Sembach Air Base: Ghosts of the Cold War
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- Here is a walkthrough of the former flight line of Sembach Air Base, Germany. The flight line was closed in 1995, although the annex area, about a mile from the former flight line, is still used. The annex area was transfered to the Army in 2010. Since its closing, the flight line has been converted into an industrial park. Although much has changed, most of the original buildings are still there, either sitting abandoned, or converted to other uses.
Sembach AB vet here, 1981-1983, thanks for the tour, albeit a bit of a gloomy one. It's not quite how I remember it though. Go here and take a peek at the photos if you would like to see it as it once was.
I was in the 20 AMB from '81-'83 and worked comm/nav backshop for six months of that. Good times.
Sembach was a cool place to be stationed because all the bigwigs focused on Ramstein and tended to leave us alone. I worked OV-10 Broncos there in the 20th AMB (Aircraft Maintenance Branch) 1981-83. There was to be a protest near the flightline gate but the farmer who planted the fields next to it laid down enough manure that we had to roll up the windows to drive to work. The protesters chose a different location away from the gate. Sweetest example of unsung passive resistance I've ever seen. It was fun defending West Germany and most of us requested extended tours. German hospitality was outstanding. The Cold War (Part One) is over and Sembach no longer needed except for the TOC, but it served its purpose.
I'LL bet those Germans are wishing us G.I.'s were back there once more ! We were a bunch of teddy bears compared to those invaders they got there now ! I feel bad for Deutschland now, poor germans they have serious problems now GOD bless USA !🇺🇸
Was there from 1996-2000. Was a support base then. Loved my time there it was awesome!
Für alle die es interresiert. Die Eigentliche Piste ist leider schon mindestens seit 4 oder 5 Jahren wohl nahezu komplett weg. Aus der Luft ist allerdings zu erkennen das sie anscheinend nur zugewachsen ist vermutlich auf Willen der Gemeinde. So gesehen bei Denn Bor.
Was stationed in Mainz 74-77, in a Redeye Section. We went to Sembach to track aircraft for training. Sure looks different now.
Hey all right ! REDEYE section " IF IT FLYS IT DIES " i used to be in REDEYE but the STRINGER missile replaced it around 1980 germany 1977-80 Vicenza, Italy 81- 1984 Good Times ! A Different Time.🇺🇸🇩🇪
Hello from Mainz.😎
Thank you for posting! I was TDY at Sembach for a couple months from Ramstein back in 89 and worked on the flightline. Sad seeing how the old Base Ops building looks now. I remember working there and going down to the first floor for chow, they always had great breakfast there.
Funny seeing the runway gone and the ops building and tower still in place. My last take off from there was in 1984 on a flight to the UK bringing the OV-10s to California.
I was stationed @ Sembach in 1986 - 1987 with 2134th Comm Sq. My Son was born @ Landstuhl ARMC, since he had medical problems, my tour was short lived. We lived Off-Base in Mehlingen, West Germany. I had to return Stateside ..... Grudgingly !! I'd rather be in West Germany than Stateside anytime !!
I was stationed there from 85-88. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I wish the placed was still being used as an airbase.
The green building starting at 8:00 was the Refueling Maintenance Shop. It used to be tan and brown. The attached building was the office. The center portion was storage. We used to hide in the center portion during Charlie Scale Exercises rather than go to Base Ops and wear our gas masks for hours at a time.
In the late 70's all the trees leaned toward the base. We were told that the reason for this was that the base SUCKED!
got deployed to Ramstein during Desert Storm, Sembach was still home for the 66th Electronic Combat Wing (EC-130). Not long after all the airlift missions got moved there for about a year while the runway at Ramstein was being repaved.
I was stationed there 1965-68. 601st TCMS. The only planes there at that time were a few C-47s from the Air Cavalry, but we had Mace missiles for part of the time.
Great video. thanks for checking it out I'm sure a lot of vets stationed here.enjoy seeing the place. A lot of memories here for sure.
Sembach Air Station, across the street I mostly a ghost base as well. Was one of the last housing residence to live there 2003-2004. They considered it condemned and closed most of it. Moved off base o Hauptsthul until I PCS'd in 2006
I was stationed there back in 1985 to 1987 - Thanks for posting
Fantastic Video. I was there in POL from 1980-1982. Kinda sad to see. Fueled many OV-10's, A10's and CH53's.
Good Ol Sem-Crotch! Use to deploy from the UK with the A-10s (1983-1992). Great locale near Ramstein and Vogelweh (the big BXs!). Launched many a hog from there. Blew my brain away to see the runway (aka roller coaster) was removed!
I was stationed there from 87-90 and worked in the new hangars. Would love to have seen some footage of that area.
I used to be sent to Sembach for training while I was stationed for 3 years at Pruem Air Station just north of Bitburg.
Schönes Video ! Gibt es die Airbase noch oder wurde sie schon komplett zurùckgebaut?
Sembach Vet. 1979 - 1981. Worked in Base Supply. Not how I remember. Thanks for the tour
My husband works on Sembach (formerly Air Base) Army post right now. I've never seen the flight line, only the annex area and the empty housing area. Kind of creepy-ha ha! This video is great to see the history of this post/base. The barracks are still in use, and there is a Commissary and an elementary school, but for the most part, there are only offices and the USAREUR Band and Chorus. I don't know why they are not in Weisbaden with the HQ because it feels like they are stuck out in the middle of nowhere....:D
I was there for a weapons load competition in '89 from soesterberg ab in the netherlands. I also remember a team from the f22(i think)project asking us questions about weapons loading.
I was stationed at Sembach with the 66th SPS from 1987 to 1989. It brings a tear to me eye to see it like this.
Stationed there 75-77 when the flightline was reopened for the 601 when it moved to sembach in 76.. Great vid!
Good music ! Medal off honor !!!
Brought back many memories was there from 88-90
FWIW, Mehlingen is now a dog training compound... former home of 603rd TCS (Dutch guy still selling used military vehicles.)
Fascinating images, Wild music, sounds like 'suite for an abandoned world' Reminds me of Bernard Herrmann Well done!
we lived there from 66 to 69 dad was in the 2134th comm squadron, I loved living there
Steve, I probably met your dad. I was in depot level maintenance squadron for all the radio equipment, 1965-68. Our hanger/shop was down on the flight line.
We lived there back in around 64 or 65 for three yrs none of this footage looks familiar I wanted to see the house on the area we lived on the 3rd floor I would all ways ride the banister all the way down. I have both good and bad memories about living in Germany and the other countries we went. Now it is a ghost base and I'm sure Germany looks nothing like I remember.
I was just a kid when we lived there from 1960 to 1963. We live in apartment 67 A5. Those banisters for this source of joy for a lot of kids. Playing tag and running building to building in the basement hallways, And the bean-bushes - out running the APs because we weren’t supposed to be in the bushes because the land belong to the Germans, but we didn’t care. Great memories!
Fascinating!
Brings tears to my eye I was there 87 to 90
Glad you enjoyed the video!
At Sembach with 2mob 1970,71,72 ,thanks for the memories.
Seems links are not allowed, just go to Facebook and search Sembach Vets and you should find them. Thanks again for the tour.
Excellent video; I remember the base from mid 80's. What is the musical score used in this video?
bawbremy The music is various songs from the video game "Medal of Honor: Underground".
8:56 was my old ground radio shop
I was with 6910th RGM and not familiar with the flight line...
Good video. Thanks,
Hi, know you the Air Station Prüm? I have a Video about it.
I never heard of the place before
Thanks for the info!
Really good music!
Its from Medal of Honor: Allied Assault i think
You are welcome!
They let the runway become overgrown? Pretty sad.
They dug up much of it as part of the conversion. It was a great place to be stationed (I was 20 AMB working comm/nav on Broncos) but there's so much room elsewhere it's no longer useful.
Isnt the music from Medal of Honor: Allied Assault?
Close. It's actually from Medal of Honor: Underground. Some of the music from that game was also used in Allied Assault.
love you beautiful post,this video took me inti soviet union
79 to 81 28th SPS. great times
ok autocorrect 601 SPS
cool vid :)
Great Vid. I can see alot of USA money was poured into this base as usual, the buildings show well of our specs around there. Keep the streets clean, Mr Putin may put this base active again. T.Ritchie, that looks like a few Nike launch boxes at 8:11. ? Fire station building is still good shape.