Pat,

   My name is Kevin, I'm 44 years young, ...I grew up and live in the north east, ...I'm not from CA.

   I stumbled upon this/your website as I'm searching for information on a 'old' (1967 Camaro) I purchased. I'm trying to locate the original dealership, ...and since the car was in Lake Isabella, CA all it's life, ...I was looking in your vicinity, circa 1967.

   I didn't find the name of any Chevrolet dealerships in business those days, ...but what I found, ...got me reading your website for the past 45 minutes, ...absolutely amazing what you have collected.  I'm very fond of those in the military (some good friends serving as we speak, ...God Bless them), I have a brother who lives in Las Vegas, ...and an old Camaro (of others) that's  from Lake Isabella area.

   I don't consider myself old by any stretch, ...but reading the posts and history on your website really touch the soul. It is like reading a chapter of 'growing up on Main St. USA'. I've never visited Ridgecrest, CA, ...but in some strange way, ...through your website, ...I feel like I've been there.

  I've visited my brother many times out west (in Las Vegas, Pahrump and Meadview,AZ) ...and being from the east coast, ...the desert landscape is almost un-earthly. Yet, ...it is serene and peaceful, ... with an unmatched mistique that captures your heart.  

    You're website touches on that perfectly. I'm not sure if it's a matter of giving life to memories of the good old days, ...or  simply reflecting on days past. In any case,  it's truely a great site, ...and something residence of Ridgecrest will cherish, ...moreso in the years to come.

   God Bless...

               Kevin Kolvenbach

I really enjoyed this website!  Since it's Christmastime, there are a couple of memories that your photo of the All Faith Chapel in the snow brought back to me that I would like to share:

The blue bulbs on the roof line of the Chapel that we always tried to grab hold of by running up the concrete supports.

The wooden Nativity that was big enough to walk in and marvel about how they actually put real straw inside!

The Menorah on the East Wing of the Chapel.

And of course, the Star on B Mountain.

Thanks for a wonderful trip down memory lane.  I lived one entire lifetime there, I have started a new life here.

Ann Simshauser

Class of '79

In 1955 my father had just earned the rank of Commander and our family was stationed at the Naval Ordinance Training Center in China Lake California. Dad was the base legal officer and he later described it as his favorite tour of duty. His friend and drinking buddy was a crusty old guy named "Pop" Lofink who was the base range guard and worked out of an isolated desert outpost called Junction Ranch. I'm not sure if it was always work related but every chance they got they would spend days exploring the Mojave Desert and nights at Junction Ranch drinking beer and telling war stories. On some weekends our family would join the party and I have fond memories of riding in old 1945 vintage jeeps on safari like expeditions that my dad called "boondocking".

Even at that age I recognized that they were exciting times. The father of one of my classmates (Mark) had invented the sidewinder missile and even in the first grade, we knew what his dad had done and that it was important. The base was a high security area and when you excited the main gate you passed a large billboard that read, "What you see here, what you do here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here." All the base dependents were required to wear neck chains with laminated I.D. cards attached. They had to be visible at all times and we never left the house without them. Baby boomer children playing cowboy and watching The Mickey Mouse Club but always ready to present their identification.

From the window of my first grade class, I could see missiles being test fired from desert launch sites but the most notable test occurred one morning before sun rise. My father herded my brother, sister and I out on the front lawn and we stood in the cool darkness facing east. For just a few seconds it looked like the sun was coming up. The horizon lit up, glowed brightly and returned to darkness. The Nevada test range was over 100 miles away but not far enough to diminish the radiance of an atomic bomb being detonated.

I was in the Navy from Nov. 1948 to Nov. 1952 and was transfered to NOTS in June of 1950. I worked in the General Service Personnel Office at first then was Chaplain Zoller's yeoman about the last 14 months. There was where I met Sandra Cooper and we were married in June of 1953. We came back to Arkansas and (both) graduated from college in 1956. Sandra is an engineer at an Aerospace Corp. and I have been mining precious metals for 25 years. For the last 5, in Alaska in the summer time.

I have many fond memories from my time there. I used to play guitar and sing at Anderson's on Sat. nights. That was OK with Chaplain Zoller, but Rev. Egley (civilian minister) didn't like it. Fathers Pointek (?) and Eaves became good friends. Lots of fond memories of times spent at the cafe that was by the barracks. I understand it's not there now.

It sure would be nice to get together with people who knew Sandra and me. I am in constant contact with Iva Jean (Luth) Driggers and Bob Rockwell every now and then. Too many from that era have passed on.

Anyway that's my short 2 cents.

Bill Phiffer