40 years ago I was all over that base as a teenager (18), member of the 81st Security Police Squadron. I thought I'd never revisit this place again and it took me way back...way way back.
5:00 we had igloos like these in texas. i worked weapons systems security in SAC and was at my WSA for 44 months. we had nukes, 750lb and 500lb. we were the keepers of the keys, it was a no lone zone. break of dawn on top of the igloo was where you would find me, i was a teen. 66 now. still out for the crack of dawn every morning in my own WSA
I spent MANY hours in the WSA armed-up, watching over civilian-contractors during 'rabbit-control' (re-sodding over the munitions-structures) between 1986 and 1988. Definately learned how to appreciate the 'roach-coach', 'Bag-Nasties' & the microwave-burritos in the arm-up/training-shop, during those cold, wet times. And I'd do it ALL over again, if I could !
I was there in 77 TDY from Wiesbaden. My team and I Built the guard tower shown at the beginning of the video. I have seen it in a few other recent videos. It's Good to know it's still standing......Mark Arbogast
I worked in the 81st Supply Squadron at RAF Bentwaters from 1989-1992; one day they had some of us inventory M-16s at the WSA; the SP's searched us thoroughly (including checking under the fold-down sections at the back of our BDU caps for "hidden weapons". The rifles were in plastic boxes inside cold, damp concrete bunkers; as bad as that sounds, the detail was actually kind of interesting, and they let us keep some of the little instructional comic books (from the 1960s) that came with the M-16s.
jpowell180 I just missed you by about a year; was assigned to 81'st EMS Conventional Munitions Maintenance from Nov 86 to Dec 88. Whenever I was'nt on skeleton-shift processing/inspecting 30mm, or gate-guard at NNMSA, I was assigned to WSA on armed-escort duty (civilian contractors) during the rabbit-damage control. People make such a big deal out of the WSA, but there was nothing particularly special about it. Until Reagan, Thatcher & Pope John Paul ll finally accomplished thier goal (with Gorbachev) WE had our job to do, we did it, and now we are gone. It is up to Millennials and Generation-Y to ensure our time, money & energies were not in vain.
01:48 that was called the "hot row" there were nukes in the igloos on the left. On the very end was the ATFT which was finished around 1981. There was an m-60 mounted to fire out a window down that row.
@@ronniemcgill8868 Several US Security Police reported seeing Lights and 2 even say they walked around a UFO on the ground in Rendelsham forest!? Its well documented. Besides,as i say..they always denied nukes were stored there but one guy on this very thread says there was!?
@@ronniemcgill8868. You sound like a Donald Trump Fan! I NEVER said 'I believe this..or that'.! What i said was ' Lights were 'reported' and the whole indident is 'well documented'! That doesn't mean i fucking Believe it ! You sound like an Absolute fucking Moron'! You clearly have issues' in understanding the Grammatic effects of the English Langauge" You sound Reactionary'! What do you think about that..Dick Head!
Patstar777 pretty sure just about everyone earns the 'priviledge' of being jacked, at least once while assigned there...they wanted you to know how serious you were expected to take your responsibilities (even if it was just a quick 'in & out' for paperwork or burritos) there, but also so (once you pop that cherry) you would'nt freak-out & lose proper bearing. Then again, the stress-levels never did come down very easily, especially during Chem-warfare drills, if one was (lucky ?) enough to be assigned to WSA...lol
@@TimmyD9 As per Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 37 of the U.S. Code of 'Official Secrets Act', I am *FORBIDDEN* to release A.N.Y. of that information to anybody who has NOT been 'properly-vetted' to review said-information. This is NON-NEGOTIABLE. During my all-too-short time spent there, I found the locals to be very decent, honest people who treated me with the exact same respect I treated them. I'd like to keep it that way, if at all possible.
@@brettreynolds6652 Yes, there was still a buzz about it and the Deputy Base commander was still there when I was there. Col. Holt if I remember correctly.
@@Scorpyan61 Yes. There's lots of videos on UA-cam about what happened there! It happend over 3 nights too! Quite unbelievable story. I believe there was Nukes there...although it's always been denied by UK Government.!?
Vladimeerkat Pootin I am not sure what to think. Apparently there was a similar incident at Great Falls Montana air-base several yrs prior, which caused way more havoc; but what I can attest to, is that prior to my leaving my assignment to the Twin Bases, I rode horseback & on my all-terrain bicycle in the forest beyond the back-gate of Woodbridge, and there was 'something' about a particular area which I swear 'felt' extremely odd. Thinking back on it, if I had to go back (to visit) I am sure I would know exactly where it was...and it definately is NOT where the parking & public footpaths lead the people to, from what little I can zero-in, using Google-earth...and there is NO possible way anybody could've seen a lighthouse, any cottage-lights or whatever else the final reports stated, were 'mistaken' during the incident.
What years were you there? I was there 87-89. Worked for Tony Arsaga or something like that. Storage and handling. I would go in to the W around once a month for something but it was usually conventional. Dealt with lots of 30mm for A10s. You sound like you remember more than I do. Wish I could find a couple people I remember just to catch up.
Corey Adam 'Arsuaga'. I remember his name very well; can't recall his face, but he carried an aura of confidence about him that made me wish I was part of that crew, rather than Conventional Munitions Maint. Not that our crew was'nt a good one, but I never truly felt 'part' of them.
Smith Smith when I would go for "special convoy" briefings the ATC guys used to always tell us wild stories about the strange radar captures that happened here.
You are apparently young with no education of, nor appreciation for, the Cold War and what it entailed. Bentwaters and Woodbridge were developed early in WWII so the land use was established long before the US operations.
Bradford Scales Agreed. And clearly the MOD also agrees, otherwise they would'nt have allocated all that time, money & expense demolishing & reconstructing everything one currently see's at RAF Woodbridge. Clearly that facility has shown itself to be useful, to UK officials, in one form or another, I am happy to see.
Daamm. Airman Tolbert here. Better known as Toby. 81st SPS. 88-92. Walked the fence line here many times testing sensors for the tower.
40 years ago I was all over that base as a teenager (18), member of the 81st Security Police Squadron. I thought I'd never revisit this place again and it took me way back...way way back.
So you were at Bentwaters in 1980 when the uFO Incident occured..?
5:00 we had igloos like these in texas. i worked weapons systems security in SAC and was at my WSA for 44 months. we had nukes, 750lb and 500lb. we were the keepers of the keys, it was a no lone zone. break of dawn on top of the igloo was where you would find me, i was a teen. 66 now. still out for the crack of dawn every morning in my own WSA
I spent MANY hours in the WSA armed-up, watching over civilian-contractors during 'rabbit-control' (re-sodding over the munitions-structures) between 1986 and 1988. Definately learned how to appreciate the 'roach-coach', 'Bag-Nasties' & the microwave-burritos in the arm-up/training-shop, during those cold, wet times. And I'd do it ALL over again, if I could !
I was there in 77 TDY from Wiesbaden. My team and I Built the guard tower shown at the beginning of the video. I have seen it in a few other recent videos. It's Good to know it's still standing......Mark Arbogast
Went there three times, jacked up once. Three too many times to the WSA for me, I hated it! Ill never forget the footprints on the concrete.
I worked in the 81st Supply Squadron at RAF Bentwaters from 1989-1992; one day they had some of us inventory M-16s at the WSA; the SP's searched us thoroughly (including checking under the fold-down sections at the back of our BDU caps for "hidden weapons".
The rifles were in plastic boxes inside cold, damp concrete bunkers; as bad as that sounds, the detail was actually kind of interesting, and they let us keep some of the little instructional comic books (from the 1960s) that came with the M-16s.
jpowell180 I just missed you by about a year; was assigned to 81'st EMS Conventional Munitions Maintenance from Nov 86 to Dec 88. Whenever I was'nt on skeleton-shift processing/inspecting 30mm, or gate-guard at NNMSA, I was assigned to WSA on armed-escort duty (civilian contractors) during the rabbit-damage control. People make such a big deal out of the WSA, but there was nothing particularly special about it. Until Reagan, Thatcher & Pope John Paul ll finally accomplished thier goal (with Gorbachev) WE had our job to do, we did it, and now we are gone. It is up to Millennials and Generation-Y to ensure our time, money & energies were not in vain.
@@sjames5694 Generation z is going to destroy all that.
In 1973-76 was there on Temporary Duty (TDY) from RAF Upper Heyford.
The music sure adds to the mood of lost history.
Thank you Mark, great record of what will someday no longer exist.
01:48 that was called the "hot row" there were nukes in the igloos on the left. On the very end was the ATFT which was finished around 1981. There was an m-60 mounted to fire out a window down that row.
The Gov and MOD always denied Nukes stored there! The security police reported UFO's shining searchlights down into that area in Xmas 1980!?
@@ronniemcgill8868 Several US Security Police reported seeing Lights and 2 even say they walked around a UFO on the ground in Rendelsham forest!? Its well documented. Besides,as i say..they always denied nukes were stored there but one guy on this very thread says there was!?
@@ronniemcgill8868. You sound like a Donald Trump Fan! I NEVER said 'I believe this..or that'.! What i said was ' Lights were 'reported' and the whole indident is 'well documented'! That doesn't mean i fucking Believe it ! You sound like an Absolute fucking Moron'! You clearly have issues' in understanding the Grammatic effects of the English Langauge" You sound Reactionary'! What do you think about that..Dick Head!
81st SPS, early to mid 80's, spent a lot of those days as the entry controller to the WSA and in the Fire Team building as the 60 gunner. DELTA DOGS
Franck Robben I got jacked up there once LOL.
Man!! I've been in these igloos more times than I care to remember!! Got jacked up at whiskey 3 (I think was the name) one main gate to the W.
Patstar777 pretty sure just about everyone earns the 'priviledge' of being jacked, at least once while assigned there...they wanted you to know how serious you were expected to take your responsibilities (even if it was just a quick 'in & out' for paperwork or burritos) there, but also so (once you pop that cherry) you would'nt freak-out & lose proper bearing. Then again, the stress-levels never did come down very easily, especially during Chem-warfare drills, if one was (lucky ?) enough to be assigned to WSA...lol
@@sjames5694what does jacked up mean and the burritos?
@@TimmyD9If you need to ask, you'll never know...if you know, you only need to ask.
You need to tell us all for history, plus you were a guest in our country so spill the beans
@@TimmyD9 As per Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 37 of the U.S. Code of 'Official Secrets Act', I am *FORBIDDEN* to release A.N.Y. of that information to anybody who has NOT been 'properly-vetted' to review said-information. This is NON-NEGOTIABLE. During my all-too-short time spent there, I found the locals to be very decent, honest people who treated me with the exact same respect I treated them. I'd like to keep it that way, if at all possible.
I was Security Police stationed there 1982-1983
Did you hear or know about what happened in 1980 with the UFO!?
@@brettreynolds6652 Yes, there was still a buzz about it and the Deputy Base commander was still there when I was there. Col. Holt if I remember correctly.
@@Scorpyan61 Yes. There's lots of videos on UA-cam about what happened there! It happend over 3 nights too! Quite unbelievable story. I believe there was Nukes there...although it's always been denied by UK Government.!?
What are your thoughts on the UFO incident that occured there in 1980?
Vladimeerkat Pootin I am not sure what to think. Apparently there was a similar incident at Great Falls Montana air-base several yrs prior, which caused way more havoc; but what I can attest to, is that prior to my leaving my assignment to the Twin Bases, I rode horseback & on my all-terrain bicycle in the forest beyond the back-gate of Woodbridge, and there was 'something' about a particular area which I swear 'felt' extremely odd. Thinking back on it, if I had to go back (to visit) I am sure I would know exactly where it was...and it definately is NOT where the parking & public footpaths lead the people to, from what little I can zero-in, using Google-earth...and there is NO possible way anybody could've seen a lighthouse, any cottage-lights or whatever else the final reports stated, were 'mistaken' during the incident.
@@sjames5694 Can you describe where it was? Say in relation to the big field?
The Beatles played at RAF Bentwaters in the early 1960's before they became famous.
I worked in the missile shop which was right by the front gate to the W.
Parts of the regular bomb dump!! Man I remember those phones for ingress into the igloos.
What years were you there? I was there 87-89. Worked for Tony Arsaga or something like that. Storage and handling. I would go in to the W around once a month for something but it was usually conventional. Dealt with lots of 30mm for A10s. You sound like you remember more than I do. Wish I could find a couple people I remember just to catch up.
Corey Adam 'Arsuaga'. I remember his name very well; can't recall his face, but he carried an aura of confidence about him that made me wish I was part of that crew, rather than Conventional Munitions Maint. Not that our crew was'nt a good one, but I never truly felt 'part' of them.
I live next to this facility and we still see strange lights over the base at night..? All the locals do, this is definitely a UFO hot spot...!
Smith Smith when I would go for "special convoy" briefings the ATC guys used to always tell us wild stories about the strange radar captures that happened here.
Smith Smith what kind of lights
No, you don't.
This looks like Alconbury weapon strage in the 60's.
ua-cam.com/video/2rxfzu6MnMs/v-deo.html To the lower left is the nuke repair building.
it is about time they cleared up this total waste of tax payers money, shame on who ever is responsible for treating our landscape so badly.
You are apparently young with no education of, nor appreciation for, the Cold War and what it entailed. Bentwaters and Woodbridge were developed early in WWII so the land use was established long before the US operations.
Bradford Scales Agreed. And clearly the MOD also agrees, otherwise they would'nt have allocated all that time, money & expense demolishing & reconstructing everything one currently see's at RAF Woodbridge. Clearly that facility has shown itself to be useful, to UK officials, in one form or another, I am happy to see.