Comments

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  William A. Whisenant, Jr September 2, 2013 at 11:07pm

  I arrived at NAS Cecil Field sometime in October 1961 from "A" school in Memphis.

  I was assigned to VF-174 fro familiarization with the F8U Crusader.  Reassigned to VF-11 in November. I worked as a plane captain the rest of my tour with VF-11 although I was and Aviation Electronics Technician.   Made one Med cruise on the Franklin D Roosevelt CVA42 in the 1962-1963 time frame.  I enjoyed my time at Cecil Field and when I was discharged in 1963 I thought that I would never be there again.  However I wound up working at NAS JAX in 1971 and living in Orange Park.  I was able to take my family to a couple of air shows in the 70s and show them around the base and some of the hangers where I worked.  My boys were impressed.  One interesting thing happened while I was at Cecil.  A buddy and I were walking back to the barracks from the library one night when I lit up a cigarette.  He told me I was addicted to those things and bet me that I couldn't quit.  I asked how much and he began backing down.  We ended up betting a coke on whether I could quit or not until one of us left the squadron.  I lost the bet but I quit smoking.  Best bet I ever made.
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  Dan Perkins August 20, 2013 at 1:10pm

  I was drafted in 1972 but joined the Navy instead. After Great Lakes boot and A school in Brunswick, GA I arrived at Cecil Field as a clueless rookie at 2 AM in April 1973.  I spent a couple of nights in the half moon barracks complex and then moved over to the building 927/928/929 barracks where I spent the rest of my time which turned out to be 4 years. I did not know that I had enlisted under a very short lived program where your first duty station was where you stayed for your complete first enlistment.  It ticked off a lot of guys who came and went while I still stayed at Cecil !   With the invaluable help and counsel of two E9  WWII vets (MCPO Arlie Vickers and MCPO Lucile Haas), I slowly got over the growing pains of being a kid away from home who didn't want to be there and realized that it was the best thing that ever happened to me.  It probably still is today.  After some ups and downs, I went on to eventually become 2nd class and Control Tower Supervisor which was almost unheard of for a first term person.   When my tour was up I extended for another 3 months to think about re-enlisting.  My E9  (MCPO Ron Boike) was leaving to become detailer in Washington and he told me that he would give me ANY duty station I wanted if I would re-up.  I thought for a minute and told him  "OK, right here at Cecil".  He replied  "Anywhere but there, you have already been here too long" !!!!  I got out but even though I had good career and good life since then,  I have wished a thousand times that I had stayed in.  Many of the best times and best memories of my life were at Cecil Field and I would give almost anything if I could go back and re-live those 4 years again.  7 or 8 years ago I did go back and drive around the closed base and it felt like I had never left.
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  Ronald Johndro August 20, 2013 at 12:14pm

  I first came to Cecil Field Dec. 21 1965.I remember it well it was my birthday.I was assigned to VA 44 as a A.O.the hornets. From there I went to A.O. -A school in mid 66.On return to V.A. 44.I was sent T.A.D. to M.C.A.S. Yuma Arz. for two weeks..After that I would spend a total of 18 months there.Every three months I would go back to Cecil Field.With the cut back's in traveling I was sent to Rose Road  Puerto Rico for two month.After that time I came back to Cecil Field and got orders to report to the USS Independence (CVA 62) for the last 10 months of my hitch.The time I spent at Cecil Field was some of the best  time I had in  Navy.I have since gone back one time.The base was no longer there.I just try'd to get a ball Cap from Cecil Field.it has been a month and no ball cap yet.But the time I spent in the Navy and at Cecil Field I feel very lucky

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  Dennis Greer February 13, 2013 at 9:24am

  I came aboard NAS Cecil Field October 1994 as a member of VFA-81 and then I went to AIMD Cecil Field and worked in Production Control and made Chief.  I was the very last CDO of Cecil Field when we lowered her Flag and they raised Jax Port Flag.
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  Joseph Mattera Jr July 12, 2012 at 11:24am

  Stationed with VS-22 1978 to 1980 Ordnanceman shop.
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  Todd Matthew Groves April 30, 2012 at 2:12pm

  I just passed through Jacksonville yesterday and had to stop and what has happened Cecil Field. I was there from late 93 to middle of 94 with VFA-106 and it's C-school for the F404-GE-400/402's. I haven't set foot again until yesterday. For those who haven't been there lately. It is now a civil airfield/commerce area. It was quite disorienting to drive around until I got to the hangars then got my bearings straight. All the Hangars are still there on both ends, the Exchange mall area is still there and an active bank is where the Navy FCU was. The Tennis Courts are there and all the support buildings and where the schools were are still there. The base housing, the Chapel and the BOQ/BEQ are still there and going toward the golf course is now a gated golf community. The building where the McDonald's was is still there but run down and abandoned. The only thing I found disturbing was where the barracks were is all trees now. There a dirt trail off the road to give reference to the half-moon access to Barracks Row. I was a little saddened not to see the Ol' water tower.
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  Tom Lewis April 19, 2012 at 1:28pm

  I was with VA-34 at Cecil Field  from 1961-1963.  A4Ds. 
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  Bill Fihlman February 6, 2012 at 10:09am

  I went to Cecil Field after "A" school at NAS Jax. I served as an AE with VA-174 from Feb. 1966 to Oct 1969 and made 2nd class before being discharged. I worked on the new A-7 A's and B's and did three carrier quals on the Independence, America, and the Lexington. Some of the guys in the electric shop were Seligman, Pruitt, Chief Bramblett and the LCPO was Master Chief Andy Cavar. I was friends with a lot of AE's in VA-44 next door, Dick Couch, Gerry Kelleher, Hank Latham, Wayne Thomsen. Wayne and I married two sisters from New Orleans and we are both still married, 42 years later. I recently found Dick Couch on facebook and he and his family live in Oklahoma. One of our sons recently left the Navy, flew the SH-60B out of HSL-45 and was an instructor pilot at Pensacola Whiting field. Our other son is a special agent with a federal agency. I recently met Sen. John McCain who was in A-4 pilot training with VA-44 at the same time I was there. After POW release, he became CO of VA-174 and flew the A-7. Had some great times at Cecil and was sad to see it close. After the Navy I joined the Mass Air National Guard as an AE. Worked on the F-84, F-100, F-106, and the F-15. I retired in 2001 as master sgt. in charge of the electric shop. I recently retired as a full time police officer in Wareham, Mass. The Navy was the start of my entire career and the veteran's status helped every step of the way. There were hard times in the Navy, but there were more good times that you always remember. I wouldn't trade it for anything. 
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  Les Gongre November 15, 2011 at 10:46am

  I was stationed at Cecil Field with VA-15 (Ordnance shop) from 1976 through 1978. I would like to hear from my old Navy buddies. My email address is: northwest_louisiana@yahoo.com.
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  donald wayne nichols November 5, 2011 at 4:26pm

  Visited Cecil Field a few days ago while coming back from Ft. Lauderdale.It's still there.It was on a Sunday so it was very quiet.Lake Newman didn't have much water in it.The old guard shack still standing.The hangers are still there also the chapel.A few old buildings i remember.I still say they made a big mistake closing Cecil.It did me good to see it again.Last time i was there was 1988 and the time before that was 1973.