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View Full Version : Closed bases



azrealtor
05-24-07, 09:38 PM
Have you been back ??

I was in El Toro CA from 90 to 93 with a short 1 year tour in Saudi the first time. Anyways My wife which I met in Orange County when i was in the Marines. Went back to California last year and visited the places where we ran around to when we first got together and EVERYTHING CHANGED SO MUCH. But I must say I was greatly disappointed in the Marine Base at looked like south Compton or a town out in the desert that has not seen a vistor in 25 years, Just a shame they couldnt do something good with the place which I had to many memories

Semper Fi my friends:flag:

lucien2
05-25-07, 06:43 AM
I have been back to the "pit", it has grown alot! We used to call Havelock "Havenot", but not anymore!

maspotente2
05-25-07, 06:58 AM
I was at El Toro twice (73/74 & 76/77). I re-upped just to go back. At the time I was stationed at MCAS Beaufort...can you blame me? I have always wondered how the base might look like now. That was where I pulled my best duty. Anyone else out there have any recent pics to post?

geiger1
05-25-07, 07:24 AM
What has happened at El Toro is a shame. When they closed El Toro and Tustin in 97, the plan was Tustin would become part of the city of Tustin with housing, a college and parks and El Toro would...

Ignition
05-25-07, 08:32 AM
the thriving metropolis of havenot......... hahahahahahah

beaufort is alot better imo

huey guns
05-26-07, 04:15 PM
Did school at El Toro in '76. the F-4's took off right over our squad bay. It would shake you out of your rack! Ahhhhh for the good ole days.

ErikHeiker
05-27-07, 04:50 AM
I too have fond memories of El Toro. I was there from Sept. 1975 to Sept 1977 with MWCS 38. It's also where I got my pilot's license, at the Aero Club. Too bad it had to close down.

davblay
05-27-07, 08:45 AM
When I hear the name "EL TORO" I remember my trip across the pond. It started there at El Toro at 0330 one fine morning in September 1969. My last view of the "WORLD" was dark! That was my last look at the USA for several months!

Yep El Toro MAS was the disembarkation point for many a Marine during the Nam war! That was the one and only time I was there!

sdk87to91
05-29-07, 06:10 PM
My longtime civilian friend who I met when I was at Tustin, took a great black and white photo of the hangars from his storage just over the fence in town. It is cool, maybe when he comes out for a visit next week, I will get permission to scan and post.

He also sent me the front page of the local paper showing the closing day ceremony for El Toro. Pretty wild to think it is not the same .

Anyone who is active notice any shortcomings to the Marine Corps Mission now that those bases are closed?

maspotente2
05-30-07, 07:15 AM
I'm gonna field day my house next week while on vacation. I will dig up some old El Toro pix so I can scan & post them. I hope some others will do the same. BTW...I noticed on some recent maps that the old orange groves are now house sub-divisions. What a shame. We use to ride motorcycles through the groves at night. As we use to also speed down Trabuco Rd. What memories.

killerinstinct
05-30-07, 08:00 AM
Have you been back ??

I was in El Toro CA from 90 to 93 with a short 1 year tour in Saudi the first time. Anyways My wife which I met in Orange County when i was in the Marines. Went back to California last year and visited the places where we ran around to when we first got together and EVERYTHING CHANGED SO MUCH. But I must say I was greatly disappointed in the Marine Base at looked like south Compton or a town out in the desert that has not seen a vistor in 25 years, Just a shame they couldnt do something good with the place which I had to many memories

Semper Fi my friends:flag:

they gave it to uc irvine or something like that. I was only there for a month before my squadron moved down to miramar in 98 but took bout 2 years for the transition to come completely.. but now that i look back on the date WOW im getting old as ****..

But for the short time i was there i like el toro as far as the base had more trees and less ****ing dirt and shrubs that is down in miramar

recon532002
05-30-07, 09:02 AM
I was at El Toro in 71. Was there during the earthquake had a 5 ton on jack stands in our hanger quake shook it so hard slid truck across the deck 2 ft. did not fall off stands. Love to watch the Drag Races while on guard duty,and the all night mess halls.

GuitarNineteen
01-05-10, 11:15 AM
What was your exact unit there? I was across from the firestation from 88-90.Usually went to CAX ex's at 29 palms and a WestPac tour.

GuitarNineteen
01-05-10, 11:19 AM
I'm gonna field day my house next week while on vacation. I will dig up some old El Toro pix so I can scan & post them. I hope some others will do the same. BTW...I noticed on some recent maps that the old orange groves are now house sub-divisions. What a shame. We use to ride motorcycles through the groves at night. As we use to also speed down Trabuco Rd. What memories.
Please do,it would be nice to remember again.

sscjoe
01-05-10, 10:05 PM
I'm gonna field day my house next week while on vacation. I will dig up some old El Toro pix so I can scan & post them. I hope some others will do the same. BTW...I noticed on some recent maps that the old orange groves are now house sub-divisions. What a shame. We use to ride motorcycles through the groves at night. As we use to also speed down Trabuco Rd. What memories.

It's been over 2yrs, have you completed that field day yet? I was at ElToro in '78 and would love to see those pics?

maspotente2
01-06-10, 06:25 AM
Hah! You got me there Marine. Field day is complete. I did find some pics. I will scan and post them this weekend. Too busy during the week. What unit were you with? MP's?

mach1usmc
01-07-10, 08:12 AM
Actually it officially closed in July of 99- and became a MCAF for a short period of time. <br />
<br />
I went by last year on my way to CLNC from Hawaii.... it is very sad how things turned out. At least...

awbrown1462
01-07-10, 08:18 AM
was at El Toro from 77-81 my home was only an hour from there re-uped to go there

BR34
01-07-10, 10:47 AM
Here's a link with a bunch of pics of El Toro in a slide show.

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july292008/el_toro_ghosttown_7-29-08.php

Just scroll down to about mid page and you'll see them.

Juicemang
01-07-10, 02:26 PM
I remember my old Gunny was stationed aboard El Toro. He told me that place was pretty unsat. He said there was a lot of crazy **** going on there, and it bordered on lawlesness in the barracks. He also mentioned that on any given day, you could walk around the barracks and smell marijuana. Sounds like El Toro was the place to be back then!

maspotente2
01-07-10, 03:20 PM
I really don't know about any smoking in the barracks. At least not the ones I was in. I was in the new barracks directly across from the PX. It really wasn't the typical squadbay. We lived in 2 & 4 man rooms, 6 rooms to a pod, a living area with communal head & showers. The 2 man rooms had their own head w/shower. I never did see or experience any lawlessness in the entire base. You would get your drunk Marine from the EM Club every now & then but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a great duty station. I re-up'd to go back there from MCAS Beaufort.

mach1usmc
01-08-10, 12:17 AM
I really don't know about any smoking in the barracks. At least not the ones I was in. I was in the new barracks directly across from the PX. It really wasn't the typical squadbay. We lived in 2 & 4 man rooms, 6 rooms to a pod, a living area with communal head & showers. The 2 man rooms had their own head w/shower. I never did see or experience any lawlessness in the entire base. You would get your drunk Marine from the EM Club every now & then but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a great duty station. I re-up'd to go back there from MCAS Beaufort.

Yeah- not sure what the GySgt is talking about. I've only been around for 19 years but the barracks I've lived in and or toured during OOD around the Corps all have the same issues both good and bad. I've smelled pot being smoked in barracks on at least 3 different bases. People will be people- good, bad and otherwise. You can't just make a blanket statement that any one base is out of control IMHO.

I stayed in the "Castle" on El Toro and also in the Barracks right next to the flight line in Tustin. Good times!!

maspotente2
01-08-10, 06:36 AM
"I stayed in the "Castle" on El Toro and also in the Barracks right next to the flight line in Tustin. Good times!!"
The "Castle"? I'm not sure what you might be referring to. I have no recollection of that name. Unless it was the barracks next to the Chow Hall. I did duty (twice)at MWSG-37, H&MS-37. I worked at hanger 296 (I believe), at the DPC (Data Processing Center). Our computer room was actually on the flightline in a mobile trailer.

mach1usmc
01-08-10, 06:59 AM
"I stayed in the "Castle" on El Toro and also in the Barracks right next to the flight line in Tustin. Good times!!"
The "Castle"? I'm not sure what you might be referring to. I have no recollection of that name. Unless it was the barracks next to the Chow Hall. I did duty (twice)at MWSG-37, H&MS-37. I worked at hanger 296 (I believe), at the DPC (Data Processing Center). Our computer room was actually on the flightline in a mobile trailer.

It was the large consolidated Barracks that was 4 or 5 stories, huge courtyard- volleyball courts, BBQ's etc. I always heard it referred to as the "Castle"- even the Station Sgt Maj. SgtMaj Wise referred to it as the castle. I think it was built in 95 or 96. It was across from the chow hall.

maspotente2
01-08-10, 07:03 AM
Wow...way past my time ("The Castle"). I was there in 1974 and again in 1976-1977.

jerryk
01-08-10, 08:49 AM
i came in to el toro twice comeing from vietnan that was the best looking place i have even seen the last time in 68 i even got down on my knees and kissed the tarmat just to be back

Old Marine
01-08-10, 11:07 AM
Was at ElToro in the early 1960's with VMF(AW)542. The bad thing then was all the trash that Marines threw all over the grounds. I guess they thought that Police Call was calling 911.

geiger1
01-10-10, 08:40 AM
What was your exact unit there? I was across from the firestation from 88-90.Usually went to CAX ex's at 29 palms and a WestPac tour.

I was with H&MS 13 AVI WC 610 (A4's) and MAG 13 HQ (CMCC) in El Toro. I was with MALS 16 AVI WC 610 in Tustin.

Did several deployments out of Tustin, Okinawa once in 88 went with HMH-462. Two westpacs USS Belleau Wood (HMM-161) in 89 and USS Okinawa (HMM-164) in 90-91-Desert Sheild/Storm.

Anyone aboard the Belleau Wood in 89? Remember we called it the Veal Wood; the chow hall would serve veal patties everyday. How about the two weeks in Sydney Austraila then a week in Brisbane. What a great deployment! Even got a "Battle E" out of that float. :banana:

Geiger1

GuitarNineteen
01-14-10, 02:09 AM
I was with H&MS 13 AVI WC 610 (A4's) and MAG 13 HQ (CMCC) in El Toro. I was with MALS 16 AVI WC 610 in Tustin.

Did several deployments out of Tustin, Okinawa once in 88 went with HMH-462. Two westpacs USS Belleau Wood (HMM-161) in 89 and USS Okinawa (HMM-164) in 90-91-Desert Sheild/Storm.

Anyone aboard the Belleau Wood in 89? Remember we called it the Veal Wood; the chow hall would serve veal patties everyday. How about the two weeks in Sydney Austraila then a week in Brisbane. What a great deployment! Even got a "Battle E" out of that float. :banana:

Geiger1Yes,I knew a marine and a corpsman aboard the Belleau Wood 89.His name was Alex Pena.You guys are shellbacks aren't you?