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Rantoul-- Chanute AFB

J

jbp

Member
Any of the folks that attended the 50 years of farm progress show, ever stationed there when it was Chanute AFB, either as a student or permanent party?

Arrived there as a Liquid Oxygen school student Feb 10, 1960. Graduated around the 15th of May 1960.

About the only thing that looked the same now is the 3 hangars.

The show and the museum both were both great. Also got to meet Yesterdays tractors, Ford Farmer, a very friendly and nice person. Joe
 
I live about 35 miles west and used to see the smoke when they set off the jet fuel for fire fighting. I was on the base once after I got out of the army in 66. It has been all dissected up since closing, some good and some bad. I took several loads of people through hanger 2 with my 730 during the show. I took my Bs up there after agronomy day snd when I went to start one Wednesdays, it backfired very loud in there. I thought some of the people would jump out of their skin.
 
I was stationed at Chanute from 1958 to 1962 as a student in the first class of Missile Propulsion Systems. Stayed as an instructor. Taught Thor and Atlas engins along with some older ones such as Bell X1 and others.

Four of us old timers visited Chanute in June and toured their museum. There was absolutly no mention of the training we did. They seem to think that missile training started with the Minuteman. One of the guys bought a book on the history of Chanute and there was no mention of the Atlas or Thor training.

We were the first people to get a Missile badge. I guess we were so secret that nobody knew we existed.

Glen
 
1964 went there for MISSILE MAINTENANCE TECH SCHOOL out of 341st MISSILE MAINTENANCE SQUADRON from GREAT FALLS, MONT -MALSTROMB AFB.Was there 13 weeks. Used to go to TERRE HOUTE, IN to get (juice)!
 
I was there in 1958 going to Aircraft School .Left there & was sent to Japan for two years .
I didn t know that they had closed the base . When did they close ? Spent 20 1/2 years 1n the Air Force.

My E Mail is [email protected] .

John in Az.
 
My cousin was there in the early 50's. He became a hydraulics specialist on the B36's.
 
I was there for a little over 3 months in the late summer/ early fall of 1977 for vehicle mechanic school.
Sure was a change for a kid that had not been out of the deep south till then.
All those corn fields; the cooler weather than our summers; and the way you guys cook food.
 
AIT at Chanute mid July to November 1969 as a tin bender or hanger banger. Air Frame Repair was the more formal name. Went to Texas for the rest of my time. First was Sheppard, then Laredo.

I was talking with a man up the road from me some time back and he was an instructor at Chanute when I was there, but on the other end of the base. Now, he has moved back where he grew up.

I keep planning on making the tractor show but every year, something derails my plans. Maybe next year.
 
I remember seeing your outfit ferrying people at the show. The best display in my humble opinion was the Case 110 engine plowing. A steam engine 102 years old pulling a 10 bottom plow in that tough ground without a hesitation. That takes brute power. Joe
 
My dad (now age 90) was stationed there early in WWII before he went to Europe. That's where my dad met my mother, she was from Fithian Il, a small town south and east of Rantoul.
I still get down there but, have never been to the Rantoul show but have been to Penfield several times.
DWF
 

Man just the NAME brought back thoughts .... I went to Jet Engine Mech. back in 1968 in sept. thur feb.of 1969 .... Nice place to spend the holidays ..LOL ...
never been back ...

.............. mark
 
In 1954 I was stationed at Ft Bragg, NC. Wanted to hitch-hike to eastern NE (home)to get married. Ft B to Charlotte by truck. Got a "hop" from there to Chanute AFB. Got a bed there and breakfast next morning. H-hiked north towards Chicago and then went west as far a Guthrie Center. IA. Bus from there to Omaha. Hotel over
night. From there to St Ed, courtesy of cattle truck driver, and then home by noon Wed after leaving Ft B 4PM Mon. What an experience. But back then a soldier in uniform had NO problem hitch-hiking. Martin
 
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