Almaden Radar Site - A Very Special Place

From the late 1950's until the mid 1980's, the USAF operated Almaden Radar Site on the summit of Mt. Umunhum, located near San Jose, California.

My father was the medic at the base in 1971/1972. We were lucky enough to live in the base housing on top of the mountain. Our own small town, 3,400' above San Jose. There were about 25 families and 150 enlisted men on the base.

It was paradise.

Thirty six years after leaving the "mountain", I am still drawn to it, I think of those days almost weekly.

I hope you enjoy.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Almaden
• Radar
• Site
• Mt.
• Umunhum
• Sites
• Closed
• Air
• Force
• Bases

[GM1258]

My uncle was stationed Almaden AFS

back in the 60's.

My dad and I drove up there from so. calif.

to visit him on several occasions.

The boys in the radar room gave me

the nickel tour.

I spent a lot of time in the pool.

I remember the road up there was a white knuckle ride.

Enjoyed the video and thanx.

[SkateboardersJournal]

I was there as a teenager in the early 70's. It was my favorite base of all of the bases my dad was stationed. Not a week goes by that I don't think about Almaden Radar Site,

[deweyparis]

Your video was beautifully & senstively done and it tore my heart out. Thank You!

I was stationed on Almaden AFS for 5 years, 1974-79. Those remain some of the most precious memories of my life. Two of my sons were born while I lived atop Mt. Umunhum. Their mother passed away last month.

I am returning to the mountain in October with my son for the 682nd Radar Squadron reunion, to revisit old memories, to share that part of our history with my son, and to commune with the ghosts of my past.

[callg01]

Awesome job. You even used some of my pictures from 1983. Brings back allot of memories... thanks! - Greg

[iambeccasmurf]

wow. what a neat video. thanks for sharing. I grew up on the Southside but never knew what the cube was. And certainly never knew that people lived there. I hope that Mt. Umunhum doesn't become like the rest of the area: over-populated and over-developed!

[kalenapoi]

I also want to know if anyone that visited the base, if the one barrack still had the muriel on the wall? I was the artist. Shows you there wasn't much to do up there. They used that room as one of the Sunday school classes after we moved to the valley.

[kalenapoi]

@deweyparis dewey I remember you as well and many others. Capt. Gallachi . CO Aftos(?), my supervisor was MSGT Johnson. I was one of two women stationed there in 1974-1976. I am not sure how to post a comment on this but will do it this way. One story is that I was manning the switchboard one weekend and someone called to say that the tower was on fire!, but it was just the sun setting behind the tower! Reading the comments made me realize that people in the valley did care-THANKS everyone!

[kalenapoi]

@ghr1964 HI I remember Sgt Reyes! I was stationed there 1974-1976 and was one of only two women in 1974 another arrived in 75 I believe. There are alot of stories I can tell, but it was a great place and I am sad to see it in this shape!

[WeddingPhotographics]

@SkateboardersJournal I was there as an 8 year old in 1967. Yes, a very special place. My dad managed the two-lane bowling alley - Sgt Clayburn Wilson with security police. We lived in base housing looking down the valley at the lake. Enjoyed the dinosaur themed play ground. So many fond memories of that special place. Now I'm 52 years old living in Chattanooga Tennessee. I hope to return there to visit in the next couple of years.

[xrjockey]

What a great video. I live here in Almaden next to the lake, but grew up in Mtn. view. I have seen this structure my entire life. My mother stil` uses it to navigate the south valley. I hunted wild pidgeons on the mtn. for years and was always curious of the people living on the mtn. I was up there staring at monterey at 4:30 in the morning with my father the nite`we all lost Bobby Darin. I mis` them both.

[boxingoutsider1]

what a sad song.

[CrudeDude]

In the 60s we used to see the big antenna slowly rotating from highway17 on our way to Santa Cruz. it was very eerie to see that reminder that any minute we could see the blinding flash and the world would end in a nuclear war......in the meantime we partied "On the Beach"... Then we all became pot smokin' hippies ...and the rest is history.

[Marianvalkyrien]

Check out my Almaden lake park videos.

[trotp3]

It's amazing how many of these bases are up and down our coastlines. My father was stationed at one in Blaine WA, they all look so similar.