My trip around historical MCAS El Toro

[Shep6531]

I remember the old HMM-163 hangar. We moved from Tustin to El Toro in 1995. I later went to cobras and hueys. Loved being stationed there. It was the best base in the Marine Corps. Thanks for filming it.

[trbodden]

It looks like I outdate all of you. H&HS (VFMT-10) back in '58'59. Remembering Heffernan, Olsen, Van Dyne but many others my old brain can't recall. But it was an education the Corps gave and some background to get on in life. Just a shitbird when I entered but I worked hard (I thought) especially off base in a rental on bluebird canyon rd in Laguna Beach. Pearl diving, bussing and growing up. It was a great experience and I thank the Corps for saving me from myself.

[ColtDeltaElite10mm]

EXCELLENT VIDEO! Thank you so much! Got me teary eyed! I deeply miss MCAS EL TORO! Makes me sick to my stomach to see what its become. It was a huge mistake to close that base. I remember when Nixon's body was flown into that base after his death. I fly over that base on occassion and get sick to not see jets all around. I also miss Norton and George AFB's here in SoCal!

[cali714ish]

kinda sad to see what the marine base looks like now.use too live there in the nearby houses and went to the near by elementory school.played at the nearby park.my pops was stationed there back in the 90's.he would still go there to play golf years after the base closed.i too remember the air shows when i was a kid.i can still remember that accident at one of the air show when the jet (f15 i believe) made a big loop in the air and crashed.dont remember if the the pilot survived.thanks 4 the post

[HoughtonBob]

@conurelover Hey Pete. I served beside you in the power plant. I served along with Madrano and Weidner. I left in Feb. 83. A lot of good memories, but can't seem to put a face to your name. Sgt. Robert Houghton, Jr.

[HoughtonBob]

@conurelover Hey Pete. I served beside you in the power plant. I served along with Madrano and Weidner. I left in Feb. 83. A lot of good memories, but can't seem to put a face to your name. Sgt. Robert Houghton, Jr.

[retropinup13]

what happened when u trespassed?!!? I live near it and im always curious to go inside



[Mastrorillos]

Great Video That is the place I left for Vietnam from and I was stationed there when I returned in 1970. I Remember those hangers and the tower. All kinds of National Guard types would fly there on the weekends and take some time in So Cal. Thanks for the memories

[AlignPR]

I was a hospital corpsman and worked at the dispensary.

[susanragab]

...My husband and i lived on tustin helicopter base in new base housing.on the corner of corner of Jamboree Road and Barranca Parkway ,from my balcony i could see Mervyns department store,is that still there? Can you please take some video of that area please,im sure alot of people who lived on tustin base would love to see what has become of our long lost home...

[susanragab]

Watching this video actually brought a tear to my eye.Brings back alot of memories when my ex was stationed at el Toro with VMFA-531,Is the squardon building still standing? What about the day care center? it was near the commisary where i worked.I was very sad that the government closed both El Toro and Tustin Bases

[dovecry2]

WE lived there from 77-81...Search and Rescue SAR (hueys)

Did the base have a problem then?

Flood of memories coming back looking at this..

I was 17 when I first came to live at El Toro..I learned to drive on the El Toro strip there. All three brothers from Ok joined at the same time and were stationed at El Toro...I was married to one of the brothers.

[dovecry2]

WE lived there from 77-81...Search and Rescue SAR (hueys)

Did the base have a problem then?

Flood of memories coming back looking at this..

I was 17 when I first came to live at El Toro..I learned to drive on the El Toro strip there.

[dcowan023]

Thank you so much. VMGR-352 82-86, K-130 driver. My first two children were born there. You brought back fond memories.

[check6ii]

I was stationed at El Toro off and on from feb 1980 thru 1988. I was with MAG 13 as a Cryogenics Tech. We made liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. Filled lox converters for A-4s....A-6s.....and F-4s. Miss everything about a flightline and tactical a/c.

Seems as though it was yesterday........SEMPER FIDELIS

[shakeitbeforeubakeit]

If you look at the tire marks in the hanger you can tell that it is the hanger used in Ken Block's gymkanha video with so many millions of views

[crashland123]

altough I was not in the military (dad in WWll and brother in Vietnam) I hate to see a military base go to pot like this.

[joninwv]

Thank You for the video. I was stationed there as an MP from 92-94. It brings back a lot of memories of that time for me.

[aagranata]

Southern California is a graveyard for military installations. It's only a matter of time before they run Miramar out of town......At least we can say that Edwards AFB is fairly safe, but that's what I thought about El Toro also! I lived at George AFB 1973-1978.

[MrDirtbikerMan]

weren't there two pools? Many summers spent here, I remember a belly flop I did at the age of 7 or 8 off a high dive; I didn't see a high dive here. There must have been two pools?

[AtillasWarpig]

The pool at the end was the officer's pool near the O-club and the BOQ. We used to swim there in the summers. There were tennis courts near there. Spooky to see it like that.

[Chewyw00d]

I was 19 yr old LCPL stationed at El Toro in 74-75 and worked as an aircraft hydraulic equipment ground support mechanic. At 6.06 min into the movie you thought you where looking at the inside of a warehouse. During my time at El Toro it was an aircraft ground support equipment maintenance hanger.

Thank for the show

[STEVE038564]

thanks you brought back memories that are long gone, I arrived there in 87-89 with a marine support unit, do you have any more of this kind of footage ? we are from Denver Colorado thanks .......................

[spencerhughes2255]

@STEVE038564 Thanks! Yeah i do, as a matter of fact. The only problem is i have it backed up on a corrupted hard-drive:/ It will be posted eventually though:)

[canes71717]

Enjoyed the video very much, brought back a bunch of memories. Was actually in the Crash Crew tower a few times, while assigned over to them for "wheels watch". I actually worked in the actual control tower building on the other side in the weather office. Thanks for posting, I appreciate it very much.

[sims531]

@conurelover I was with vma-311 Ordanace from 83-86 my name is Chris Sims,,,I didnt remember the barracks number but 732 sure sounds familiar 3rd deck ? I roomed with ao bill walsh and flight liner ceaser Gonzales then with ao paul gregor........Pete I think i remember you just not sure about the last name did you have a cadillac and room with Kenny Brooks ? ct_sims_31 yah oo

[SaddlebackMacUSMC]

One of the buildings was the hangar shown at the end of "Heartbreak Ridge".

[djithm3]

Thank you for posting this video. Brought back a lot of memories

[spencerhughes2255]

Is there anybody out there who is still around? What do you mean??

[Jockeysgtjohn]

What sadness. I was at El-Toro from 1984 to 1985 with WES 37 and worked at the end of the runway. Thanks

[semperfi211]

I was at El Toro from 85 - 89 with VMA-211 and Mals-11 OMD working on A-4's. I have some great memories of that base and Orange County.

[ntmid8r333]

Funny... i was there with 211 from 85-89. i worked in FL/PP.

[semperfi211]

I was with 211 AVI from 85 thru west pac 87. We may know each other.

 Semper Fi

[semperfi211]

I had a couple beers with SSGT Redmond in Sept.

[ntmid8r333]

is this Jeff?? I think it is. This is Mike.

[semperfi211]

Yep

[Redeagle52000]

Great historical footage before it's too late. I'm trying to figure out if that hanger you drove into was large enough (kind of hard to tell) was large enough to be the one that Air Force One was kept in 1969--1974 while President Richard Nixon was at his "Western White House" in San Clemente...I'm sure they didn't leave that beautiful bird sitting out in the open if he was out there on a three-week vacation. Possibly somebody who was stationed there during that era could provide some insight?

[GuitarNineteen1]

Think I might have known you.Was with mwcs-38 from 88-90 and went to mag-11 fast food place as a getaway,think I saw you there when you were a pfc,I was a corporal then.Knew you were a good guy,but young. Nice job. Your buddies are probably thanking you for this now. You still are a good guy. Semper Fi always

[erad5]

how did u get in there? i drive by it sometimes but never think about looking around. its surreal seeing a place that was once bustling with marines and now is abandoned. i will miss the airshow as well, the best ive been to even though i was only 7 at the time.

[nycmarine9111]

awesome tour of the old Crash crew barn.

[rlhmarines]

I think that control tower was the old CFR (crash fire & rescue)building. Those first hangars looked like the "Frogs" hangar that ran along side runway 7L & 7R which were 8,000 feet dual runways. The main runways were 10,000 + feet dual runways. I was stationed there from 91-96 with SOMS and my CO was a SAR (Search Air Rescue) pilot who gave me the chance to fly the heuy's stick on a flight.

I visited El Toro back in jan 09 and it brought tears to my eyes to see her that way.

[Redeagle52000]

I see your comment is a bit old, but were you on duty for the funeral of President Nixon when his old Air Force One, SAM 27000 flew his casket and family into El Toro? The plane was serving normally as Air Force Two/VIP Transport by then, but ironically was the same plane...just one year old at the time...that flew him home when he resigned...his Presidency actually ended on the aircraft. (This is the Air Force One now on display in the Reagan Presidential Library).

[rlhmarines]

Yes, I was stationed there at the time and I also worked the funeral detail which included unloading his casket from Air Force One that day. I also worked Mrs Nixon's funeral detail also which was I believe almost exactly one year prior to his funeral. I remember one of secret service guy's comment that they did not expect him to live very long after her death.

[Redeagle52000]

That's quite an honor...a sad honor...but an honor. There's footage here on YouTube of President Nixon breaking down and weeping uncontrollably in 1993 at his wife's funeral...very heartbreaking...I had the feeling just seeing that back then that he probably wouldn't live much more than a year, in spite of the tremendous fighting spirit that he'd had all of his life. The public never really understood how truly sensitive a man the President was and how much he loved, and was loved by his family.

[STEVE038564]

thanks for showing everyone of us marines that could not be there, was stationed there 1987-1989 brought me back where I once served my country at, you have a lot of courage thanks again Semper Fi

[bnaguy]

2:55 " big pot hole right here..."

That was the base for arresting gear used to stop tailhook aircraft in an emergency.

I spent many a day and night servicing that "pot hole" in the mid 70's.

Thanks for the video. El Toro is like an old friend dieing a slow death.

[overspeed550]

Thank you for the video...was great to see an old friend. Post more of this if you can, before it is all erased!

[cigarmikey1]

my old base, kinda brings back memories...

[Foolju]

Its sad.. I wish is was still up, it was always so neat to see so many aircraft fly over my house... I was at the base today also.

[TJDOZIER1]

I am amazed you got in there with such access, and equally as depressed to see El Toro so deserted and neglected. It appears like its just waiting for history to crumble it back into the earth. That's no wait to end for a place where Marines once walked.

[TravisBickle2]

Spencer, again thank you.

I can't stop watching this vid.

Please do the same at Tustin if possible.

I was there 86-88

[hershism]

I just tried to go to Tustin a couple weeks ago and it's all fenced off with lots of trespassing warnings (over by the barracks, chow hall and the E-club) I was there from 91-95 at HMT-302.

[TravisBickle2]

Thank you Spencer!

I cried watching this.

If you get a chance please do the same at Tustin!!!!

[gagnon0624]

Thank you very much, I am a former El Toro Marine. I was stationed there 1993-1996, this video was great. I am now back home in Connecticut. You brought back some great memories. Semper Fi....

[spencerhughes2255]

Your very welcome. Semper Fi.

[airforce101man]

awesome sent a messasege to you please read it is from channel ,airfoce101man

[SeanStephenson]

Did you need permission to go in the airbase or did you just drive in and no one cared?

[spencerhughes2255]

This was the first time i drove onto the base and i did not ask for permission and nobody saw me or did anything. i drove out there agian and got pulled over by an Irvine cop.

[SeanStephenson]

I actually just got back from there. Had to hop a fence and walked around some of the buildings. I only took pictures. I also realized the group of apartment buildings next to the airbase look completely fake.

[spencerhughes2255]

you had to hop a fence? What part of the base was this?

[SeanStephenson]

Think it was the barracks part. Honestly, we got lost and ended up upon seeing these abandoned buildings. Entering them, we found marine magazines and they had a room full of movie props.

I can't even find the place I was at on Google maps.

[spencerhughes2255]

huhh...you remember what street it was by?

[SeanStephenson]

Wow, I ended up at Tustin Marine Corps Sta. Was way off, we saw the giant hangers and assumed we were at the right place.

Ended up right by the barracks complex.

[ccperkins21]

Wow, this place was home to thousands of marines and their families at one time. El Toro was the best duty station I had during my 6 year enlistment.

[spencerhughes2255]

yeah i wasn't 100% sure haha but i kinda figured when i went inside. What did they do in that area?

[vermmy35]

at the time index where you said that was the old tower was really the crash crew ready area. I was station on el toro for 6 yrs back in the 80's