7/09/2003    Was there for a very short time.  Later transferred to Rhein Main AB Germany. Remember M/Sgt Chester Lampus and A1C Al Gooden.  Don't remember any of the JAGs (sorry).  Was glad I got reassigned.  I do remember Col Nye was wing commander.  His son (Mike Nye)  and I went to school together in Enid, OK when Col Nye was stationed at Vance AFB.  I also remember that France had a "fresh air" tax.  Don't know why; there wasn't much fresh air that I remember (Ha)

Moving From Moulins to Châteauroux - 1957 - left to right Jim Duran, Del Stillwell, Don Shrout, Richard (Pas Bon) Malone

03/23/2003    JAG Officer under Cols. Robert Ashman & Edward Helvenston.  Wonderful friends and memories.  Two children born at Chas.

9-20-07  I was a Captain in Jag from 1962 to 1965 and lived on Rue Littre in Chateauroux with my wife Jane and three children, two of which were born in the base hospital. We enjoyed our tour immensely and had many wonderful evenings with the Riddles and Formans. Our apartment was a new building at the time and housed many airmen from the 7020th. Squadron. All of the above were found late nights in Joe from Maine's. Wish I could bring the kids back and let them share those great times.

Hi, My name is Paul Jackson , I worked at la Martinerie approximately for 13 years from 1954 to 1967. I married the love of my life and was married for 50 years until she passed away last year. I went back on vacation a few times to my home in Boston. But , I made my life in the Berry were I have lived a wonderful life. I will try to attend this reunion.  [CHAS 2007 Reunion]

Paul did attend the Chas 2007 Return - This photo of JP and Paul was taken at the Berrichone Dinner at Belle Isle.

KOWALSKI, William J. New 5-08

Bill - Departing Train Station at Albany, NY on the way to Chas - 1963

 Bill's Office - 1963

Jack Sinclair & Bill Kowalski - reunited after 38 years!  2007

See Joe's Photo Page

 

 

 

                                            Joe & Chad Student Barbara Ann Douglas

 
Joe & Chad Student Jessie Partridge                   Danny Noonan and Joe

Friends of Joe:  John Hall & Danny Shea Photo - 7373rd USAF Hospital

7-13-04  I was stationed at Châteauroux from 55 to 57.  I was attached to the 3130th Air Base Wing Hedron.  I was a radio operator and later assigned as an airborne radio and cryptographer.  I was fortunate enough to fly to most of the countries in  Europe.  I have many pictures of the base and of friends as well as downtown chad.  I dated a Major's daughter, Barbara Ann Douglas, who attended the high school there.

Trip to the "City of Light" and the darker side of town

Posted 10-25-07  In August 1960 [General Pittman]  was a distinguished graduate of the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He then was transferred to Chateauroux Air Base, France, where he served as NATO project officer for the Fiat G-91, and in July 1961 he became chief of safety for Air Materiel Forces, European Area, at Chateauroux.

Note from Jack's Chas Buddy - Jack Kowalski (listed above):  10-18-07     Earlier this year, I was able to get together with one of my buddies form CHAS .   Jack Sinclair and I served there from 1963-1966 as Personnel Specialists.   I last saw him at his wedding in Boston in 1969.  I live in Amsterdam, NY and he and his wife live in Brentwood, NH.  It took 38 years to make only a 5 hour drive.     During our visit we were able to enjoy the website.  Brought back a lot of great memories.     Thank you........Bill Kowalski     

Photo from Jack's buddy - Bill Kowalski

Jack Sinclair & Bill Kowalski - reunited after 38 years!  2007

1-27-08  [Info from son, Steve Smith who was a Little Kid at Touvent Elementary during his dad's duty at Chas.]  My family lived in Chateauroux 1957-1960.  I went to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade at the American school.  We lived in Cite de Touvent, 410 housing, building D-2.  My dad, CWO Bernard A. (Pete) Smith, was a personnel officer at Air Base Wing.  There were five of us kids, plus one more sister born at the base hospital while we were there.  I got around pretty good, and I remember a lot of Chateauroux.  I went back several times in the 1990's when I was stationed in Italy.  I toured the base.  Not much had changed.  The people are very nice.

@ CHAS 51-53

[jpnote:  I'm not sure this is the correct squadron  for Robert Wall.]

4-29-06 My father, then Lieutenant Robert E. Wall, was stationed at Châteauroux AFS from August 1951 to March 1953. He was the Wing Security Officer. My sister, Leslie E. Wall, was born at the base hospital on November 7, 1952. Apparently, we could not get base housing, so we lived in Loches, which was 40 miles away. We lived in a small chateau. I attended the equivalent of first grade in Loches, and I'm told that I spoke fluent French. I look forward to a return trip some day - especially after looking at the photos on the Châteauroux websites. My sister has her birth certificate, but she is very reluctant to give it up (e.g., for passport purposes) because she does not know how to get additional copies. While I did not attend school in Châteauroux, I did have the OCONUS experience at another school - RAF Lakenheath, England.

3130th & 7322nd Air Base Wing Photo Memories

Thanks, Bill Kowalski, for sharing these memory items.