The Barracks

There were four barracks buildings on the west side of the chow hall, four to the east. Mine was on the west side nearest the chow hall. Looking out my window I could see the third barrack building (they were staggered; the second is to the left).

I remember looking out these windows and watching the awe-inspiring lightning and thunderstorms that rocked the base. The lightning bolts often hit the base to the north of here. Thunder would rattle the glass.



The barracks were holdovers from WWII and had seen little updating over the years. Inside, cubicles were fashioned from vertical 2x4s with plywood nailed up to afford some privacy. As I recall, there were two people to a cubicle. Two racks, two free-standing lockers and a table with two chairs made up the furnishings. Bathrooms and showers communal.



Incredibly, these buildings are still being used for FLETC housing but have been extensively modernized.

Below is the parking area as viewed from the barracks. The bus stop (for our ride to the NATTC building), and the tennis courts, are just to the right. You can see the eastern hanger through the pine trees.

6 comments:

mijaco5 said...

I lived in those baracks from late 73- till early 74.

Anonymous said...

I lived one barracks over from the water tower, from Oct65 to Jun66. I remember 4 men to a cube. I was there as a TD striker, working in the T-Bldg while waiting for a slot to open at TD-A school. I rode my Honda65 to work. It topped out at just under 40mph, so riding to the beach was a real adventure. We hung out at the north end of Jekyll, where the beach was about 100 yds wide. Was back there in the late '80s and the beach was about 6 ft wide and backed with rip-rap. I remember eating at the Forks restaurant, which is long gone. There was a locker club just outside the maingate, before civvies were permitted on liberty.
One night, I had to come through the gate with a pair of black sox simulating a neckerchief because someone had forced my locker and stolen mine. All in all, some of the best duty/happiest memories I've had. Fair Winds, guys!

Theborg said...

I stood duty in those Barracks from 70 to 73 as an AE working in W/C 620....This base was the Navys best kept secret..I loved it...

Anonymous said...

i was stationed there approx. 1973-1974 with vt-86.......y'all are right, it was a well kept secret...of being a skate place..some of my friends may know what i mean......they (still)called me glennco(name is glenn)..

Earles McCaul said...

I was there in Jan-Mar 1964, attending ATW-A school. I remember standing on the barracks cement window overhang cleaning the outside of the windows while waiting for my ATW class to begin. Also remember how HUGE the inside of the blimp hangar was. I had a black/white 1953 Ford named "Gufus" which I sold to another sailor when I left for Pax River, MD, on my way up to Argentia, Newfoundland and VW-13.

Anonymous said...

I was there from Nov 63 to March 64 for took the same route to VW13. Yea the blimp hangers were impressive. Caught a ride to Ohio for Christmas with a 1 class that had a 53 Chevy. with no heater. Long cold ride. We might have been in the same classes. My name is John Greenup, worked in Operations Training at VW13.