I love this. My husband was stationed here twice, late 50s and mis 60s. he ground pounded in Personel while bi-l flew F-100s. Great people there with a purpose.
This brought back alot of memories, my Dad was stationed here from 1969-1976 when he retired, FTD detachment, use to live at 1139-b Oak Ave. wonder if it's still there, thanks for a look at the past!!!
Great video. Brought back many memories. Stationed there from 1974-1979. Worked at the Base Hospital as a medic. Wonderful place to work. Great airmen and officers.
The base had a movie theater, a Base Exchange (like a department store), a thrift shop, a bowling alley (which had really good milkshakes and burgers, I particularly like the egg burger), an Officer's Club, and NCO Club, a motel (I forget what it was called, but it was mostly visiting military people who staid there), a swimming pool (there may have been two of them), a commissary, a gas station (I think it was called Quick Stop, or Quick Pick, maybe it was spelled Kwik), a duck pond with a park, a recreation center, a gym, 3 or 4 baseball diamonds, a football field, a soccer field, basketball courts, tennis courts, a golf course, a K-8th grade school, an alcohol store (called the Package Store), a campground, a nursery (for baby sitting kids), and a library. It was also close to a lot of the attractions in Myrtle Beach, I know this because my father was stationed there in the Air Force and I lived there. It was a great place to live. Lots of good times.
Thanks for all of your details. I remember going to the NCO club with my Mom n friends. My sister dated a guy who bartend there! We also stayed in the barracks with a family friend one night. Miss this history
The school was called Woodland Park. It was K-8. High schoolers were bussed to Socastee High. The building that was back in the woods just before you showed the school was the youth center which was built 2 years before the base closure announcement was made. You also passed the Officers club and what was the base pool. Good times!!! I was a student at woodland Park from 2nd to 8th grade. Can tell you quite a bit about the base as I consider it to be my home. We left after the closure announcement then the final families were gone about a year later after the announcement. Sad times but if you are ever curious a bunch of us kids and even adults have a MBAFB Facebook group and are really making connections that were lost when we had to leave in the early 90s.
Thanks so much for your videos they bring back some great memories. My son was born at Myrtle Beach in '85 when I was stationed there. I was stationed '85 to 87' I came back 20 years after leaving and was shocked at what I saw. So glad they are fixing the place up. Just for your info the housing neighborhood that is currently SeaGate Village was base housing. I worked as a plumber in the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron so we had to work all over campus. If I remember right the base also had a golf course which would be Whispering Pines golf course. Our shop had to repair the plumbing and replace sprinkler heads on the fairways and greens. I actually lived just outside the back gate in a trailer park and believe it or not the same trailer is still there. Again thanks so much for your videos.
Thanks! I am aware that Seagate was base housing! Wow, can't believe the trailer is still there! That must be in the Socastee area. Thanks for the comment and firsthand knowledge.
@@MrMyrtle I got looking at videos and came back across this one. If you look up old myrtle beach air force base map it gives you the map they used to hand out on the campus when you first arrived at base with alot of the building locations. Again thanks for this video.
That daycare I went to as a child. I remember my dad bringing me there on his motorcycle.
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Thanks for doing this video! I lived on Myrtle Beach AFB from 80-84 and went to school at Woodland Park that you mentioned. The video brought back a bunch of memories.
I second that. Thank you for sharing. I walked to school with my sister for elementary at Woodland Park. I had Ms. Deiring for kindergarten and Ms. Terrell for first Grade around '82-'83. I remember field trips to the ocean and places like Magic Harbor. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of what became of my memories.
What a fun watch! My dad was Asst Base Commander in what was probably 1962. I was about 8-9 years old. We lived on the corner of Hickory Circle as I recall. We will be driving through tomorrow and I'm hoping to see some of the old haunts if any still exist! Thanks for the video!
I was stationed there from 1974 to 1976 working on A7Ds as an automatic flight controls system specialist (similar to power steering for planes along with auto pilot system). Not to far from the back gate was a maintenance road leading to the munitions bunkers that should still be there, empty of course. Your video brings back memories.
Thank you for your post Sir. I was stationed at MBAFB from 1986-1992 I also deployed from there during Operation Desert Shield/Storm from August 1990 -Mar 1991. Awesome Video great memories of this Beautiful place. I was an A-10 Weapons Loader
A 462, eh? (Or were they 2W1s by then?) Well I'll be damned. First assignment from 80-84.....and also Weapons in Demon (as opposed to Falcon or Panther). Still have a Green Demon patch!
Johnnie Pope, this is Sgt. Andres Madrid and I believe I was stationed with you back in 1986-1992. I was with the Panthers and then went to the Load Standardization Crew as a trainer. Awesome video with great memories.
@@ralphhuppert5321 Did you know Victor De La Rosa, not sure if that's how you spell his last name. He was with the Green Demons. I was good friends with his sons Nick and Dustin. My sister and brother in law lived across the street from him on Tulip street in base housing. I visited them back in June and December 1990. Best times.
A little fun fact, I go to school there at the PIA building in the beginning of your video but some of our teachers told us one of the neighboring buildings close by our school served as the main operations building for all the big wigs to command out of for desert storm which is pretty cool. Also like many ppl have stated already the tall building was for parachute use. Something you may not have known is at the intersection of howard street (You’re on it on one part in your video) there is a barricade blocking the street just past the intersection, well beyond past that barricade there is a old hangar in the woods where the test fired thousands of rounds out of the A10’s gatling gun and the shells were all buried around the soil in there. Therefore it’s all deemed contaminated which is why it’s been blocked off for many years and probably will never be built on.
As has been pointed out, the tall building was used for parachute maintenance. Several other things: --The brown color to which you refer was known as "Creech Brown," named after the late Gen Wilbur "Bill" Creech, who commanded Tactical Air Command in the late 70s and early 80s, and it's origin is related to Myrtle Beach AFB. Early in his tenure he visited at a time when various color schemes were used for buildings and he exclaimed that the buildings looked "like a bunch of f#
Thank you so much for sharing this information!! I appreciate this kind of information It really brings these buildings back to life when you better understand their history.
I attended the elementary school during the 1972-73 and most of the 1973 school years. It was called Woodland Park Elementary School back then. It was K through 8. I used to have to go to the hospital weekly for allergy shots. There were little league baseball fields across the street from the hospital.
@@robbiehenderson9582 did you ever go swimming at the base swimming pool?? Then we would go over to the bowling alley and get a foot long hot dog before riding our bikes back home off base now the new 17 bypass.
Woodland Park school only went up to 8th grade I believe. Because when I started high school at Socastee kids I'd never seen before were there from Woodland Park.
The school was called Woodland Park Elementary School. It went from Kindergarten through 8th grade. I know because my father was stationed there for several years and I attended that school.
I was stationed at MBAFB 1966-1970. The insignia is the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, now designated the 354th Fighter Wing. The 354th is now at Eielson AFB, Alaska.
I was stationed there in 86 and 87 I met a lot of good people and made some permanent friends it was a good time in my life . I often reminisce about it especially when I go to Myrtle Beach on vacation but everything looks so different now. It was a good transition period after I finished serving I decided to go into the seminary and become a priest . I think my time in the Air Force helped me make that final decision to commit myself to the priesthood. The Air Force helped me with discipline and order and commitment in my life I think many modern youth would benefit from some time in the military.
My dad worked in those buildings. He was in worked with the munitions for the aircraft like the A10 thunderbolts, the f111 ardvarks, and f16 falcons. The numbers on the buildings were actual building numbers...not addresses.
Stationed there 1985-1987. Crew Chief A-10. Aircraft 68-0668, memory serves me. Then got orders to Zweibrucken AB, Germany Ran Transient Alert. Worked also Crash Recovery, AR shop.
I can't believe that viewing this video elicits sad feelings. I was stationed there from 1980-1984 before launching off to Korea, then Alaska, then back to Seymour Johnson up in North "Cacallacky". I may well have worked on that A-10 that's on display. Yes, the tall building was the parachute loft, for working on parachutes used in the ACES II ejection seats (since the A-10 did not need, have or use a parachute for landing). The other buildings you walked up to? I believe the one with the unit insignia (which we used to wear as a patch on our uniforms) was probably their Ops (Operations) Building.....the other, likely the Commander's building, though I don't recall, now. It was a bit of a shock to roll down streets (with you in your video) I drove and walked for four years.....but to see the water tower and dorms missing......and a completely foreign landscape in their place. It's like staring at someplace you've known as intimately as your own body, only to turn around and realize you're actually on another planet. Just.....wow. So many memories....some good, some bad....a few, outrageous (I was no saint and the 80s were a wild time to be in the military). One small story from back then: So, there used to be a tall, bulbous water tower standing between the flightline (hangers, etc) and the dorms. On top, of course, there was a rotating red light. One night, two clowns (Airmen) decided to climb the tower. They sat up there smoking pot and spray painting pot leafs and "The Trucking Guy" on the side of the water tower (did a nice job, if I do say so myself). They would have gotten away with it but for the fact that one of them decided to go one step too far, climbed the rest of the way to the very top and stopped the red light from rotating. Well, when they climbed back down, the SPs (Security Police) were waiting for them......BUSTED!!! They were unceremoniously tossed out of the AF.....but not before they were forced to climb back up there and paint over their "artwork". No, I had nothing to do with it, but I sure did get a hard laugh out of it......poor SOBs. The "back gate"? Good Lord.....an overpass?! Really? The bypass was built while I was there. I drove on the pavement before the road was actually opened, had signs or painted lines (and was promptly arrested and tossed in jail for ripping up the freshly planted grass median strip with a dunebuggy.....but I digress). Everything is so built up, now; it blows my mind. Regardless, I appreciate your having made the video.....it jarred a plethora of sweet, sour and bitter memories......all good stuff in hindsight for a life spent seeking adventure.
Cool my dad was stationed there when I was 2-3 yrs old. Our house was one of the ones with the backyard facing HWY 17. Not sure what plane he flew there .... I believe it was the F86D
More precisely, it's a drying tower to hang parachutes and dry them before they're packed in the parachute canisters or backpacks of ejection seats. The chutes had to be dry so they would reliably deploy when extracted from the canister during ejection. Moisture would cause the nylon fabric of the chute to stick to itself when tightly packed. If you ejected at 0/0 (0' altitude/0 knots airspeed) you only got one swing in the chute before you hit the ground, so you really wanted it to be a fully blossomed chute to slow your descent.
The children who lived on base attended Woodland Park School. The school was K-8. After 8th grade, the children living on base attended Socastee High School.
You are correct about the numbers on buildings. They are the number for the building. The tall building you are referring to can be one of two things from my experience. It could be for parachute maintenance or for drying fire hoses. Considering its distance from the flight line where most fire stations would be for a base this size, I would think it would be parachute maintenance. Also, if you go up to War Bird Park there are before and after maps that can possibly answer some of the questions. If I remember right they have some things identified.
My dad was cmsgt from 68 to74 the kindergarten was across from war bird park the building had been tore down but the road is the same and use to be pick up by a navy blue school bus that one of the air force guys drove I believe there was 4 buses and woodland park school was 1st to 8th and the dog park use to be the duck pond with swings and slide in boards a lot of memories wonder what ever happen to my friends David Lilly and Kenny Creech my name is steve Ardolino would also like to say the secretary of woodland park school was Mrs curlee see her and husband ever so often
I lived on MBAFB in the early 1970s during the Viet-Nam war when my Dad was in the Air Force. I remember when the Wing deployed to Vietnam, and the casualties and the POWs. There was a lot of anxiety and tension in the air. I am thankful my dad made it back OK, but sorry for those who did not.
Every permanent structure is considered “real property” and therefore must have a number. This would allow all structures to be entered into a data base for multiple reasons, one being for preventative maintenance. As a side note all numbers and signs must be a specific colour and size.
I went to the school up until the school closed in 1992. Woodland park. I remember we had to take a field trip at the end of my 5th grade year in 1992 to socaste middle school because all the base kids were getting sent there for the following school year. We ended up moving in September 1992 and I’ve always wondered what happened to that area. There used to be a brand new (in 1992) youth center built directly behind the school with some baseball fields across the street. Always wondered why they built it knowing the base was closing. I’d love to know what happened to all the base housing?
I'm pretty sure the Grand Strand Campus of Horry Georgetown Technical College utilized the old base school building. Most of the base housing between the school and business 17 still exist as rentals at the moment.
aka "Thanks for closing great bases, Clinton!". MB was once a bustling town, with the speedway, the pavilion, the carnival, and the boardwalk, the beaches, one of the biggest video arcade and go kart places on the east coast right outside the AFB front gate, etc, etc. The AFB supported the town. One of the most beautiful AFB's I ever had the pleasure to serve at (1989). But the Clinton Admin shut it down for absolutely no reason. (As well as several other AFBs that were not so useful. Most of the pilot and crews from MB AFB served in Desert Storm. That I would consider useful.) It provided valuable revenue to the town, a launchpad for missions in Europe, and a perfect air defensive position for the East Coast. After the shutdown, the town had no money. Loss of revenue from all the AFB personnel. Now it's nothing but druggies and prostitutes. The Hell's Angels don't even ride through anymore. (They were pumping even more money into the town, legit or not.) Sure the PR and tourism people still try to get people to the boardwalk. But every time I passed through since the mid-1990's, the pavilion and carnival is always closed. (My last visit was 2012.) So IDK what they're trying to sell on. Now what used to be the grounds of the AFB is a bunch of new houses and condos that nobody buys. The AFB half of the airport was absorbed in to what is now known as MB Int'l. But nobody flies in there except golfers. It's just sad. Such a beautiful place gone to waste.
it was Shine ave when the base was operational, it is named after the pilot shot down in the A7 The A7 and the A10 both are memorials to pilots shot down in those types of aircraft, they used to be on display on opposite ends of the parking lot at the ops building. I don't recall if a street was named for Steve Phillis (the A10 pilot shot down)
Phillis Boulevard is the name of the street that intersects Shine avenue at 3:45. I had no idea these roads were named after downed pilots. Thanks for sharing!
I was stationed there that looked like the rec center and little building was a lift station. The school was only to grade 6. The jr high school students went to socastee high school
Re what that tall building might have been, I was on temporary duty there in 1960 as an air traffic controller working in the opening of the air base and control tower. It's possible that may have been part of that tower.
If you're going to go to the Myrtle Beach area for a vacation, quick bit of advice. Do NOT stay in Myrtle Beach proper. North Myrtle is a much better option, as is Carolina Beach, Ocean Isle or Kure Beach. Myrtle Beach is "Section 8"/Trailer Park vacation hot spot. Uber trashy
Hello, enjoy your video. Do you know how many acres the go to had at the time of sale to the public? Just curious. happy new year 2018 to you and your family always.
What year were you born and how long have you lived in Myrtle? If you don’t mind me asking because I was born in 1968 and have fond memories of visiting in the 1970’s. My great grandmother would let my parents and I stay at her house on Balsam Av
mike deck I was stationed at MBAFB during that time. Scott McNabb was correct about F-14's. But I do remember that we did have F-4's there for quite some time. They were sent from Shaw AFB because they were re-doing the runway. I remember this because we lived just outside the base and my son was just born and they would wake him up. The A-10's we had were turbine and very quiet. Awesome that you have a great memory about this! My son brags that he was born their.
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO MOVE INTO THE AIR BASE HOUSING WHEN IT OPENED IN THE 90s IT WAS ADVERTISED AS MYRTLE BEACHES ANSWER TO AFFORABLE HOUSING HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, OUR 3 BEDROOM HOME WAS 1'000 MONTH THEN A FAR CRY FROM AFFORDABLE I DID LIKE IT THERE WAS SPACIOUS YARD AND THEE INTERIORS WERE DATED MOSTLY IN 60s FEATURES I LIKED THAT JUST NOT AFFORABLE FOR MANY AT THAT TIME SO THAT AD WAS A BIG LIE......
I love this. My husband was stationed here twice, late 50s and mis 60s. he ground pounded in Personel while bi-l flew F-100s. Great people there with a purpose.
This brought back alot of memories, my Dad was stationed here from 1969-1976 when he retired, FTD detachment, use to live at 1139-b Oak Ave. wonder if it's still there, thanks for a look at the past!!!
Great video. Brought back many memories. Stationed there from 1974-1979. Worked at the Base Hospital as a medic. Wonderful place to work. Great airmen and officers.
Doug, I also worked at the Hospital in the Flight Surgeons office!
My uncle was a Master Sergeant at MBAFB. He was moved to Eglin AFB in Florida when MB closed.
I was a firefighter stationed at MBAFB from 86-90. Lots of good memories
I too was a firefighter there 90-92 (1st duty station)😎... B shift
Lived there 63-66. School was K thru 8th grade.
The base had a movie theater, a Base Exchange (like a department store), a thrift shop, a bowling alley (which had really good milkshakes and burgers, I particularly like the egg burger), an Officer's Club, and NCO Club, a motel (I forget what it was called, but it was mostly visiting military people who staid there), a swimming pool (there may have been two of them), a commissary, a gas station (I think it was called Quick Stop, or Quick Pick, maybe it was spelled Kwik), a duck pond with a park, a recreation center, a gym, 3 or 4 baseball diamonds, a football field, a soccer field, basketball courts, tennis courts, a golf course, a K-8th grade school, an alcohol store (called the Package Store), a campground, a nursery (for baby sitting kids), and a library. It was also close to a lot of the attractions in Myrtle Beach, I know this because my father was stationed there in the Air Force and I lived there. It was a great place to live. Lots of good times.
Thanks for all of your details. I remember going to the NCO club with my Mom n friends. My sister dated a guy who bartend there! We also stayed in the barracks with a family friend one night. Miss this history
I too remember loving those egg burgers! (85-88)
The school was called Woodland Park. It was K-8. High schoolers were bussed to Socastee High. The building that was back in the woods just before you showed the school was the youth center which was built 2 years before the base closure announcement was made. You also passed the Officers club and what was the base pool. Good times!!! I was a student at woodland Park from 2nd to 8th grade. Can tell you quite a bit about the base as I consider it to be my home. We left after the closure announcement then the final families were gone about a year later after the announcement. Sad times but if you are ever curious a bunch of us kids and even adults have a MBAFB Facebook group and are really making connections that were lost when we had to leave in the early 90s.
Thanks so much for your videos they bring back some great memories. My son was born at Myrtle Beach in '85 when I was stationed there. I was stationed '85 to 87' I came back 20 years after leaving and was shocked at what I saw. So glad they are fixing the place up. Just for your info the housing neighborhood that is currently SeaGate Village was base housing. I worked as a plumber in the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron so we had to work all over campus. If I remember right the base also had a golf course which would be Whispering Pines golf course. Our shop had to repair the plumbing and replace sprinkler heads on the fairways and greens. I actually lived just outside the back gate in a trailer park and believe it or not the same trailer is still there. Again thanks so much for your videos.
Thanks! I am aware that Seagate was base housing!
Wow, can't believe the trailer is still there! That must be in the Socastee area. Thanks for the comment and firsthand knowledge.
Jesus.....I may have lived in the same trailer before you.....{{shudder}}
That's funny you must have lived in Midway trailer park if it was at the back gate near flight line.
@@suehijji4261 I don't remember the name of the park but remember the road was called Circle 8 road. It was on the left heading toward Socastee.
@@MrMyrtle I got looking at videos and came back across this one. If you look up old myrtle beach air force base map it gives you the map they used to hand out on the campus when you first arrived at base with alot of the building locations. Again thanks for this video.
That daycare I went to as a child. I remember my dad bringing me there on his motorcycle.
Thanks for doing this video! I lived on Myrtle Beach AFB from 80-84 and went to school at Woodland Park that you mentioned. The video brought back a bunch of memories.
Yeah, i went to school there from 81-84. Mr Gobble and Mr Long!
I second that. Thank you for sharing. I walked to school with my sister for elementary at Woodland Park. I had Ms. Deiring for kindergarten and Ms. Terrell for first Grade around '82-'83. I remember field trips to the ocean and places like Magic Harbor. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of what became of my memories.
I was stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB 1983-1985 as a Vehicle Operator/Dispatcher. It angered me that the base was shut down.
Stationed there from 77'-81. Thanks for the video. Old memories are great.
What a fun watch! My dad was Asst Base Commander in what was probably 1962. I was about 8-9 years old. We lived on the corner of Hickory Circle as I recall. We will be driving through tomorrow and I'm hoping to see some of the old haunts if any still exist! Thanks for the video!
I was stationed there from 1974 to 1976 working on A7Ds as an automatic flight controls system specialist (similar to power steering for planes along with auto pilot system). Not to far from the back gate was a maintenance road leading to the munitions bunkers that should still be there, empty of course. Your video brings back memories.
Thank you for your post Sir. I was stationed at MBAFB from 1986-1992 I also deployed from there during Operation Desert Shield/Storm from August 1990 -Mar 1991. Awesome Video great memories of this Beautiful place. I was an A-10 Weapons Loader
Thank you for your service!
A 462, eh? (Or were they 2W1s by then?) Well I'll be damned. First assignment from 80-84.....and also Weapons in Demon (as opposed to Falcon or Panther). Still have a Green Demon patch!
Johnnie Pope, this is Sgt. Andres Madrid and I believe I was stationed with you back in 1986-1992. I was with the Panthers and then went to the Load Standardization Crew as a trainer. Awesome video with great memories.
@@ralphhuppert5321 Did you know Victor De La Rosa, not sure if that's how you spell his last name. He was with the Green Demons. I was good friends with his sons Nick and Dustin. My sister and brother in law lived across the street from him on Tulip street in base housing. I visited them back in June and December 1990. Best times.
High School age used to go to Socastee HS out the back gate IIRC.
Loved in myrtle beach 72-82, beautiful a10s flying. Town was small but popular, totally ruined today, little Miami, will not be returning.
A little fun fact, I go to school there at the PIA building in the beginning of your video but some of our teachers told us one of the neighboring buildings close by our school served as the main operations building for all the big wigs to command out of for desert storm which is pretty cool. Also like many ppl have stated already the tall building was for parachute use. Something you may not have known is at the intersection of howard street (You’re on it on one part in your video) there is a barricade blocking the street just past the intersection, well beyond past that barricade there is a old hangar in the woods where the test fired thousands of rounds out of the A10’s gatling gun and the shells were all buried around the soil in there. Therefore it’s all deemed contaminated which is why it’s been blocked off for many years and probably will never be built on.
Morgan Ballew, you are correct!! I heard that all the time.
As has been pointed out, the tall building was used for parachute maintenance. Several other things:
--The brown color to which you refer was known as "Creech Brown," named after the late Gen Wilbur "Bill" Creech, who commanded Tactical Air Command in the late 70s and early 80s, and it's origin is related to Myrtle Beach AFB. Early in his tenure he visited at a time when various color schemes were used for buildings and he exclaimed that the buildings looked "like a bunch of f#
Thank you so much for sharing this information!! I appreciate this kind of information It really brings these buildings back to life when you better understand their history.
I attended the elementary school during the 1972-73 and most of the 1973 school years. It was called Woodland Park Elementary School back then. It was K through 8. I used to have to go to the hospital weekly for allergy shots. There were little league baseball fields across the street from the hospital.
@@robbiehenderson9582 did you ever go swimming at the base swimming pool?? Then we would go over to the bowling alley and get a foot long hot dog before riding our bikes back home off base now the new 17 bypass.
@@suehijji4261 .... Yes
Woodland Park school only went up to 8th grade I believe. Because when I started high school at Socastee kids I'd never seen before were there from Woodland Park.
The school was called Woodland Park Elementary School. It went from Kindergarten through 8th grade. I know because my father was stationed there for several years and I attended that school.
Wow! I lived between the airport runway and the back gate for over 10 years. I don’t think I would recognized any of it now.
Alicia Dennis, did you live in Midway Trailer Park owned by the Carol's??
Sue Hijji no, I was not on the tv show🤪
I lived on Buckeye Drive-in a different Trailer park.
I was stationed at MBAFB 1966-1970. The insignia is the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, now designated the 354th Fighter Wing. The 354th is now at Eielson AFB, Alaska.
Sounds silly but when I saw the old school I started to cry. I loved growing up at this base and miss it greatly
me too
The housing area is still there pretty much as it was. Private homes now. Just not kept as well as the military kept it.
I was stationed there in 86 and 87 I met a lot of good people and made some permanent friends it was a good time in my life . I often reminisce about it especially when I go to Myrtle Beach on vacation but everything looks so different now. It was a good transition period after I finished serving I decided to go into the seminary and become a priest . I think my time in the Air Force helped me make that final decision to commit myself to the priesthood. The Air Force helped me with discipline and order and commitment in my life I think many modern youth would benefit from some time in the military.
My dad worked in those buildings. He was in worked with the munitions for the aircraft like the A10 thunderbolts, the f111 ardvarks, and f16 falcons. The numbers on the buildings were actual building numbers...not addresses.
Stationed there 1985-1987. Crew Chief A-10. Aircraft 68-0668, memory serves me. Then got orders to Zweibrucken AB, Germany Ran Transient Alert. Worked also Crash Recovery, AR shop.
I can't believe that viewing this video elicits sad feelings. I was stationed there from 1980-1984 before launching off to Korea, then Alaska, then back to Seymour Johnson up in North "Cacallacky". I may well have worked on that A-10 that's on display.
Yes, the tall building was the parachute loft, for working on parachutes used in the ACES II ejection seats (since the A-10 did not need, have or use a parachute for landing).
The other buildings you walked up to? I believe the one with the unit insignia (which we used to wear as a patch on our uniforms) was probably their Ops (Operations) Building.....the other, likely the Commander's building, though I don't recall, now.
It was a bit of a shock to roll down streets (with you in your video) I drove and walked for four years.....but to see the water tower and dorms missing......and a completely foreign landscape in their place. It's like staring at someplace you've known as intimately as your own body, only to turn around and realize you're actually on another planet. Just.....wow. So many memories....some good, some bad....a few, outrageous (I was no saint and the 80s were a wild time to be in the military).
One small story from back then:
So, there used to be a tall, bulbous water tower standing between the flightline (hangers, etc) and the dorms.
On top, of course, there was a rotating red light.
One night, two clowns (Airmen) decided to climb the tower. They sat up there smoking pot and spray painting pot leafs and "The Trucking Guy" on the side of the water tower (did a nice job, if I do say so myself). They would have gotten away with it but for the fact that one of them decided to go one step too far, climbed the rest of the way to the very top and stopped the red light from rotating.
Well, when they climbed back down, the SPs (Security Police) were waiting for them......BUSTED!!!
They were unceremoniously tossed out of the AF.....but not before they were forced to climb back up there and paint over their "artwork". No, I had nothing to do with it, but I sure did get a hard laugh out of it......poor SOBs.
The "back gate"? Good Lord.....an overpass?! Really?
The bypass was built while I was there. I drove on the pavement before the road was actually opened, had signs or painted lines (and was promptly arrested and tossed in jail for ripping up the freshly planted grass median strip with a dunebuggy.....but I digress).
Everything is so built up, now; it blows my mind.
Regardless, I appreciate your having made the video.....it jarred a plethora of sweet, sour and bitter memories......all good stuff in hindsight for a life spent seeking adventure.
Cool my dad was stationed there when I was 2-3 yrs old. Our house was one of the ones with the backyard facing HWY 17. Not sure what plane he flew there .... I believe it was the F86D
I'm glad they kept those and sold them for people to live there. Feels like old times when I ride through there.
barracks bldgs sat where the lake is behind the gymnasium.
My daddy was air search and rescue at Myrtle for 16 years
That tall building was used by Basic Life Support Flight and they rigged parachutes that pilots would use if they ever had to eject.
More precisely, it's a drying tower to hang parachutes and dry them before they're packed in the parachute canisters or backpacks of ejection seats. The chutes had to be dry so they would reliably deploy when extracted from the canister during ejection. Moisture would cause the nylon fabric of the chute to stick to itself when tightly packed. If you ejected at 0/0 (0' altitude/0 knots airspeed) you only got one swing in the chute before you hit the ground, so you really wanted it to be a fully blossomed chute to slow your descent.
The children who lived on base attended Woodland Park School. The school was K-8. After 8th grade, the children living on base attended Socastee High School.
You are correct about the numbers on buildings. They are the number for the building. The tall building you are referring to can be one of two things from my experience. It could be for parachute maintenance or for drying fire hoses. Considering its distance from the flight line where most fire stations would be for a base this size, I would think it would be parachute maintenance. Also, if you go up to War Bird Park there are before and after maps that can possibly answer some of the questions. If I remember right they have some things identified.
s catt Yes it was for parachutes.
Love your channel and it was the best find for 2017! Happy New Year!!
Kick ass videos bro. Veryi insightful. Hoping to live there soon.
I spent several summers at the base when I was in the scouts. There was a boy scout camping area on the area across from the where the plane museum.
My dad was cmsgt from 68 to74 the kindergarten was across from war bird park the building had been tore down but the road is the same and use to be pick up by a navy blue school bus that one of the air force guys drove I believe there was 4 buses and woodland park school was 1st to 8th and the dog park use to be the duck pond with swings and slide in boards a lot of memories wonder what ever happen to my friends David Lilly and Kenny Creech my name is steve Ardolino would also like to say the secretary of woodland park school was Mrs curlee see her and husband ever so often
That tall building is to hand parachutes. I did that in the USAF
Hang
I lived on MBAFB in the early 1970s during the Viet-Nam war when my Dad was in the Air Force. I remember when the Wing deployed to Vietnam, and the casualties and the POWs. There was a lot of anxiety and tension in the air. I am thankful my dad made it back OK, but sorry for those who did not.
I was born at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Hospital
my baby sister was born there 1/18/1972 the biggest baby that day over 11lbs hehehehe
The tall building was the parachute shop
I was stationed at myrtle beach from 1976 to 79 looks nothing like I remember
Every permanent structure is considered “real property” and therefore must have a number. This would allow all structures to be entered into a data base for multiple reasons, one being for preventative maintenance. As a side note all numbers and signs must be a specific colour and size.
Creech Brown!
I went to the school up until the school closed in 1992. Woodland park. I remember we had to take a field trip at the end of my 5th grade year in 1992 to socaste middle school because all the base kids were getting sent there for the following school year. We ended up moving in September 1992 and I’ve always wondered what happened to that area. There used to be a brand new (in 1992) youth center built directly behind the school with some baseball fields across the street. Always wondered why they built it knowing the base was closing. I’d love to know what happened to all the base housing?
I'm pretty sure the Grand Strand Campus of Horry Georgetown Technical College utilized the old base school building. Most of the base housing between the school and business 17 still exist as rentals at the moment.
aka "Thanks for closing great bases, Clinton!". MB was once a bustling town, with the speedway, the pavilion, the carnival, and the boardwalk, the beaches, one of the biggest video arcade and go kart places on the east coast right outside the AFB front gate, etc, etc.
The AFB supported the town. One of the most beautiful AFB's I ever had the pleasure to serve at (1989). But the Clinton Admin shut it down for absolutely no reason. (As well as several other AFBs that were not so useful. Most of the pilot and crews from MB AFB served in Desert Storm. That I would consider useful.) It provided valuable revenue to the town, a launchpad for missions in Europe, and a perfect air defensive position for the East Coast.
After the shutdown, the town had no money. Loss of revenue from all the AFB personnel. Now it's nothing but druggies and prostitutes. The Hell's Angels don't even ride through anymore. (They were pumping even more money into the town, legit or not.) Sure the PR and tourism people still try to get people to the boardwalk. But every time I passed through since the mid-1990's, the pavilion and carnival is always closed. (My last visit was 2012.) So IDK what they're trying to sell on.
Now what used to be the grounds of the AFB is a bunch of new houses and condos that nobody buys. The AFB half of the airport was absorbed in to what is now known as MB Int'l. But nobody flies in there except golfers. It's just sad. Such a beautiful place gone to waste.
it was Shine ave when the base was operational, it is named after the pilot shot down in the A7
The A7 and the A10 both are memorials to pilots shot down in those types of aircraft, they used to be on display on opposite ends of the parking lot at the ops building. I don't recall if a street was named for Steve Phillis (the A10 pilot shot down)
Phillis Boulevard is the name of the street that intersects Shine avenue at 3:45. I had no idea these roads were named after downed pilots. Thanks for sharing!
I was stationed there that looked like the rec center and little building was a lift station. The school was only to grade 6. The jr high school students went to socastee high school
Happy New Year Myrtle.
The tall building was parachute shop. The height was required for parachute work
Parachute dept
355th AMU Falcons Crew Chief, 1981-1985.
Re what that tall building might have been, I was on temporary duty there in 1960 as an air traffic controller working in the opening of the air base and control tower. It's possible that may have been part of that tower.
Stationed there 1980-84@Base Hospital(Still standing). I remember when then VP George HW Bush flew in for a visit on Air Force 2.
We had a friend who was stationed there in 80's something to do with HVAC
The school was only through elementary.
Use to like watching those big transport planes taking off over the ocean!
Periodically, large military aircraft do touch and goes at MYR still.
Cool :)
We come down for the winter last 3 years We enjoy your channel and love the area in the off not busy time.
I tried to look at the base hospital video but it is locked.
As others have commented, the tall building was for rigging parachutes.
problaly a jump traing unit af ret.
A.T.O.C. building
If you're going to go to the Myrtle Beach area for a vacation, quick bit of advice. Do NOT stay in Myrtle Beach proper. North Myrtle is a much better option, as is Carolina Beach, Ocean Isle or Kure Beach. Myrtle Beach is "Section 8"/Trailer Park vacation hot spot. Uber trashy
Hello, enjoy your video. Do you know how many acres the go to had at the time of sale to the public? Just curious. happy new year 2018 to you and your family always.
I'm not sure, but the Market common / Air port is roughly 3,000 acres.
The day care would have been a troop medical clinic it was for non emergency injuries and sicknesses
What year were you born and how long have you lived in Myrtle? If you don’t mind me asking because I was born in 1968 and have fond memories of visiting in the 1970’s. My great grandmother would let my parents and I stay at her house on Balsam Av
I was not born yet during that time. My memories mostly exist after the closing of the base but I have a fond appreciation of it.
Also the insignia on the window was for the 353rd Squadron, Panther section. So my guess is it was the Operations Building.
Remember seeing the F14s flying when we were at the beach in the mid/late 1980's. I thought that was so cool after watching Top Gun!!!
mike deck there were no F-14’s at MBAFB...EVER. I was stationed there from 1980 to 1986
mike deck I was stationed at MBAFB during that time. Scott McNabb was correct about F-14's. But I do remember that we did have F-4's there for quite some time. They were sent from Shaw AFB because they were re-doing the runway. I remember this because we lived just outside the base and my son was just born and they would wake him up. The A-10's we had were turbine and very quiet. Awesome that you have a great memory about this! My son brags that he was born their.
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO MOVE INTO THE AIR BASE HOUSING WHEN IT OPENED IN THE 90s IT WAS ADVERTISED AS MYRTLE BEACHES ANSWER TO AFFORABLE HOUSING HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, OUR 3 BEDROOM HOME WAS 1'000 MONTH THEN A FAR CRY FROM AFFORDABLE I DID LIKE IT THERE WAS SPACIOUS YARD AND THEE INTERIORS WERE DATED MOSTLY IN 60s FEATURES I LIKED THAT JUST NOT AFFORABLE FOR MANY AT THAT TIME SO THAT AD WAS A BIG LIE......