Chanute AFB Tribute

The now defunct Chanute AFB, Rantoul Ill., is just sitting around falling apart and very little of the facility is being utilized

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• USAF
• rantoul
• AFB
• Chanute

[locknload4691]

The base should have been closed (more appropriately demolished) way before I enlisted in the early 80s. By far, one of my worst assignments (I volunteered for a remote tour to leave that sh*thole) with credit going to the vociferously anti-military local community (like most bases located in the Northern U.S.). With the foisting of Magic Mulatto from Crook Co. on this Nation, I really detest the State of Illinois.

[rustycj7]

Yep, actually one of the guys from shield Chevrolet (they screwed over anyone, let alone military) is running the vehicle processing center in fairbanks AK. I'm glad I'm out of illinois. When my 3 years in alaska are done there are gunna be claw marks from my dorm to the airport...

[Snorkleslug]

@locknload4691 Amen, Brother! I went to that turd pile in '71 for Aircraft Maint School. I didn't care much about the base but I DESPISED Rantoul ! Those pukes absolutely hated us and gave us crap every time we ventured off base. I always hoped that those corn fed country turkeys lost all their jobs when they closed the place and that Rantoul just dried up and blew away!!

[rustycj7]

@Snorkleslug I spent my last two years of High School there. The place is a total mess now. Ironically, most of the high school grads from there (myself included) end up joining the military.

Place is over run by illegals and drug dealers... it's a really shitty place now-a-days. I'm glad I ended up getting stationed far away from there.

Also, I found out one of the car dealers that preyed on the Airmen ended up packing up and opening shot in Fairbanks AK, near Eielson AFB and Fort Wainwright.

[billthearc]

I was a student at Chanute - twice - once as cryogenics Spec. 1963;(59th 'C' shift -- still remember) and again for missile propellants in 1965.

The great thing about being at Chanute was that I was a "seasoned SAC Trained Killer" by that time, while most everyone else was shipping out to Laos.

"It Was The Worst of Times, and The Best of Times." I'll always remember .........

[rustycj7]

I just graduated from the security forces tech school this week. I'm coming back home to rantoul tomorrow. I'll be stopping by the base in full service dress...

[juliaadennis]

It's a shame. The place was in pretty good shape when I was there for Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) training Dec 79 - Apr 80. I remember the chow was good, especially on Sundays when they served steak and dancing at the Airman's club. I also remember freezing my tail off marching to/from class in 20 below weather. It sucked!

[CSK225]

@gevans3523 I was there from late Oct '91 to Dec '91 for tech school (POL). I also had a great time there and it makes me sad as well. I have a terribly strong sense of nostalgia for Chanute. I stayed in the southern facing "quad" dorm building on Borman Drive. I remember the first thing I did after our inbriefing was haul ass to that great BX for a pack of Camels! The food was good there too! Chanute was probably the happiest time in my life... at least the fondest in retrospect :-)

[CSK225]

@darthmikeyd I was also there in '91 for tech school (POL). I loved Chanute... I have very fond memories of that place.

[AFNCO1]

I was stationed there in 1993, one of the last classes to graduate. Good thing we painted the walls and buffed the floors in the dorms before I left! LOL! That place was depressing at best! Fitting that it's a ghost town now, it was 3/4 vacant when I arrived there.

[Arwrologist]

In the UK they have converted the old bases to university student dorms and they allow people to us the runways to race cars and bikes or just to play around on. Look up RAF Alconbury, RAF Upwood, RAF Kettering, RAFLakenheath and so on. Wonder why we arn't doing so here? We have an old missile base that has been closed since the very early 70's. It was part of Barksdale AFB LA. So grown up you can't see the concret.

[Classyjazz]

I was there for Missile Maintenance Tech School in 1988. The only good thing I remember at Chanute AFB was that the food was good at the mess hall.

[Classyjazz]

I was there for Missile Maintenance Tech School in 1988. The only good thing I remember at Chanute AFB was the food was good at the mess hall.

[nasiriyah110]

I was there from Sep 89 through Feb 90 for Aircraft Electrical and Environmental Systems tech school. I stopped by in Oct of 2010 to check the place out, and indeed it was sad. The Chanute Air Museum occupies the very halls where I learned the trade I have been in for the past 20+ years. I had some good times there, some bad times, but I won't forget the people I was with or the instructors I had - many of whom still teach at the school which is now at Sheppard AFB, TX.

[paulanthonydfw]

I was there as well in 1991 just for training, I remember what a bunch of A**holes lived in Rantoul..they gave us a hard time and then when they announced the closing..they started this "don't be cruel save Rantoul" BS kind of sad to see it now on these videos.

[rjkisback]

My dad, a WW II B-17 pilot went to Chanutte back in 1944 and I was there in 1970 I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I would think of my dad being there and then 26 years later there I was. I regret it closed,