I think I was in B-1-1 but remember Long (think he was a big guy and a shake and bake). Oct 71 to Dec 71 C-3-2 2nd Plt Sgt Folmer DI Interesting. If any guys from Alpha One One Jan 71 see this send me an email at slorazorsedge@aol.com. I was with Linstead when we came back and saw your work.I was a holdover.finally assigned to the Army Security Agency trained at Fort Ord and eventually they sent me to NAM as everyone was coming home. One of the units in our battalion were all from Chicago. Forgot about Pinto being at Porkchop Hill. I had double pneumonia and was in Madigan hospital for eight days. Fort Lewis's geographic location provides rapid access to the deep water ports of Tacoma, Olympia and Seattle for deploying equipment. View map of Fort Lewis, and get driving directions from your location. Cold and windy in Oklahoma. charleswallace0903@yahoo.com. Jane Cherney We had two native Americans in my platoon and he is one of them. I am from Sacramento CA give me a call or email me ron. He said he ran his duty rosters from Z to A because of that. After leaving I went to Ft. Sill OK for AIT. Phil I wish you had put together my previous comments and saved yourself a trip.not ONE barracks left.close your eyes and listen"I wanna be an airborne ranger" it's as close as you will get. JBLM Soldiers receive medical care through on-base Madigan Healthcare System facilities such as Madigan Army Medical Center, the Okubo Clinic, and the Nisqually Clinic. [5] Italian prisoners of war, organized into units, were trained as quartermaster units at Fort Lewis, since after Italy surrendered to the Allies and declared war on Germany, they were not strictly held to the work requirements that prohibited prisoners of war from working on items directly headed for the war or in the war effort.[6]. May 1969 thru Late Sept./Early Oct.(??) Old memories, good now in retrospect. Drill Sargeant Moore, Sgt Heimie, Cpl Atchison. I might suppose battalion and regiment, but Im not sure that makes sense. Read on to find out more about this amazing Washington Army base. Were you up our down stairs? Orcutt from Pasadena, Jefferson from Venice Sanchez from Pomona and Strobridge from Santa Maria. Vail & SSG Weston, (Baxter, Williamson, Maddox, there went on to OCS with me).3-25-67 to 5-20-67; OC 69-67, 62nd Co., 3rd Plt., 2nd Sqd., Ft. Benning, GA, 6-7-1967-did not start till 6-26-67.Grad 2nd Lt, Dec. 12-1967. . The racial makeup of the base was 60.4% White, 20.3% African American, 1.4% Native American, 3.4% Asian, 1.8% Pacific Islander, 6.2% from other races, and 6.4% from two or more races. Soot from heating was terrible. They are the HQ for 8th Bde, Army ROTC for 8 western states and Guam/American Samoa. I showed up right after youAug 1968D-5-2. I was there. did basic at Ft Lewis arrived Mar 28.1968 the entire platoon was from Arizona 1 PLT A Co 5BN 1 BDE..graduated May 1968..curious to know if the old barricks are still there..have no way of finding out or what barracks I was even in, I thank there wear 5K to start now there 2 hundred left. All of that, cold, rainy, bitterly cold, everyone sick as hell. WE could never walk on the platoon center floor, bunks were arranged around the perimeter, and he would sometimes come in at night after we'd showered, and pour dirt out of a gunny sack on the floor, empty the butt-can water on it, and make us crawl through it making oink sounds like a pig, then on to the upstairs and same thing, with the upstairs guys low crawling downstairs, passing each other on the stairs! Upon graduation the Army sent me to New Jersey where the humidity would stick to you in the form of ice. I probably wouldn't recognize the place. Please add me to your E-Mail/Comments list. Thanks, Sgt Lamb was our DI April to July 1969. The sergeant and his cohort ran after the culprits, but the duffel bag was tossed out the back window into waiting arms and spirited away. Don't trust the Army boys! We eat VC for breakfast painted on side of barracks. Economy & Jobs in Fort Lewis, WA. . Was Sgt. SFC Jones and his Platoon SGTS were Positively Motivated and determined to help each trainee to maximize everything taught, learned and applied for immediate and future application/use. D-5-2. 7362, RPPC at the best online prices at eBay! Enjoyed the constant heavy rain wearing wet weather gear, or a poncho. DESCRIPTION. Joint Base Lewis-McChord. I rejoined my company while they were on bivouac. Do hope that you find some info about your dad. I was up. you can find his picture on here under graduation picture 4th. Belated thanks for sharing your memory, Evan. C-3-1 Feb-Apr 1970. Task Force Olympia included units from all three components of the Army (Active, Reserve and National Guard) as well as Marine and Australian officers. Free shipping for many products! When we ran around in the tear gas shack singing Happy Birthday, it was the first time our sinuses had cleared. B Company One latter training march, we went about 20 miles and then set up guard perimeters and lay down in fighting positions we dug in the mud, which slowly filled with water, while vainly trying to keep warm. Welcome to Ft Lewis, at that time meningitis was rampid and we couldn't go any where. Jim and Dale, I was there Nov 1970 - Jan 1971 too, E-2-1. Graves and Forcade were the D.I.'s. Fort McClellan, AL (Alabama) *Note: Fort McClellan closed in 1999 Fort McClellan is an army base with a proud, fascinating history dating back to the war between the Spaniards and the Americans. He said it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen at Fort Lewis. Food Court. I recall my grandmother telling me my grandfather was complaining of hearing loss and pain so she inspected it and dug mug and gun powder from deep in his ear months after him returning. Correction. I took my basic training at Fort Lewis starting in August of 1966. I hope you or someone else can help me connect the dots, my memory not too good anymore. Caught the chicken pox and was in hospital got recycled to a B ,can't remember . I was in basic from Dec of 69 - May of 70. HistoryLink.org Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, "Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base merge to create Joint Base Lewis-McChord on . [10], Helicopters based at the airfield assisted with medical evacuations at Mount Rainier National Park on numerous occasions in the 1970s. Drill Sgt. Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association You were there at the same time as Grady Myers. Fort Lewis, due to its size and reserved land, serves as an important habitat for amphibian development and study. Remember some names: Tom Nash, Bob Morris (the old man), and Tom Wiley. I was one of his Squad leaders. Plei Trap I was not a serious collector of army stuff but have some items and pictures to remind me. I have a couple of before and after shots posted in "Basic Training Memories" in Facebook if you have a Facebook account. Hello Diane, Cpl Bluitt was our Platoon DI. Really had a lot of respect for that guy. First name was Jerry and we were both from Lincoln Nebraska. View Full Report Aliases: Rachel Evelyn Ayers, Rachel Evelyn Rasmussen. Good Times. Everyone loaded up with candy bars and stuff. Basic training at Ft. Lewis, Feb-April 1970. April 69 to June 69 Basic Training E-1-1, Sgt. Fort Lewis, WA **Now Joint Base Lewis-McChord [JBLM] In the state of Washington, perhaps there is nothing more prestigious a military training facility than Fort Lewis. I actually received your "thank you" message in my inbox today. Guest Readers The two bases operated independently of one another for more than 60 years before merging in 2010. JBLM has more than 25,000 soldiers and civilian workers. It's post 9/11 gone are the day's when you could just drive on the base. Teddy Fisher Fort Lewis, named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was one of the largest and most modern military reservations in the United States . You know there are several ways of locating people especially if you have their original Home Town and at least a Service number better yet a SS number let me know if I can be of help We have found several hundred from my unit Big Bad Bravo, 4th Battalion 21st Inf 11th light infantry brigade. Grady was an M-60 machine gunner in The U.S. Army's Company Cs 2nd Platoon, 1st Battalion, 8th Regiment, 4th Infantry Division in late 1968 and early 1969. We had to get up and go stand in formation before dawn forever it seemed, and then PT and running took up the rest of the day. I was in D-2-2. This base incorporates Fort Lewis, McChord Field, and Camp Murray. I was in B-5-2 from January 23, 1969, to around 1st of April 1969, then off to Ft. Ord. The company I was in made no exceptions that I saw. Home > United States > Fort Lewis, WA > Government Services > 8th Brigade Army ROTC . Drill Sgt. Meteorology training. Those old barracks have been demolished and the road we fell out on is now open to the public. E-3-1 basic training Fort Lewis, Washington 11jul66 north Fort. World War II Any chance you knew him? Lot of the guys were just 18-19 and some were quite immature but sure had to grow up in a hurry especially fo DS Robles was around, he could actually make them cry if they screwed up. I walked away thanking him the last time I saw him because his training methods instilled in me total confidence to achieve whatever goal. For some reason our actual training didn't start until a week later so for the first week we had KP and other crappy stuff most days..ugh. Did you make the trip to Fort Lewis? Mine was E6 John Trainor, 3 time Nam vet. Name Fort Lewis Address 2202 Pendleton Avenue Fort Lewis, Washington, 98433 Phone 253-964-3966. Was your grandpa or is your grandpa from Idaho? New barracks at Fort Lewis were specified with bearings walls and framing by other. I received basic training starting February 14th 1968 at North fort lewis. We had some reserve drill sgts for their 2 weeks and they had a hard time keeping up with us. They get calls from someone engaged in a fire fight. We were there longer because of the IG inspection. I am proud to have trained under him and will never forget what he did for us. i was a cook there me and shelby davidson were friens he was a di, can you show the pictures of your platoon in b-5-1, Glenn Davis, were u ever married to one of the Schroeder girls' here in Nor-Cal If you were you were my brother in law old pal I was in the old Barracks from Feb 69' to June 69' for Basic and AIT, i was with B-4-2 nov 20 til feb 4 1967 to 1968, I remember Drill Sargent Tanksly April-May 1968. Support for the base and services for military personnel . [9] Since 11 September 2001, I Corps and Fort Lewis assets have been active in providing support for Global War on Terrorism operations, including Operation Noble Eagle (Homeland Defense), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and the Iraq War. Check in at McChord Field Main Gate. Fort Lewis, WA Patoon D-1-2. In addition to BCT, I shipped to Korea and Vietnam from Fort Lewis. I hope you get a chance to read "Boocoo Dinky Dow" Grady's experiences at Fort Lewis are a big part of the story. The facility houses minimum and medium security prisoners from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.[3]. YTC has vast flat valleys separated by intervening ridges which are suited to large-scale mechanized or motorized forces. Ours was DS Robles an E6 who had been to VN as 11B. I came in October 30th 1968 right after you C-5-2, didn't really see or know anyone but my company due to meningitis not allowed out of company area. if you want me to take a look at your photo please email it to me and I will certainly take a good look. It was common for this to happen, except Fagan didn't do it for us. Welcome home and thanks for serving. Fort Lewis Map. He was one cool guy. About every 5 weeks would be assigned to guard duty at motor pool or headquarters. Richard Nixon Quote As work on the camp was pushing forward, the War Department named it "Camp Lewis" after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. I was from the bay area when I went in the Army, the city was Vallejo, Ca. Pamela Sleezer, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs on Feb. 23rd, 2023. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.9 square miles (41.2km2), of which, 15.3 square miles (39.6km2) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6km2) of it is water. After AIT I was assigned to Ft Lewis again but not to the VN transfer point instead my orders were for Madigan General Hospital. The 14th and the 296th were right next to each other. Anyone remember??? This was an enjoyable training with a lot of ceremonial Army stuff and very good training from giving shots to making hospital beds. We remembered each other from basic training and had a good time reminiscing about some of the things that went on. We cruised the old Town and eventually made our way to Forks. Comments? If you are a veteran who served at Fort Lewis, you may be entitled to money to pay for your medical bills due to your exposure to . We got to go home over Christmas and I was down with pneumonia the whole time. I took my basic training at Fort Lewis in August of 1966 and was then sent to Fort Ord for AIT. John..I also did BCT with B-1-1, but in June of 71. What a team..! The age distribution was 32.1% under the age of 18, 28.0% from 18 to 24, 37.5% from 25 to 44, 2.0% from 45 to 64, and 0.4% who were 65 years of age or older. We had to take turns standing night watch to keep the coal furnace going. D.I. Thank you for remembering Drill Sgt Wilber as I could not come up with that name. Timeline Attributes. I went back after Nam in Aug 70 and was assigned to the 3rd Armored CAV as the training NCO and then back home to sac at the end of Jan 71, BCT, Ft Lewis North Fort, March 67, D-5-1, Sgts Vickers and Brown, then to Germany 3rd Inf. B-5-2, Anyone went to basic nov 1969 B-5-2-5th platoon, Was there nov 67/ mar 68. Helicopters were also used for "short haul" rescue operations, in which a ranger and litter were carried in a sling below the helicopter to the scene of the accident. Randy, hope you get this. Fort Lewis, named after Meriwether Lewis of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition, is one of the largest and most modern military reservations in the United States. Helicopters began assisting with high altitude (above 10,000 feet) SAR operations in the 1980s. And undig it at night. I had occasion to rn into him at a conference in Southern Utah in the 90's. No doctor. Troy I was aware of your previous comments..I was up north and just coming thru the area and thought I would check the place out..as I stated with my Passport & ID as the website stated but no luck..did you take pictures back in 1987 when you toured the area..sure would love to see them if you did..phandph14@gmail.com is my email address if you would care to share..I was there for basic training Mar 28, 1968 thru part of Jun. Shortest DI in the Army I think, perhaps 54 tall. We are one of 12 new joint bases created by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closing . How i hated it then but enjoy thinking about it now! He reminded me of Sammy Davis Jr. I remember the spinal meningitis and having to have every other window open at night. I also recall a LT Gill who was a piece of work but who isn't at that age. I am a graduate from the class of second platoon, D Company, 5th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 10 cycle (D-5-2). Fort Lewis Armed Forces Community Service, Fort Lewis Information and Referral Services, A 56-Year Promise Broken: War Widow Finds Stranger Buried in Her Cemetery Plot, Army Base Still Searching for Machine Gun That Went Missing Days Ago, Soldier Dead, 2 Injured in Joint Base Lewis-McChord Vehicle Incident, 10 Things Most Veterans Don't Know About VA Home Loans, 7 Things to Consider Before Moving into Military Housing, Commissary 101: How to Shop at the Commissary. Not a Bad Training Cycle. Made SP/5 August 71 and thenwith a 110 day drop ETSed Jan 72. D.5.2August 1968 to October 1968SaluteDrill Sergeant Hungerford and PT Sergeant Blood. Gone all gone..replaced by new brick 3 story dormsonly thing left are the paved roads.only memories nowafter all we were told they were condemned in 1936. On-Base Housing at Joint Base Lewis McChord. Lt. Klippel was our CO. We were confined to the company area, except for training, due to meningitis concerns. We wore a white "magot tag" that showed we were trainees. Mitchell Rogers - "SP4" is Specialist 4". Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington 98433 United States +1 (253) 967-3728. Had a good job and lived in Lakewood. . Patrick Flanagan I was drafted. Nobody stopped me when ai drove in then.but I did not stop for the guard. Where you from? First time levy rescinded, 2nd time to short less than 6 month left of 2 year draftee status. As a civilian again, I drove through Fort Lewis a couple of times and looked over the old BCT area. It had a mural of a severed VC head on a bayonet with slogan on it: To kill and have no mercy. Zack, In his 1968 U.S. Army training at Fort Lewis, Washington, Grady was housed in World War II-era barracks like these still standing at, The barracks are an important setting in the training chapters of ", 4th Infantry Division in late 1968 and early 1969. A-2-3 Jan - Mar 1969. Of the names you mentioned earlier, there a a guy upstairs named John Steele. Surprised to see entry on someone who remembers Fagan as he was memorable. Infantry school Miserable winter weather for jungle orientation. Permanent resident card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form I-551) Will pay IF you can get me a copy. I have a picture of a whole group - D4 - Delta Devils D-4-1 and dated graduation July 1967. Fort Lewis Aug '66 - Oct '66 I sort of remember Long and definitely Senior DI Hernandez (he was older, big belly and his given name was Juventino). It sucked every day. Our DI was awesome, but when he was gone for a few days, the DI from a neighboring platoon substituted for him. He graduated June of 71. Drafted March 1970. 30 nov 1970 D-4-1 devils best friend Garry Berber; DI Sgt Young cold wet spinal men sick with colds. GO Army. During the summer months (June, July, August), JBLM North hosts the Leader Development and Assessment Course, a capstone program for the U.S. Army's ROTC program. C-4-2 Chargin Charlie. John P. Trainor. My other uniforms hang in a closet in my home. Him and Horn..! He was my drill sergeant in boot camp in 1970 and looking for some information for a Little Help from the Army which I've never had, D-2-7. Cant recall names of other NCOS but he made a real impression on me. I'll never forget their faces. My dad was drafted from California and went to basic June or July 1967 B co trying to find someone who might remember him. D 1 1. Good one to. Also remember 1st Sgt Curtin who was limping and bent (combat injuries?) Does he remember the DI's name. . Probably the same short, thin, white, young, recent Vn returnee. My Dad was 1Sgt Boyd Willams. Interesting activity after being assigned to my job in the post headquarters. Thank God. Moore was everyone's hero. I bunked with Baker and Halawappo upstairs! I have my photo from Basic and I am still here in Sacramento my email I think should show up here I do not recognize your fathers name but that really does not mean much, I had all the guys sign the back of my photo. Weather Underground provides local & long-range weather forecasts, weatherreports, maps & tropical weather conditions for the Joint Base Lewis-McChord area. Task Force Olympia's subordinate units included the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, which deployed for Iraq on 8 November 2003, and returned to Fort Lewis after one year of combat duty, and the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, which departed Fort Lewis on 15 September 2004, for one year and returned September 2005. Our guard commander at the Stockade was Sgt. They all died in Vietnam God Bless those guys. 1968 C-1-1 Sargent Potter, E-5 and Sargent Davis E-6. Good, hard training. They called my name. There must have been list because the machines were in constant use but there was no quibbling about who was next. Decypher is seeking Medical Technologist candidates to provide support to the Joint Base Fort Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, WA. Hughes. I hope you get a chance to read "Boocoo Dinky Dow" Grady's experiences at Fort Lewis are a big part of the story. Maree Mchugh So naturally I thought it was great. Do you remember what unit you were in? Most of those barracks were built for WW II and are still standing today. Remember that? The Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.[10]. All I remember was it was wet most of the time and we couldn't leave the company area when not training and the air was full of coal smoke that was used to heat those old wooden barracks. I have photo of this platoon if anyone is interested. fort lewis, washington barracks . Was working in a butcher/packing plant before the army. . ha ha, As I recall we had a OD Green drawstring bag hung on the end of the bunk. I was on 2nd floor. She was watching a soldier with a stupid grin dump an entire bottle of bleach into the washing machine. I started in June and graduated in August 1968. Still a pretty post. On 1 June 2006, the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division cased its colors and became the 2d Cavalry Regiment Stryker Brigade Combat Team with its home station in Germany. Fort Lewis was originally established in 1917 with the passage of a Pierce County bond measure to purchase 70,000 acres (280km2) of land to donate to the federal government for permanent use as a military installation. My DI was Sergeant Certiza. Joint Base Lewis McChord. Perform a full range of automated and non-automated laboratory procedures in the following areas: Chemistry, urinalysis, hematology, serology, bacteriology, phlebotomy and immunohematology . Fort Lewis proper contains 86,000 acres (134sqmi; 350km2); the Yakima Training Center covers 324,000 acres (506sqmi; 1,310km2). What was Howitzer gunners life like in the war? Discover the past of Joint Base Lewis-McChord on historical maps. WE were 'pitted' against National Guard BTC across the Street. 390 Comments. Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) (IATA: TCM, ICAO: KTCM, FAA LID: TCM) is a United States military facility located 9.1 miles (14.6 km) south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The next group through spread them outI knowI was a holdover as my orders did not come through. Had to keep the clip in a holder on your belt under your coat. It means his rank was E4. I was in the hospital for a week but never got re-cycled. Helicopter It also impacts people who need visitor passes for unescorted base access to visit friends, family, the museums, hospital or other locations on either JBLM or YTC. We were right across from the dog training area down a hill where we did a lot of running. He was a rep for the Veterans of Foreign War. I was a NG from Tennessee. There were others as well, but my memory of them has faded over the years, Any information would be greatly appreciated! Madigan Army Medical Center Fort Lewis postal code 98431. We has a few guys very out of shape who had a Drill Sargent at the table as they ate yelling in their face they didn't deserve to eat. [2], Three military units support the Joint Base Garrison. Washington; Search; Compare; Project; Community; Partners; News; Help; Old Maps Online. I didn't want to be back home, so I decided to try another route. Totally corrupt and physically abuse DI Rod Walters. Will gladly pay for a copy. I did basic starting in April 1970 in A-5-2 and then OJT as a cook in B-4-2. Fort Lewis Information and Referral Services. I went to Ft. Ord for AIT then to Germany Dec 68 to May 70. Audiobook Did you know of DI Prince? Went through North Fort Lewis (JBLM) Oct 22, 2021. 1971 B-2-2. Long time ago. I was there Apr-May 1971 C 5 2. Free shipping for many products! Remember the winter of 69,was supposed to do BCT at ft. BLISS TX. (I have to go now). I took basic training there in August 1966. Ray Heltsley Got early out due to RIF 1972. He was a hot head and very competitive. Graves and Forcade (or Kincade?) Visit Our Website. November 2014 It was tuff but I'm glad the draft got me. Bellevue, WA. Sprained ankle 1st day of basic spending a week at Madigan. Our DI was dubbed Double Time Philipswe stacked rocks on all of our breaks during training.we left 10 ft piles of rocks all over a north Fort. As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 19,089 people, 3,476 households, and 3,399 families residing on the base. There were pictures of Fort Lewis that I took during that time and a few grey stones which covered the entire base. Arizona guys, some Nebraskans, and a few from Chicago and Gary IN, good training, Mt Rainier was a pretty remarkable sight. 11/2/2014. CO was Cpt Dietz, I was there in Jan 1970 D31 Beautiful place. However, the Headquarters of the 7th Infantry Division is primarily a garrison management body. Me too Tom. Pots and Pans..! Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98431, United States. I served 18 months and 5 days. Came down on levey to Nam and was thee until July 71. I was in basic training at Ft. Lewis from Feb 11, 1970 to April 1970. I am assuming he trained here? Can't believe I made it through all that. I never bitched though. AIT D-3-3 Infantry, I took basic at Fort Lewis: October, November of 1970 w/ A41. Realistic training to help us survive later on. I have fairly bad COPD but am still better off than many of them. Lots of people sick with upper respiratory infection. Looking for information. Area 5 on Lewis Main includes barracks buildings in the downtown historic district and on the west side of Gray Army . around 1967 - 1969 at Ft. Lewis. Your dad walked on such stones. 1949 MERCURY, at Main Gate of FORT LEWIS U.S. ARMY BASE, Washington. It had a G.I holding a couple of severed VC heads and the Brass wanted it gone. Directory. Told company commander about it after graduation. Dave Mueller Every other window open due to the meningitis epidemic, 20 mile forced march. Our Barracks were storage Barracks when we got there. I tried to access the rear gate to Ft Lewis summer of 2012. Pilot Got a 6 month early out and ended up serving 18 mos. 253-967-1110. Then someone wrenched the bag from the sergeant and ran up the stairs and into the building while others provided interference. Enter on West Entrance Rd. He later died in 2009 from emphysema, from god knows what. Next time I vacation up there Ill preplan and also bring my passport. [9], In 1981, I Corps was reactivated at Fort Lewis. [8] It previously controlled and provided host unit support to mobilizing, deploying and demobilizing reserve component units from all the U.S. military services. For Washington and Minnesota this is the Enhanced Driver License or Enhanced ID Fort Lewis 1 : 24000. DI made sure he told me not to screw up again. Several unique requirements were . November 2017 That was B-2-3. Looking of Kenny Williams who was in the bunk above me and did a tatoo on my shoulder with indian ink and a pin. )[4] In 1927, Pierce County passed another bond measure to establish a military airfield just north of Fort Lewis. Little did I ever think I would see that man again after basic training. slorazorsedge@aol.com .