The Blimp Hangers

Glynco's most outstanding physical feature was, of course, the blimp hangers. Built in the early 1940s in support of the war effort, these buildings were demolished in 1971.

This is the eastern blimp hanger. It was in pretty bad shape even then. These are the doors on the west end.






This is a long shot of the western-most hanger.




Here are the two hangers from the Northeast (Sidney Lanier Drive approaching Ethridge Drive). Eastern hanger to the left, Western to the right.



35 comments:

eddie willers said...

My brother-in-law was stationed at Glynco and I visited him and my sister at their small rental house on St. Simons in 1968.

You could see the blimp hangers from way out there as you were getting onto the causeway!

Thanks for the memory.

David Benton said...

That wqs one of my favorite memories. Remember the Suday afternoon drives? I always insisted we drove out hwy 17 so I could see the blimp hangers. So sad they are now gone.

Mr T said...

What great memories these photos have brought for me I was stationed at NAS Glynco from Oct '67 to Dec '69 and really loved it. Remember the smell of the pulp mill at night (pretty much all the time actually) and the Sidney Lanear bridge.
Awsome!! Terry Tibolla

Tim said...

I love these pics, and they bring back great memories for me as well. My father was stationed at NAS Glynco in '70 and '71 and we left right before the hangars were taken down. I attended Brunswick High School there. At the time it was a brand new High School. Many times I and my brothers managed to sneak into the hangars, climb a ladder that was just inside the doors and attached to the interior walls, and exit to the roof through the openings that are under the little buildings you can see in the pics at the top of the hangars. The view from up there was absolutely breath taking. Thanks for posting these pictures! Tim Ballard

Tim said...

nI love these pics, and they bring back great memories for me as well. My father was stationed at NAS Glynco in '70 and '71 and we left right before the hangars were taken down. I attended Brunswick High School there. At the time it was a brand new High School. Many times I and my brothers managed to sneak into the hangars, climb a ladder that was just inside the doors and attached to the interior walls, and exit to the roof through the openings that are under the little buildings you can see in the pics at the top of the hangars. The view from up there was absolutely breath taking. Thanks for posting these pictures! Tim Ballard

O said...

I was stationed in Glynco from Feb through July 1970 going to A school for air traffic controllers. I too remember the somewhat sweet smell of the nearby pulp mills. Great memories of nearby Jekyl and St. Simoms islands. this was first experience out of my home state of California (southern).

Anonymous said...

I was there in 1967 attending AC-A School. Some of cur classrooms were, if I recall correctly, in one of the blimp hangers. I really enjoyed my stay there, short as it was. From there I went to NAS Miramar.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the memories. I was there in late summer/fall of '68 for the ATC school. From there to Danang, Vietnam. Certainly do remember the pulp smell.

Joe Brack said...

I was station at Glynco in 1963 - 1964, the hangar were in fair shape at the time. We stored some of our aircraft in the west hangar and there were some supply offices using part of the hangar. All of our aircraft that were damaged in accidents were stored in the hangars while the accident investigation were being conducted.

We were3 flying WV-2 (the super Connies) used to train NFO’s (Naval flight Officers) and we would move the Connies to the East hanger for major maintenance.

the blimps were gone when I got there as ZP-2, ZP-3 and ZTG (ZP & ZT are blimp squadrons the Z stood for lighter than air as the blimps used helium for lift) and the helium converters were still there in 63 & 64. the last blimp squadrons were decommissioned in 1959, the mast (used to anchor blips) were still on the tarmac.

I grew up in savannah GA and when our family made many trips to Jacksonville Dad would always take the route by Glynco so we could see the blimps.

I really enjoyed my duty at Glynco and after discharged remained in the local area until 1989 and had the opportunity to visit the base many times throughout those years. This brings back many fond memories.

Unknown said...

I attended AC "A" school and then GCA "C" school between June and November 1970, then on to Adak, Alaska. 1st time away from home, and 1st time near the ocean. Long ago and far away.

Jim Bernachi said...

My Dad was stationed there in the late 50's. I remember the blimps and these hangers very well.
along with being an instructor he did fly the conies. I remember wearing his flight suit.
I wonder if the Em club is still standing. I remember the night they reopened it.
thanks for the memories

Gary Todaro said...

Went to AC "A" School in the Blimp hanger in 1967 and returned there in 1970 to teach in the new AC building. Gary Todaro

Unknown said...

Was assigned to NAS Glynco from spring of '67 to summer '69. Worked the T-39 line and check crew as an AMH. Great duty. Early on stood fire watches in the West hanger. Mighty weird walking alone in there at 0300!

dw said...

My dad ran the elisted men's mess at Glynco from '65 - 68 and we lived on the base - i believe on Armstrong Avenue. I was 10 and my friends and I were all over the base on our bicycles. Our boyscout meetings were in one of the hangars. My friends and I used to sneak up inside the support columns on either side at each end of the hangars. We actually walked on the roof and heckled the golfers below. Yes, very dumb considering the storm damage. Threw tar balls down on the metal roof of the airfield training buildings below. Great place to grow up.

Ronald Rumbaugh said...

I was stationed at Navy Glynco from Jan. to July of 1968 attending ATC school.I was married and lived off base on Reynolds Ave. in Brunswick. I remember security duty at night in the blimp hanger, as the huge hanger cooled it made all kinds of spooky noises. I too remember the smell of the pulp factory. Thanks for the pictures and memories.

Al K. said...

Was stationed at Glynco '72,'73,'74 (when it was decommissioned) at the Navy Brig & later at the Special Services Dept. (Auto hobby shop & Camping gear issue side). Being a history buff; I wish that I could have been there when the old hangers were still standing. Great shore duty. Hello to Ron Kelly if you are still out there.

Anonymous said...

I was stationed at natty Glynco from 68 till June 71. Worked in personnel on the enlisted side. First daughter born while there. Wow she's 42 now. Where did the time go?

Jerry Lunceford

David Mahaffey said...

Was at Glynco from Nov.1959-Mar.1960. Was assigned to ACW "A" school,in the brand new "T" bluilding. The base commander rode his big white horse all over the station. The student barracks was on the same street as the hangers,near the station enlisted mess. We stood inspection one day in one of the hangers,its was cloudy,and cold,but the sun came out,and it rained inside the hangar,that was something to behold. David Mahaffey Dec.3,2014

Anonymous said...

I was stationed at NAS Glynco from 1965 - 1970, in Supply, then AMD, as an AK1. I met some lifelong friends there. I loved the area, St. Simons, Jekyll, the Marshes, even Darien and up to Savannah. I was a plank owner of the Acey Deucey Club, bartended at the EM Club, and have great memories of my time there.

Glenn Black said...

I attended AC "A" School 1967. Another student and I climbed the very rickety ladder inside one of the blimp hangars to the cupola on top. Scared the crap out of both of us, but the view was awesome. Could see Jekyll from there. We ere also told that you couldn't throw a baseball straight up and hit the top of the ceiling nor throw a ball from one end to the other. They were right. I'd like to connect with my buddy Bill Harrel, from Memphis I think. My email is gblack7205@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

My husband was stationed there from 64-66. He also was a corpsman and bartender at Em club. Brother was also there in 64 in admin. And worked the quarter deck.

loganjo@msn.com said...

Tom LeBlanc
I was there at that time,he probably served me many a beer!
I was an ET working on radar equipment at Nattc,CIC school for officers.

Unknown said...

I was an ET there in 1970. We had a baseball bat and a golf ball to whack on lunch breaks...it would go out of sight and roll back down...;)

Unknown said...

I was an ET there in 1970. We had a baseball bat and a golf ball to whack on lunch breaks...it would go out of sight and roll back down...;)

Johnny said...

Hi I just saw this today. My grandfather's construction company built these hangers. I have a couple of pictures if you are interested.

Johnny said...

Hi I just saw this today. My grandfather's construction company built these hangers. I have a couple of pictures if you are interested.

Jim said...

I went to ACA School there in 67' Graduated in August. Lots of fond memories of the base and the hangers. Classrooms were in the hangers.

Unknown said...

I attended AC 'A" school there in summer of '69 and the GCA school in the fall of '72. The hangers were where we went to class for 'A' school. Great memories. Thanks for the pictures

Jim veal said...

I was stationed there in 66 67 I helped build the golf course I remember killing a lot of Rattlers and watching the Jets take off and lots of nights on St.simons and Jekyll island and the big boy drive in we all hung out at

Anonymous said...

Jim veal, I was there in 67 for AC-A School. Didn't know the local area as you did.

Unknown said...

Lowell Eide
I was stationed at Glynco during fall of 1963 attending ATW-A school. I came from Millington and went on to Pax River and then to VW-13 in Argentia and Keflavik. I enjoyed the layed back atmosphere of the base and tossing rocks and balls inside the blimp hangars. During my time there I remember the death of President Kennedy, and the base was closed and everyone restricted to the base for 3 days. Not much to do in the old school barracks during that time. Also Hurricane Ginny was expected to hit with local civilians invited on base for shelter, but not much damage as it stayed just off shore. Also, the KKK marching in Brunswick and everyone restricted to the base again. Classmates I remember were Bill Quackenbush, Gerald Dody, and a guy named Holt that had a photographic memory.

Unknown said...

I was also on the flight line as a plane captain and crew chief (T-39s) 68-70 xcept for a couple months as a life guard @ the CPO pool. Remember those cold graveyard watches on the line from the far end to the Connie. Great shore duty, lived on St. Simons, but also helped build the new EM barracks on the base, and lived there too

Anonymous said...

stationed at glynco mar-jun '63 for connie cic school (atw), between mfs "A" scol and fleet assignment. then to nas barber's point, HI. and AEWBARRONPAC . classmates went to argentia. newfoundland.love you brothers. jim edwards, atwan/avcm, '62-'96

Unknown said...

Attended AC "A" School there in 1967 and GCA school in 1969. The hangers were still there and it brings back great memories. I have been back since the hangers were torn down, it's sad not seeing them there.

Eric R. Apple said...

My father had an office in one of them and also played handball there through the 60's. The offices and handball courts were part of the structure where the roof met the ground on either side of the building. 17 were built in total across the US. The ones at Glynnco were in horrible shape. There were roped off paths across the floor inside to keep people from walking beneath the rotted sections which were most of the roof. You could stand on the path and marvel at the massive piles of smashed bracing which had fallen from the roof but the building still housed a couple WWII fighters in static display as well as the offices and handball courts. I watched them demolished in 1971. Dynamite. it was quite a show with thousands of spectators, dependents and active duty folk. Dad was ATCS Roger A. Orndorff.