Dead NATO base

[comiso90]

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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[wilbur1]

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

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Looks like a lot of the old bases here in Germany as well.

[pbfoot]

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

[comiso90]

Originally Posted by pbfoot

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

[ccheese]

Originally Posted by comiso90

They found an UXO when I was there though..

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

Charles

[pbfoot]

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.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by ccheese

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.

[ccheese]

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

[comiso90]

Originally Posted by pbfoot

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.

.

[Graeme]

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

[wilbur1]

WAR is WAR unfortunatly givin the chance they would shoot you to get away, same as you would do

[comiso90]

My father was in the invasion of Sicily. I wish he was around so I could ask him if he heard anything.


..

[DBII]

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

[joy17782]

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