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Dead NATO base

The NAAFI & PX Discuss Dead NATO base in the Military Matters forums; Ever wonder what happens to a military base after it closes? I ran across this recently shot video on youtube ...

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    Senior Member comiso90's Avatar
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    Dead NATO base

    Ever wonder what happens to a military base after it closes? I ran across this recently shot video on youtube of Comiso Air Station in Sicily. The base was closed in fall 1991 as part of the SALT 2 treaty. I arrived in Comiso in 1990 and left in Feb 1991.



    It's sad to see the base in such poor condition but then again, IT'S ALSO AN AWESOME SIGHT! It means we did our job well! Comiso was a nuclear cruise missile base. It's a monument to the cold war victory. Needless to say, it's fortunate our birds never flew. But damn it, we were ready..

    We used to say ."BGM-109 Rocks Moscow hit after hit"..

    My memories of the base and the town of Comiso are some of the fondest of my life.

    In a surreal "Patton moment", I vividly remember being in a convoy with mobile missile launchers traversing cobblestone roads built by the Romans...

    Comiso! Thanks for the memories!

    YouTube - Comiso NATO Airbase - Abandoned Military Area


    ,

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    Senior Member wilbur1's Avatar
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    Wow thats really cool how did those kids get in i wonder? and whats happening with the place now? man id love to look around there

    Dont shoot him...... It will just make him angry.

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    Der Crew Chief DerAdlerIstGelandet's Avatar
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    Looks like a lot of the old bases here in Germany as well.


    fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"

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    Senior Member pbfoot's Avatar
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    I got a picture somewhere of a RCAF 417 pilot guy sitting on/in a captured 109/190 at Cosimo in 43/44 I'll try and find it. You can see some of the buildings

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    Senior Member comiso90's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbfoot View Post
    I got a picture somewhere of a RCAF 417 pilot guy sitting on/in a captured 109/190 at Cosimo in 43/44 I'll try and find it. You can see some of the buildings
    cool.. when I was there, the landing strip was just dirt and gravel . I never saw a plan land there in 2 years.

    They found an UXO when I was there though..

    i'd like to see the pic

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    Older Than Dirt ccheese's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by comiso90 View Post
    They found an UXO when I was there though..

    And ..... just what is a UXO ??? Unidentified X??? Object ?

    Charles








    Real airplanes have round engines and two wings !

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    Senior Member pbfoot's Avatar
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    Here is a reference to Comiso I can't verify if its true or otherwise

    Many massacres of prisoners of war were committed by units of the American 45th (Thunderbird) Division during the invasion of Sicily in 1943. At Comise airfield, a truck load of German prisoners were machine-gunned as they climbed down on to the tarmac, prior to be air-lifted out. Later the same day, 60 Italian prisoners were cut down the same way.

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    Der Crew Chief DerAdlerIstGelandet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccheese View Post
    And ..... just what is a UXO ??? Unidentified X??? Object ?

    Charles
    Unexploded Ordinance

    WW2 bombs are still found on NATO installations over here in Europe all the time.


    fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"

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    Older Than Dirt ccheese's Avatar
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    OK.... They were finding lots of that stuff in North Africa in the middle 50's,
    when I was there. Minefields were abundant !

    I had the pleasure of touring what had been Benina Air Base, in Soluch
    (Tripoli) Libya in 1954. It had been a B-24, B-26 air base during WW-II.
    Strange feeling walking around that place...

    Charles
    Last edited by ccheese; 02-18-2008 at 02:24 PM.








    Real airplanes have round engines and two wings !

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    Senior Member comiso90's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbfoot View Post
    Here is a reference to Comiso I can't verify if its true or otherwise

    Many massacres of prisoners of war were committed by units of the American 45th (Thunderbird) Division during the invasion of Sicily in 1943. At Comise airfield, a truck load of German prisoners were machine-gunned as they climbed down on to the tarmac, prior to be air-lifted out. Later the same day, 60 Italian prisoners were cut down the same way.
    Call me a brain washed American but I find that very hard to believe. I actually understand killing "prisoners" if there is no way to secure them. For example, if airborne troopers capture combatants far behind enemy lines what else are they supposed to do? They cant let them go..


    But Sicily was a large scale operation. . I cant imagine cutting down prisoners. Especially Italian prisoners in Italy. The chance of locals finding out is too great. Killing Italians in Italy is bad PR.

    .

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    Biscari 1943

    This is from Martin Gilbert's book, "Second World War" pp445.


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    Senior Member wilbur1's Avatar
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    WAR is WAR unfortunatly givin the chance they would shoot you to get away, same as you would do

    Dont shoot him...... It will just make him angry.

  13. #13
    Senior Member comiso90's Avatar
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    My father was in the invasion of Sicily. I wish he was around so I could ask him if he heard anything.


    ..

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    Senior Member DBII's Avatar
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    The shootings of prisoners happens. The differance is that it was not policy and Gen Bradley did not cover it up. Imagine if they were stripped and forced into a human pyramid.

    dbII

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    Senior Member joy17782's Avatar
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    yeah my missle base i was at is closed down too , it looks as if no one has been there in a hundred years , i got pics off it last year, it was near rockenhausen germany, rhineland plaz

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