Chanute Air Force Base (Decommissioned)

There are so many memories of chanute air Force Base going out with the guys that were coming in and not staying very long cleaning the building up for the guys I mean I had a blast I hung around with a girl named Robin and she had a blast too it was a fun time I missed chanute

This decommissioned air force base is the home of Lincolns Challenge Academy run by the National Guard. A place for teens ages 16 to 18 years old who cannot adapt to a traditional school setting to finish high school and receive their GED. It combines classes, physical fitness and community service in a live in setting, giving the students another opportunity to complete their studies while learning valuable life skills. Its an 18 month program that includes a 22 week residential phase and them follows up with one year of mentoring. After the 22 week residential phase the students are required to continue their studies, get ajob, continue giving back to the community and/or join the armed forces.

I was stationed here for two years as an instructor 76 - 78. We visited last year and, while some of the base is being used, most is overgrown and deteriorating badly. So very sad.

I race autocross here with Champaign County Sports Car Club and have always had a good time

Nice town

Its a previous military base but still has a militant feel still. This place is just mostly abandoned and people living here and there. Some living areas more populated than others. Lincolns challenge is just right around the corner too.

Theres nothing left. Some buildings have been turned into private businesses. Housing has been turned into adjusted income apartments. The museum was moved to the state capital. No reason to visit if you dont know anyone who lives here. Sad.

This old air force base had a lot of history to it, but it continues to live on. They have events out here like the Half Century of Progress show that puts on a demonstration of old farm technology. Be prepared to walk the runways or bring a Golf Cart, UTV, ATV, or rent one to drive around and check it all out. Plenty of things to do at this even, and is family friendly.

Went here a few times as a kid and always had a blast. Lots of cool air force memorabilia and planes. Sad to see the place go.

Wish they would have kept the plane out front! Would like to see more buildings used!

What can you say about the place where Charles Lindbergh got his pilots license, or where the first black squadron was founded or quite spectacular, the largest government building ever built prior to The Pentagon, White Hall remains as relic? Just a great place for gawking but not much else as its decommissioned. Try The 19th Hole for food and drinks if in the vicinity!

Bittersweet memories for my husband who trained there - after boot camp-50 years ago.No one was able to give us much help as to where his barracks were, etc. Few landmarks left & with base museum closed, no one could help us get our bearings as street names were changed too.MANY THANKS TO STEVE AT THE RANTOUL HISTORIC MUSEUM - WHO PROVIDED US WITH INFO & 2 MAPS WE ATTEMPTED TO USE TO COMPARE & LOCATE LANDMARKS. Regretably, we failed. We stumbled upon the senior housing & wondered if that building was what wasformerly the Double Dragon Barracks? No one could answer.

Great museum here full of artifacts from when the base was operational. Docents largely served at the base and are happy to tell stories, explain, and answer questions. Lots of valuable history right in our back yard!Theres not much to see outside the main museum area itself, though I enjoyed driving around and looking at some of the housing as an architecture and military nerd.

Im looking for anyone who may have attended and graduated from the Firefighting School (Crash & Structural) at Chanute AFB, Il during the Spring/Summer of 1978. I need a copy of our Graduation Photo of our class standing/kneeling in front of a Red P-4 Crash Vehicle. I was the only member in the US Army.

Sad to see what was once a thriving active duty military base, reduced to a few remaining abandoned buildings or housing a few struggling small businesses. The neighborhood from where base housing was and the area surrounding the old base has been reduced to in most appearances low income or section-8 housing, with low to moderate level home ownership scattered within the mix. Alot of the yards or the homes themselves have visibly fell into disrepair. Just a sad end to what was one of this countrys finest instutions.

Old military base. Kinda reminds me of fallout. Its a shame the planes and air museum are gone. But it holds a special place in my heart.

We went there to go to the haunted house that they had very good by the way one of the best

They have several events on the base every year. Drag racing semi truck show as well as a antique tractor show. Great place to catch one of these events and there is a campground close by

Not Travis Gill hes. My son also served in USAF..My name is James Gill.. In 1961 was trained at Chanute. Air Force Base.In 9 weeks from a Farm boy to repair. Jets Diesels.. All ground power. Equipment.To maintain the bomber.. B52.. At Eglin Air Force Base.Nothing. To do in Rantoul Ill. Next to main Gate.. Except USO..club.Remember the largest bomber . Tail taller 3 story building. Stored there.Cant. Find the model on the net.

Basic in Amarillo AFB Texas June 66 and Chanute 7/66 to 10/66 for Jet Engine Maintenance school. Since I was only 17 I didnt go off base much except the one weekend when my girlfriend from home visited. Other than that, all I really remember is shinning my boots and starching my fatigues. LOL. It saddens me that it is gone and left to decay. It seems most of the bases I was at are gone.

I found a neat cold war era monument. I thought it was a mockup of a LGM-30. Until I found pieces of the crumbling exhaust insulation in the ground nearby. I almost picked one up then thought it probably isnt a good idea to make off with a piece of a ballistic missle.

Visited here for the Half Century of Progress show. Best show yet. Cant wait till the next one.

I was there June to December of 1963 for AGE training. It was great for me since my hometown was just outside of Chicago.Some special memories are when JFK was shot, we were told Just after our lunch and were moved underground while they figured what was happening. Many of us became ill from our lunch Scallops. It wasnt pleasant.Another special memory was we had to use special trash container every morning to urinate in the washrooms. We would carry them to the street before leaving the barracks. Supposedly this was for special research on a heart drug. This caused me problems for months after leaving Chanute, including home on leave. It was so ingrained in me that using a trash can was automatic.Lots of embarrassing incidents over the next year.Also some of my extra duties were to go into the missile silos and clean the panels and floors. That was interesting.Reading how everything has been abandoned disappoints me, the government owed more to the base and the people of Rantoul. There were a lot of great assets there, a lot more should have been done for both.

Stationed there in 1981 for aircraft instruments training.Was not a fan of the cold and wind.One interesting note.... hemp/pot grows wild all around the area from the old Navy days of the base. I heard of people that went and found it by the carload only to discover it was all basically worthless weeds.

Why they have decided to get rid of most of the historical items I have no idea, but they have taken away most of the things that made Chanute Air Force Base enticing

My Father Charles Trueman Busby was a Teacher at the base. We moved to Rantoul in 1962. My mom gave birth to my sister here. We have seen a lot of different things here especially on base. The thunder birds which were F16 planes I have never ever forgotten how the planes sound and the tricks they could do. Then after a couple of years we didnt have them. I have seen our pool go from Haps pool to an aquatic center in his memory. We use to live by them we played with the kids. We lived on base House then Charles Busby bought a lot of property around here. He also bought are first home here it was a trailer on camel street. The spot where we had the trailer is still empty. We watched the blue water tower been built from a great hole to the tower. I have many more stroies to tell. I had a very good time growing up

Great historical value, wishes museum was still open

Was stationed here from Sept 1980 until Feb 1981 at one point we had snow up to our azzzzz... training to be a Turbopropulsion mechanic... I believe it was the 3353rd Student Squadron. Had a blast...

Flew in for fuel, friendly folks took good care of us. There was an event going on, young eagles for at risk youth as i recall but we were still served quickly and well.

Very awesome tractor show is good for kids for learning how to operate and work a tractor and fields.

After Lackland I was stationed here for 5 months and trained to work on Minuteman missiles. That was from April 70 to Sep. 70. I loved the lightning shows and the occasional tornado, being from Ca. I enjoyed the show.

I am not reviewing the museum, as never been. I am however an old AF brat. My father was stationed at Chanute Air Force base for a short time before he was discharged and my folks divorced. But from 1962- 1968 my mom worked at the base in Payroll and I and my brother until his death in 1965 grew up around the men & women of that air base. To us they were big brothers and sisters, and our home became a home away from home for many. They watched Sat. cartoons with me & my brother, baked cookies with my mom, and just acted like young people who as a job served their country. It was both the saddest days and best days of my childhood. I later would live near a Navy Base as my mom found work at Badge & Pass, but to remember the men & women and think of them as brothers & sisters, will never leave my memories.

Nice to see that buildings are being restored and re-purposed.

Just playing in the snow

Its a decommissioned base. Community uses much of the area and buildings for secondary development. Interesting to drive around.

I was stationed in chanute in 1968 for technical training. Had a blast dating college girls in bloomington!

It has a lake called heritage that is very good fishing

Everything is closed and has been sold off to private buyers.

This place is awesome to walk around

Attended for a NCCC Autocross event. Clean, well kept area. Cannot wait to attend more events in the future.

Grew up in the shadow of CAFB. Still workout at the Forum Fitness Center.

Really cool place to look around. Lived here for 20 years and it still interests me.

I would give it a better rating if the base was like it was back in the day. I wish they would bring back the air shows and other events they use to host, because that would bring a lot of business back to our town!

Good school for unruly boy they teach discipline and manners as well as getting them back on track with learning.

Neat place to drive around and see the old sites

Arrived there Dec., 1965, 325x0 training for automatic flight controls and navigation. Finished school Aug., 1966. Sent to Dyess AFB, C-130 aircraft. I remember 4:00 AM wake-up---marching to chow hall---then marching past that B-36 on flight line in rain, snow, & some mighty cold mornings. Got to school for 6:00AM start---12:00 PM finish, then back down that flight line again. Good days

Love going autocrossing here. Good grip and plenty of room to play.

This area really hasnt been kept up as a historic site. The existing unoccupied buildings are in sad shape and are not maintained. The museum has been closed down, and the planes removed. The giant hangers remain, but have been sold. There isnt really much to see of the old base.

I hate that they are taking it apart. I has so much history.

There is no history left. All of the planes have been stripped and removed. Buildings have been demolished. What was the Chanute Air Force Base is no more.

I was stationed there from Oct to Dec 75 for fire training. Nothing much to do there but go to the pit and ping and get drunk.

I was stationed there in the fall and winter of 1976. I was trained as a 43131E, aircraft over two engines. I was trained on a B52. I then went to my base and was a crew chief on a KC135.

Sad to see the changes. Hardly recognizable from is glory days.

The kids had a great time

In 1965 I was 7 years old it was the best of times it was one of the fewest totally integrated and of the first places most tolerant in the entire world Im writing a book about my time there!

I was there from end of March to end of September, 1966. Spent 9 wks. in PATS before I got in Tech. School, 65th Sq., AGE (Ground Power). Phased ahead in Gas Engine Class - later that week orders came for the class I just left for the Netherlands, I was bummed. Wound up in SAC for 2 1/2 years then went to Nam for 16 1/2 months.Took my son (Army) there shortly before they closed and went again in 05. Place really changed & not for the good.I appreciate what the volunteers are doing with the museum.

It is sad that not more is done with some of the grounds and buildings. Seems a waste to me..

Good to see you veterans! love your comments, I will visit there

I attended Flight Simulator Technician school for 9 months at Chanute beginning in late 69 and subsequently was stationed for the balance of my enlistment at Castle AFB, CA on B-52 simulators. At Chanute, our squadron would march past a parked B-36 every morning on the way to class after breakfast. (The B-36 is no longer there and has been replaced by a KC-97 or similar era cargo plane.) In the winter, with the wind chill factor, it got to -52 degrees. There was a slot car racing place right outside the base gate that I used to spend time at, and we would hitchhike into Champaign-Urbana to the Chances R nightclub on the weekends. I rode my motorcycle across country last summer, parking right across the street from the entrance and toured the Air Museum. There were very few visitors mid-week. They have a nice combination of things to see and the aircraft in the hangar are in pretty good condition, not so for those parked outside.

Was stationed there in 1979 before heading to Great Lakes NTC for BEE school.

Found memories of an amazing institution

I was stationed at Chanute from Oct 66 to Mar 67 for Aircraft Hydraulic Systems training. Loved the base, Rantoul and that area of Illinois. The fact that Chanute is now in schambles is not the City of Rantouls fault. When the base closed, most of the towns tax base moved away. The base is what made the town desirable to live in for all the jobs their. Now that its gone, and the jobs also, its a poor community.

Beautiful, worked great for the wedding!

I love all the military history here.

I was stationed their in 10/1989-12/1989. I hate seeing the place look so bad. Good memories! 3351 STS Jet Mech.

Hey they dumped air plane fuel here in the ground for years. It is was of the most top rated environmental disaster sited in the states.

Nice place to live and visit.

I was born at the base hospital in 1952 while Dad was in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He told me he can still remember seeing P38s sitting on the runway there.

I went to tech school for Electronics in White Hall, 2nd Largest Government building in US. Pentagon is largest. And ICBM training across the street at Grissom Hall, Named after Lt Col. Virgil I. Gus Grissom who died during Apollo 7 launch.I was stationed here from October 81 - June 82. 3361 Squadron, Our motto was Nukem! Nukem! Boom! Thats ICBM hummer.During the winter of 82, the temperature dropped down to -45 degrees. One of the coldest winters Ive ever experienced in my life.The B36 Bomber is one of only two B36s on static display. The other is at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. The B36 at Chanute AFB is missing a section of its fuselage because a full size B36 couldnt land at the base, its too big. Had a lot of fun here and made some life long friendships.Aim High! Go Air Force!

Camped in city park with RV just behind the base. Sorry the base is gone.

So sad. This was home in 1983. Weather observer training. 51st WX Sq...I believe...RIP dear Chanute

Cant really Rate this facility -- it was an active ATC Base when I was there.Stationed there twice 62 for approx. 4 mos. to attend Propellants/Oxidizer school; then again in summer of 65 for helium recharger/coolant - AGM-77 - Hound Dog support role. Then back to Loring AFB, ME. (largest B-52 Base in CONUS) and then Goose Bay Labrador RCAF w/USAF & RAF as tenants.Biggest memories? -- 3.2 beer; movie house; pool tables with nothing but broom handles for cues; formations at main hanger in blazing sun, w/some Maj. singing cadence back to Club; after 120 days school, hauling ass to Indianapolis to catch flight home for short leave.Looking at photos -- old WWII style open Bay barracks we were quartered in seem to be missing -- torn down? If you remain VERY quiet, you can still hear school Flights marching down center of a given street to class - 4 shifts/day, rain or shine, day or night.Those were GOOD days -----

I wish this place was still open. it was a great little place to view airplanes on an old Air Force Base

Lots of good events held here

3708 LACKLAND AFB TO CHANUTE AFB FOR A VERY BRIEF TRAINING PERIOD...IT WAS LIKE A DREAM!!!!!!! FATHER: SERVED IN KOREA ( FRONT LINES THEN A HOWITZER UNIT...FOR 25 YRS. OR SO COL. EARLE GATCHELL (GRANDFATHER), AMONG OTHER THINGS HELPED REFINE THE BAZOOKA, BY WAY OF MATHEMATICS...NOT BAD. ANY ADITIONAL INFORMATION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.

My first aircraft training after basic.Hands on aircraft maint.Hated the winter weather though.

I was there from March 1971 through August 1971...my Dad was also staioned there for awhile during the war (WWII)...he told me all about Buckingham Palace before I got there...Durng Nam we were not allowed to go onto campus in Champaign, so Ive never seen the university, but Rantoul had some really fun spots back then!I was there for electronic tech school and thought it was a top flight course...I became an electronic engineer long after, and I know this place helped!

Most of the historical buildings are either rotting of torn down. All you will find now is factories and residential housing.

Good apartments their on the,old navy base

Nice to take your children to see.

One of the best times of my younger life were at Chanute, and will always remember the place fondly. To bad its in shambles now and the Village of Rantoul just wants to erase every memory that anyone ever had there.

Converted to public housing for low income families

I was stationed at Chanute AFB for tech school on Minuteman II missile systems in 1974 & 1975. The school was hard but I had a lot of good times there. It made me sad to see it was shut down.

Just a place if you were raised in rantoul brings back memories

A great place for the kids and family for the fireworks

Theres a bunch of old Air Force planes just sitting there wasting away. So sad.

Very informative on aviation history.

I was there for welding school for 823rd rehorse.. In January.of 75 being fla the below zero temperature was bad.

Stationed from Sept 65 - May 65. Special vehicles school, firetrucks-refulers,then to Shemya Alaska,Columbus MS. Discharged January 69 from Sac.

Great museum very interesting

I was stationed here in 1985 for Aerospace Ground Equipment School. It is very sad to see the condition of the old base!

Brings back memories

Really poorly maintained, since the actual closing of the Air Force base

Historic, in many ways.

Old buildings but plenty of space

Museum at Grissom Hall now closed.

Everything is abandoned and overgrown and mostly an eyesore.

Use to live there next to it

Nothing much here anymore. Museum is closed.

Awesome truck show