPDATE: The Fort was recently sold and transferred to a local businessman. With the exception of the main roadway, ponds and dam, Fort Ritchie is now private property. Part of the Fort was transferred to a private, for-profit company called JGBLI a couple of years ago. However, the remaining parcel that was owned by Washington County, Maryland, has now been sold and transferred after a lengthy court battle. The current intent is to create a mixed-use residential and commercial development. New signage was posted on the property this past week, and the redevelopment plan is occurring. Great video! www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/sale-of-fort-ritchie-closes-whats-next/article_b64e87e3-d938-59b7-bf38-3abfeef1f7d6.html

[@IanMartinExploration]

Thanks for the update! I guess I got up there just in time then. I hope something actually becomes of the place this time. Although I worry about it potentially losing its charm and history in the process of revamping it.

[@Benitoite17]

So wait am I missing something? The ritchie boys were jewish soldiers training in German inspired biuldings/architecture I thought that maybe those jewish soldiers would feel some sorta way bout training in such enviornment surrounded by all that German influence.🤔

[@onesabez]

This place is wide open

[@MMID303]

Damn yea you did get here! This is basically 5 minutes away from me. You can still drive around here. They have a sign saying it's open to the public. My grandfather was stationed here as both active Army and then as a retired civilian. I used to go to the PX and Commissary with him. My grandfather would also go bowling there. It's a shame it closed. It was really a great community. After 9/11 there was a rumor about it maybe opening back up because Site R became super active and it's still very active today. Not to mention Camp David is also nearby. But nope...never again. I'm guessing you're from Hagerstown?

[@IanMartinExploration]

I’m very confused what the current state of fort Ritchie is. Someone mentioned a few months that it was finally purchased by another private company and had closed it off to the public. I wondered how that worked with the community center. I definitely remember all the post 9/11 chatter regarding site R etc too. I grew up in the Hagerstown area area, yep, but now live down near Baltimore. These western maryland/PA area places hold a special nostalgic place with me though. Thanks for checking out the videos!

[@MMID303]

@@IanMartinExploration yes it was purchased, but no it's not closed off. They are beginning to renovate some of the old housing. Some of the barriers have been removed, and apparently there's a place that sells ice cream now.

[@IanMartinExploration]

@@MMID303 Oh wow, that's interesting! It sounds like this time to renovation might actually happen. I hope they don't ruin the charm of the place in the process.

[@PGHammer21A]

@@IanMartinExploration Actually, it is off US 15 - which runs from Frederick to Chambersburg, PA. The last two Active Army commands stationed here were the 7th Signal Command and the 97th Army Reserve Command - both are now at Raven Rock. (Yes - both are from the Signal Corps.)

[@segearhar]

What's with all the balloons on the barracks floor? Must have been a ghost party! Spooky....

[@jodypresti94]

Absolutely wild! Great video

[@theirmom4723]

Excellent explore...really liked this one

[@servsafe4113]

The Community Center is relatively new.

[@timothywalker4563]

If you would like to see what a old army facility looks like in a second life visit old “Fort McClellan” at Anniston Alabama. Nice work on Camp Richie!

[@EMicheleAdams]

Glad you made this before recent developments. Thank you. At the end I was wondering if you may have been thinking that some of the German styling could have been to help trainees learn to feel comfortable in such environs. There are definitely examples of this in US military training, so if this is your thinking then you're likely correct.

[@servsafe4113]

So sad. I lived here in 2005. I miss it. So sad to see it in disrepair.

[@Mr2ndkings]

Those were not barracks as you referred at 1:50 but were offices. My office, The Intelligence Directorate, was located in one of the buildings on the left as you enter the post. I was there 65-66.

[@nachtwaya8721]

I was stationed there back in the late 80s. Not really all that secret, nor was Ravenrock really all that secret. The locals all knew it for what it was and had a nickname for it. The Little Pentagon.

[@rockystaatz521]

It’s not actually secret if you found it. Open to the public is how you would truly hide Disney land

[@stormiewatters]

As a local, im loving the Hagerstown suns hat!

[@IanMartinExploration]

Thanks!! And thanks for checking out the video!

[@DIYManiacJohnP]

really nicely done video!

[@IanMartinExploration]

Thanks for checking out the other videos too!

[@sallycripe2697]

This is surreal. I was stationed here until 1992. The barracks across the street from those old stone buildings on the hill was the MP Company. That one building was the Fort Commander's quarters. By the way, when I left, they had just opened a new commissary, and the bowling alley was pretty new too.

[@David-fv7zg]

I was stationed there until 1994 188 Military Police Co. I knew every inch of that place and site R ie Raven Rock, sadly it is unrecognizable now. The commissary and rec building was relatively new. New gas pump s were put in just before I got there. Had a decent movie theater too, 9 hole golf course, multiple bay garage for soldier to work on personal vehicles staffed by a motor pool soldier. I had friends married in the chapel, and I remember doing flag duty every morning and evening . Soooo sad.

[@sallycripe2697]

@@David-fv7zg I was also an MP. Got out in '92. Ritchie was my last duty station. My husband worked as a blue suiter up at Letterkenny, and transferred out near Pittsburgh. Yes, it looks sad. And so much housing and rec going to waste.

[@David-fv7zg]

Well then we were there at the same time, I was in 1st platoon. You?

[@sallycripe2697]

@@David-fv7zg I honestly don't recall...maybe 4th? For the last year I was mostly on medical leave (kidney ruptured while I was on the front gate in Jan '91). I was a SGT.

[@David-fv7zg]

Sorry to hear that. But that front gate guard house was tore down too. Lol.

[@toddw6716]

Thanks, been there a couple times but didn’t know anything about it.