Evan, you are so spot on about how our days were spent . It was home for 8 weeks of my life. The Fort Lewis Logistics Center is a facility at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The obstacle course by it is gone. No guard duty anyway. Although the law went into effect in 2005, implementing its requirements for JBLM access have been delayed until now. I was there from May 26 through the end of July. Still a pretty post. His name was Sanford Rogers. Did you know of DI Prince? Fort McClellan, AL (Alabama) - Army Bases DI was SSgt Hunt. Force marches in rubber boots. I too was in A-3-2 in that Oct to Dec 1971 cycle. The strategic location of the base provides Air Force units with the ability to conduct combat and humanitarian airlift with the C-17 Globemaster III. ). They are the HQ for 8th Bde, Army ROTC for 8 western states and Guam/American Samoa. Culture shock for a bunch of surfer boys. I took my basic training at Fort Lewis in August of 1966 and was then sent to Fort Ord for AIT. May 2014 BCT D-3/1, Inf AIT D-2/3. You will operate as a member of a team of highly skilled engineers, data scientists, system integrators and cybersecurity professionals to collect, ingest, process, analyze, visualize, share, and secure the data for US . I have a couple of before and after shots posted in "Basic Training Memories" in Facebook if you have a Facebook account. March thru May 1970 A-5-1 Very wet and miserable weather. I lost all my military records. April 2013 I cracked a smile and the DS made me dig a hole and bury it. Fort Lewis is a 135-square-mile U.S. Army post in Pierce County, Washington, located just south of Tacoma. DI was Sgt Alley who was about 5'5" but came off at about 6'10". It was cold suckasses were made platoon and squad leaders, I was there beginning July 1968 & my DI was Sergeant Smith, I remember very well but I was too young to know any better when I got drafted I was going to school working and had a brand new baby boy then I got my induction papers because I lost one hour at college, Marie do you live up in Placerville, CA are you or were you an Ultra runner at one time. Anybody there? I started in June and graduated in August 1968. Helicopters were also used for "short haul" rescue operations, in which a ranger and litter were carried in a sling below the helicopter to the scene of the accident. Saw clear skies a little more often then, but still a miserable place to learn how to become a Grunt. 5128, Pendleton Ave, Lewis Main. A company would have about four platoons called first, second, etc., No #134. Native American Although July and August are the driest months. Camp Lewis evolved into Ft. Lewis in 1927. PS How in the hell do you remember the class number laugh I have snap shots from then and a bit of recall but to many things inbetween. After leaving I went to Ft. Sill OK for AIT. My grandfather was drafted into the Army from Nashville, TN sometime in 1967. 10 residents linked to the property at 2582 Mann Ave - Find owner, businesses, contact information, property data, public records, neighbors, and more I saw him in Vietnam filling sand bags. We did the entire basic in wet gear. Don't trust the Army boys! Went to Ft Sill for AIT and finally to Vietnam Nov 1969. Does anyone remember my father Arthur Swanson? March April and May for me.I remember we were the 4th platoon and I remember the painting of the decapitated VC on the outdoor broom closet with the caption"we eat VC for breakfast" and I remember Hecker and Steele and Hansen and Bryant and Beaudwin, and Liedtke and Pugh and Linstead and Halowapo and Burke the Indian. Everybody had to have there picture taken with that in it! Really had a lot of respect for that guy. Be prepared with the most accurate 10-day forecast for Fort lewis, WA with highs, lows, chance of precipitation from The Weather Channel and Weather.com Creighton Abrams My boots are out there too. Senior Cloud Systems Integrator - JBLM Fort-Lewis McChord WA - on-site. World War II I had DI Johnson for BCT (D-5-1) October, November, Dec. 1970. Of course, the economy of Fort Lewis revolves around Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington's largest employer with over 52,000 Department of Defense and active-duty military members. Some of the B-1-1 buildings were still there but barely recognizable and were being used for city warfare exercises. We had a Sgt (a Black man) Most were from Chicago, some from WA state, I was only one from AZ. Fort Lewis, named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was one of the largest and most modern military reservations in the United States, consisting of 87,000 acres (350km2) of prairie land cut from the glacier-flattened Nisqually Plain. Grady Myers I escaped b/c I didnt want to be recycled. A good time was had by all. The uncomfortable thing was that about 4 months before I arrived some one got beat bad by two people and had the M-16 stolen. Phillip, I was just before you in D-2-2, having started in January 1970, just as the meningitis outbreak hit. Thanks just the same. I was in Ft Lewis from March 1970 until May 1970 in B-3-2. I'd like to thank them for their ultimate sacrifice. The MP wouldnt/couldnt grant me access even when I explained my purpose and displayed my active Sheriffs ID. Davila's Tigers. Mostly Southern California. Phil I wish you had put together my previous comments and saved yourself a trip.not ONE barracks left.close your eyes and listen"I wanna be an airborne ranger" it's as close as you will get. The company I was in made no exceptions that I saw. ", "Boocoo Dinky Dow: My short, crazy Vietnam War, Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association. The next morning several of us were told we were in the wrong company and got transferred to B-2-3. Basic was hard and they kept you scared and on your toes all the time. It was bad during that time. It was sad to see the half dozen or so guys that simply packed up their duffel bags and went across the parade field to 11B and 11C AIT. E-1-2 basic training. Gleason! Fort Lewis proper contains 86,000 acres (134sqmi; 350km2); the Yakima Training Center covers 324,000 acres (506sqmi; 1,310km2). I am amazed that you remembered me, Troy. Decypher is seeking Medical Laboratory Technician candidates to provide support to the Joint Base Fort Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, WA. Job. Lt. Klippel was our CO. We were confined to the company area, except for training, due to meningitis concerns. Decypher Joint Base Lewis-McChord Regular, Full time. Can't help much with your search. The military base is, as previously stated, much larger than the CDP defined by the Census Bureau. If he did training in 1967 I am thinking he was in Vietnam in late 1967 or beginning of 1968. I told my drill sergeant that was wrong and that I was suppose to be a social worker and psychiatric helper and he said "Damn it Colton your going to be a G** Dam Medic. Brings back many memories. Homepage for Joint Base Lewis-McChord Mr. Hitt. We had howitzers lined up around the base of the hill. I believe it was Drill Sgt Pino. Randy, hope you get this. D41. Every time they shot one off, it was like the loudest bang in the world. Learn about housing options available at Joint Base Lewis-McChord as well as information about setting up utilities. Northwest Military - Home of The Ranger, NW Airlifter & Weekly Volcano Dan Webster In 90 days, Stone had supervised the construction of a "city" of 757 buildings and 422 other structures, all lighted and heated for 60,000 men. Hi Bob Cook, I was also @ Ft. Lewis Jan 2, 1970 thru March 1970 with C-3-2, we were neighbors. How about a multum in parvo story entitled "DI Bob's New Car" On a Friday afternoon, DI Fagan was showing off his new 1969 1/2 Dodge Super Bee. At the hospital they assigned me to Madigan B Company Ambulance Section at Main Post right next to Main Post Dispensary. Steve Orr I took basic at Lewis in March-April of 1967 D-2-2 Spent one week at North Fort then we transferred to the "new" 3-story concrete barracks next to the airfield. I Corps stays prepared to deploy on short notice worldwide to command up to five divisions or a joint task force. I was in E-1-1 from Dec of 69 to April of 70, was lucky enough to get pneumonia and was held back. Home - The Pet Brigade The Multi-Purpose Range Complex opened in 1989, and the Shoot House and Urban Assault Course opened in 2005. 125 Bridgeport and Joint Base Lewis McChord. I'm McGowan! At the conclusion of World War II, the northwest staging area of Fort Lewis became a separation center and discharged its first soldiers in October 1945. Joint Base Lewis McChord is a premier installation in the Pacific Northwest. Hello Diane, [2], In 1947, approximately 60,000 acres (240km2) were cleared of unexploded ammunition and returned to the original owners. . 8th Brigade Army ROTC, Fort Lewis, WA (2023) Duane Phillips. The airfield, called Tacoma Field, opened in 1930 and was renamed McChord Field in 1940. It had been filmed by a CBS news crew and the Army was catching some heat, so Drill Instructor Duane Phillips ordered me to paint over it while the rest of the company went on a ten mile jog. We were confined to the barracks and mess hall due to the meningitis outbreak at the time. As in B-3-2Bravo Company-what-what? RESPONSIBILITIES. Another standard line: "It's all up do you" My reaction was that "if it had been up to me, I wouldn't be here" A lifetime ago but I still can remember. I believe the highway going past the barracks is now open to the public, but the barracks are now gone. basic training helped me survive. The whole platoon was from Chicago. November 2012 My throat was so sore I couldn't swallow my own saliva. The Army side Free shipping for many products! Rachel Rasmussen (age 44) from Wenatchee, WA - (253) 838-2324 In 2009, the former Fort Lewis Regional Correction Facility was remodeled and renamed the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility (NWJRCF). i was a cook there me and shelby davidson were friens he was a di, can you show the pictures of your platoon in b-5-1, Glenn Davis, were u ever married to one of the Schroeder girls' here in Nor-Cal If you were you were my brother in law old pal I was in the old Barracks from Feb 69' to June 69' for Basic and AIT, i was with B-4-2 nov 20 til feb 4 1967 to 1968, I remember Drill Sargent Tanksly April-May 1968. [1], Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a major Army base, with much of the 2nd Infantry Division in residence, along with Headquarters, 7th Infantry Division; 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command; and 1st Special Forces Group. Thanks, Sgt Lamb was our DI April to July 1969. my brother from Hastings was there.3PLT C CO.1 BN2 BDE 11. It is the premier military installation in the northwest and is the most requested duty station in the army. President George W. Bush greets US troops 18 June at Fort Lewis Army Base in Washington. They get calls from someone engaged in a fire fight. Delano, also about 5-5 tall. What a team..! Training and mobilization validation moved to individual units (instead of the 1st JMB) in 2011. Came home and served 6 years and discharged Jan 1976. Fagan was our DI, a genuine pain in the ass. His identical twin, Danny, was doing basic/AIT at Ft. Ord the same time we were. Washington Dc Black Panthers at that time would raise some hell occasionally on the base. Infantry Wonder how he ponied up a down payment for that on an Acting Jack's pay.On Monday, the DI was foaming at the mouth and as we marched down the company street, there sat his Super Bee. Lucky break being home. Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98433-9500. My dad passed away in 1989 and I've found this old picture but don't know much about his time at Ft. Lewis other than my mom's brief recollection. HistoryLink.org Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, "Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base merge to create Joint Base Lewis-McChord on . Most beautiful sunrise I have seen was there. To this . I forgot over the years. Had a Sgt. All my old paperwork from our platoon was lost in a flood. Looking of Kenny Williams who was in the bunk above me and did a tatoo on my shoulder with indian ink and a pin. Military Base Toxic Exposure VA Disability Claims Comments? Ken Rodgers Told company commander about it after graduation. Fort Lewis began as Camp Lewis in 1917 when the citizens of Pierce County voted by an eight to one margin to bond themselves for $2,000,000 (equivalent to $42,301,299 in 2021) to buy 68,721 acres (107.377sqmi; 278.10km2) of land. Perform a full range of clinical laboratory tests in any one or a combination of the following sections of the laboratory: hematology, chemistry, cytology, histotechnology, urinalysis . Most of the guys in the unit were NG's or ER's, with a few US's--draftees who didn't hesitate to remind the RA's that they would be out a year ahead of them. D Block was demolished in 2019. Brittany's Gourmet Coffee, 690 Barnes Blvd, Lewis McChord, WA 98438. Also used by Air Technical Service Command as an aircraft maintenance and supply depot; primarily to service aircraft being sent to Alaska. He is a black man. I was in B-2-2 Jan 70 and we were told that we were the first all volunteer unit at that time. YOU WAS POSS NEXT MY BCT COMPANY E 3 2 1ST PLATOON DS KODI BROWN HARDY G W HARPER SORRY AEND OF 1ST COOK WAS SP4 JENKINS REAL A END SEWAGE WASTE MET Never knew his first name or where he was from. But that said, what is needed to be done has to be done. Spanaway 1 : 24000 . Does he remember the DI's name. First time levy rescinded, 2nd time to short less than 6 month left of 2 year draftee status. I have forgotten! Good, hard training. Great nephew asked me the other day if we had a washer and dryer in the barracks. D-5-2. [5] Italian prisoners of war, organized into units, were trained as quartermaster units at Fort Lewis, since after Italy surrendered to the Allies and declared war on Germany, they were not strictly held to the work requirements that prohibited prisoners of war from working on items directly headed for the war or in the war effort.[6]. Bob Robbins There was a guy from Atlanta, TX named Donny Simmons. When we ran around in the tear gas shack singing Happy Birthday, it was the first time our sinuses had cleared. The Army splits the rank into either corporal / sergeant or specialist. Nobody stopped me when ai drove in then.but I did not stop for the guard. Ft Lewis was kind of a dreary place anyway, but standing there listening to names being called was kind of weird. 20/20 hindsight. Timeline Attributes. Your grandfather was probably stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Volunteered for the draft and inducted 4 December 1968, not quite 17 and-a-half, from Alaska. Fort Lewis, WA Patoon D-1-2. Enjoyed the constant heavy rain wearing wet weather gear, or a poncho. I was there. He probably got an Article 15 for being so dumb. Most of the guys went 11-B infantry to Vietnam and I was fortunate to go to Germany after training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Joint Base Lewis-McChord Weather Forecasts. It was a beautiful place and a big change from Santa Monica. May 2015 Only 3 of the WW II type buildings were left of the ones where I had basic (E-4-1) /AIT (B-2-3) in 71. Cold wet and frozen. At some point in all of that, he was promoted to sergeant Fort Lewis, home of the 627th Air Base Group, in Washington, has been the home to thousands of veterans. Dispensary 7 North Fort served BCT and AIT. No one so much as asked what we doing there. You can also find other Military Bases on MapQuest I was in B-5-2 Jan 70 Carl Imlay was DS and DS DeGeorge was senior DS, how was there 1970 looking for my buddy when I was there my drill sergeant was Fasano we went to the horse race track together and we even hit Pike Street downtown Seattle if you know what I mean. Hi, I am writing from Chile, where I actually live. Arrived a Ft Lewis 30 Nov 1970. Fort Lewis was a United States Army post from 1917 to 2010 located 9.1 miles (14.6 km) south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. A black guy named Pennington always called me Country, didnt start out too well but we became friends. Forcade. During our runs he would sing the cadence that would put a spell on you. It was the second time I had visited. Most of the troops were going to the war zone those days, where it was too hot in more ways than one. Morgan Sports Cars Your post was Jan 2018 so maybe I hope by now you have found him. Graves, in fact I have a photo of him. Thoughts, comments? You must have been in the 1st, 2nd or 4th platoon. Went to Vietnam after that. platoon . who was the short drill sergeant .. the assistant drill was Geitson may be not the exact spelling but sounds correct. We had the meningitis restrictions also back in 1966 too. The four of us did drive from Bremerton, where my son and wife live, up to Port Townsend for lunch though. Fort Lewis barracks: History in the un-making - Boocoo Dinky Dow I misplaced our Basic Training Graduation Picture and wondered if you still had yours. Can someone tell me what the numbers following the company letter indicate? Suspect that may have been a standard line for the Top. He later died in 2009 from emphysema, from god knows what. He was sent to E-1-1 while I was sent to D-1-1. I cannot find a class picture and need assistance, If anyone has a photo or know where I can find one, I would appreciate it. I was there in 1949-1950 The buildings were red brick are all of those demolished? Was at N. Fort Lewis from April 17 to July in D -1-1 all from California. Mitchell Rogers - "SP4" is Specialist 4". November 2018 Since our BTC was the first ALL Volunteer group to cycle through Ft Lewis, the Cadre did not meds with us at all day or night. I was with B-3-2. Dave Mueller Sherman was a DS when I was there at the same time. I hope some of my platoon members read this and reach out. John Trainor who was two time Viet-Nam true warrior. Fort Lewis Tacoma Washington McChord Military Real Photo RPPC Ellis Auto Skills Center Lewis Main :: Joint Base Lewis-McChord - Army MWR They are given coordinates. I am looking to see if anyone has any photos. I recall the footlocker and trunk routine. God Bless all of our former and current military brethren. Also, do you remember the name of your CO? Gietsen we ran rings around them. Of all the Post Exchanges I have been to, the one in Fort Lewis is the best by far.