This brought back a lot of memories. I was born at the Ellsworth hospital in 78. From 79 to 83 my dad and family were stationed in Germany and we returned to Ellsworth and lived there until 88. As you were leaving the Commissary parking lot 13:47 you were looking directly at were my house use to be on Edgemont Ave. Sad to see they tore down that neighborhood. During that time the Commissary was over by the air strip and there was nothing there but the BX, library and movie theater. I live in Rapid City now but wish I could go back and see it for my self.
Spent my entire enlistment at Ellsworth...Mar 1967 - Sep 1970. 821st Med Gp. Disappointed you didn't take a turn past the hospital entrance. I could tell where you were at all times. Apart from the hospital and the altitude chamber, recognized the base theater, BX, commissary (which were all built while I was there). Back then, the "dorms" were still (properly) called barracks. Mine were WWII vintage, on Ellsworth St. at Doolittle, just west of the NCO club. The barracks are long gone, but the lot where I parked is still there. Noticed the Black Hills Center bldg, as well. And, of course, the PRIDE hangar. The bomb wing operated B-52Ds, like the one now sitting at the main gate. Lost one, in a crash & burn, upon landing, 3 Apr 70. All eight on-board, evacuated successfully & survived. Lots of 50 year-old memories of EAFB, "Speed City" & the Black Hills. Thanks for the tour.
I did another video of Ellsworth. They shut down the hospital in 1997 and now it is now just a clinic. My son was born in that facility in 1996, one of the last babies born there. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cV-imFdfvl0.html
Main Gate and School Gate, as they were called; back then certainly have changed. I recognized the Pride Hanger off in the distance of course. Saw the Base Theater, Base Hospital, Training LF, Security Forces building, which was built when I was there. Maybe a few other things looked familiar, but most didn't. But 1988 was the last time I was there so of course a lot has changed!
I spent almost 5 years of my life on EAFB (Apr 74-Feb 79) and I felt totally lost. About the only thing I recognized was the Base Theater (I think, Ha!) Since my time on the "rock" they have built super highways through the base. Things certainly have changed over almost 40 years.
It looks like a ghost town compared to when I left in '94 when the missiles went bye bye...Last visit was in '05 on vacation to the Black Hills, Wyoming, and finally Colorado Springs to see my daughter and grandchildren at the time... I guess I appreciate what we had at Ellsworth AFB back then...
just goes ta show...you can polish a turd but in the end its still just a nice n shiny piece of shit...78-82 in that hell hole 44th smw/44th mss/ 67-3/ golf
Have had several random vehicle inspections wile going through the gate. Only had 1 comment about the dash cam (that's cool). Never went into any restricted areas. Do you think the people that live on the installation are restricted from filming?
