Camp Lejeune history

Chuckman

Chuckman

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I grew up aboard Camp Lejeune (dad was Marine 1954-75), then I was stationed there as well. I knew some of the history but certainly not all. I saw this link of a "virtual tour." You used to be able to actually take a map and go base and tour many of these sites. I don't think you can now. Now in 2019/2020, it's hard to believe the amphib nets that were used in WW2 were still there when I was growing up in the 70s, only 30 years removed from WW2. I think all of that is gone now. Building H1 was the hospital; even when my mom died 13 years ago she called the hospital opened in 1980 "the new hospital."

Ahhhh, feeling nostalgic and the winds of time....

https://www.lejeune.marines.mil/off...l-resources/history-live/tour-historic-mcbcl/
 
I was an aviator after being a grunt my first enlistment so this all rings some of my dead memory cells.

The rifle range was incredible to me. A whole lot of history there!

Thanks for bringing that up Chuckman.
 
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Ben Jefferson said:
I was an aviator after being a grunt my first enlistment so this all rings some of my dead memory cells.

The rifle range was incredible to me. A whole lot of history there!

Thanks for bringing that up Chuckman.
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I was talking with my sister about some of this (she is 8 years older)...she blew some dust off my memory...the drive in theater near Holcomb and Sneads Ferry Road, the "old" exchange, uniform sales when it was in the WW2-era buildings. My dad would take me fishing at "the crik", that little river Holcomb crossed going onto base....Vacation Bible school at the stables near the high school...
 
When I was there, civilians could travel the highway that ran from the back gate through the base. They just checked in and out at the guard gates and got a paper pass. They were not allowed to leave the highway. Now the base is completely closed unless you are military or a civilian contractor or have some other reason to be there.

My father was at New River for a short period of time in the 60's as an H-34 pilot before going to Vietnam. When I got stationed at lejeune I asked him for any advice and he told me "Don't sleep with any strippers, they could be your sister".

The one thing that for no rational reason gets my dander up is the new pronunciation of the base as Le Gern and newscasters claiming Marines have always pronounced it that way. Uhhh, No. It was always Le June.
 
Did they mention that they stole it from one person??? He relocated to this area and when he died he left everting he had to the State DNR. Samworth Plantation. The old man was said to have owned all that was there that became the Marine base.
 
Building H1 was the hospital; even when my mom died 13 years ago she called the hospital opened in 1980 "the new hospital."

Apparently I have really lost track of years, you reminded me when the New Hospital opened and I remember that my 2 youngest children were born in bldg H1 ($25.00 each by the way).

Damn I'm old!
 
Chdamn said:
When I was there, civilians could travel the highway that ran from the back gate through the base. They just checked in and out at the guard gates and got a paper pass. They were not allowed to leave the highway. Now the base is completely closed unless you are military or a civilian contractor or have some other reason to be there.

My father was at New River for a short period of time in the 60's as an H-34 pilot before going to Vietnam. When I got stationed at lejeune I asked him for any advice and he told me "Don't sleep with any strippers, they could be your sister".

The one thing that for no rational reason gets my dander up is the new pronunciation of the base as Le Gern and newscasters claiming Marines have always pronounced it that way. Uhhh, No. It was always Le June.
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Yeah, 172 cut an hour out of travelling south/north. Great to bypass Jville. They would close it down from time to time for maneuvers.
 
Ben Jefferson said:
Building H1 was the hospital; even when my mom died 13 years ago she called the hospital opened in 1980 "the new hospital."

Apparently I have really lost track of years, you reminded me when the New Hospital opened and I remember that my 2 youngest children were born in bldg H1 ($25.00 each by the way).

Damn I'm old!
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I had my tonsils out and some ear surgery at the old hospital on the point. Now it's II MEF HQ I believe. Now "the new hospital" is old, and they are going to build a new one.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Did they mention that they stole it from one person??? He relocated to this area and when he died he left everting he had to the State DNR. Samworth Plantation. The old man was said to have owned all that was there that became the Marine base.
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I do know that there were a smattering of families there in the early 40s, and they got pennies on the dollar for their homes in order to build the base. The original base was only 11,000 acres.
 
Chdamn said:
When I was there, civilians could travel the highway that ran from the back gate through the base. They just checked in and out at the guard gates and got a paper pass. They were not allowed to leave the highway. Now the base is completely closed unless you are military or a civilian contractor or have some other reason to be there.

My father was at New River for a short period of time in the 60's as an H-34 pilot before going to Vietnam. When I got stationed at lejeune I asked him for any advice and he told me "Don't sleep with any strippers, they could be your sister".

The one thing that for no rational reason gets my dander up is the new pronunciation of the base as Le Gern and newscasters claiming Marines have always pronounced it that way. Uhhh, No. It was always Le June.
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Say what? You say "Le Gern" to me and I will blank stare you.
 
Diablos said:
Yall that served there have signed up for va healthcare due to the contaminated water right
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Did they open it to all years? When they first started that they had it limited to the 70’s. I was there in the 90’s. The water was just as contaminated then but they were trying to weasel out of it.
 
Chdamn said:
Did they open it to all years? When they first started that they had it limited to the 70’s. I was there in the 90’s. The water was just as contaminated then but they were trying to weasel out of it.
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1 Aug 53 - 31 Dec 1987
 
Diablos said:
1 Aug 53 - 31 Dec 1987
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Yeah I'm out. I was there from 91 to 95. Like I said its complete BS because I don't know one Marine that was stationed there that didn't end up with severe stomach issues. Even some of the younger marines there after 2000.
 
Chdamn said:
Yeah I'm out. I was there from 91 to 95. Like I said its complete BS because I don't know one Marine that was stationed there that didn't end up with severe stomach issues. Even some of the younger marines there after 2000.
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I was there off and on 90-94 first enlistment.. and yes the scuttlebutt had signs saying let water run before drinking...it always had a metal taste.

Over by French Creek doing some training in '98 or so I stumbled onto about 10 ft of old WW2 lvt amtrac tracks... A history geek so I knew exactly what it was... everyone else is like whatever...use it for cover..... *Sigh*
 
Chdamn said:
Yeah I'm out. I was there from 91 to 95. Like I said its complete BS because I don't know one Marine that was stationed there that didn't end up with severe stomach issues. Even some of the younger marines there after 2000.
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That place (and probably every other military installation), is an EPA supersite. It'll never be cleaned up, and the Veterans that served there will never receive the care they deserve and earned.
 
Slacker said:
I spent last week working at the NCIS building at Lajeune. Yes, like the TV show.
Definitely a cool place.
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It's in a new building, I believe, since I was around there last, but it used to be in a crowded dump. I had to go, once, maybe 10 years ago, to give a statement about something that happened at the hospital. I asked them, regarding the TV show, if real-life cases were like that, they just laughed and laughed.... They asked me if "ER" was really like working in an ER, I just laughed and laughed....
 
I know a lot of things have changed since I was last stationed there. Spent a lot of time out at H1 and over at the (new) hospital. My son was born there back in 2001, and he he just graduated high school tonight.
 
Chdamn said:
The one thing that for no rational reason gets my dander up is the new pronunciation of the base as Le Gern and newscasters claiming Marines have always pronounced it that way. Uhhh, No. It was always Le June.
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When I was there everybody aboard base called it Lejeune. The town radio announcers referred to it as Legern. I always thought it was because they were morons.
 
Diablos said:
That place (and probably every other military installation), is an EPA supersite. It'll never be cleaned up, and the Veterans that served there will never receive the care they deserve and earned.
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...nor will my daughter who is dyeing today. I often wonder how many of my wife's medical problems come from our three plus years in Midway Park.
 
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