After the war, my dad worked at the Navy Pasadena Foothill plant until 1953 when we moved to Wherry Housing.  A short time later, we moved to Mitscher Street on the base until my folks retired in the early 70s.  I graduated in 1967 from BHS and left in 69, still returning for family visits.

There was no place like the Indian Wells Valley to grow up in the 50s and 60s.  Little TV, but all that wide open space to ride bikes, explore and have good clean fun.  My folks seldom locked the house or car doors. 

I enjoyed the armed forces days on the base, braved the long lines whenever there was a Disney movie at the base theater, rode bikes in the alleys.  We explored and played in the old WWII bombers kept out in the desert, swam almost every day during the summer in the base pool and enjoyed the air so clear you could reach out and touch Owens peak through the window at Richmond Elementary school.

We watched President Kennedy ride down the street in a limo, Santa Clause ride in the back of a fire truck, and tasted those delicious doughnuts delivered from those long drawers in the yellow Helms Bakery truck.  I can still hear that whistle.

How many times did you loose you base pass and have to get another?  Did you like the 6 cent or 12 cent candy at the theater?  How far up the V shaped walkway supports at the Commissary could you stand?  Do you remember 2cent/day library fines and 25 cent haircuts that would take about 3 minutes?  How many times did the drink machine in the walkway by the library fail on you when the cup didn’t come down and your ice and soda went by in front of your eyes?

Life was different then.  It traveled at 20 miles per hour.

I arrived in March 1947, we moved into the Navy Boy Trailor Ct on Inyokern Rd. I walked to school across the desert. I was in the 8th grade. The school was located behind Means Nursury. Baers Burgers was our eating place. I graduated that spring . The graduation was held in the old USO Building on Ridgecrest Blvd. I remember JD Williams and Mary Anderson who were in my class.

That summer we moved to the Trailor Ct on base. My brother doug was born in June at the Navy Dispensery. I graduated from Burroughs in 1951. I joined the Navy and returned in 1955, been here ever since.

I remember the old Trona Pool in the West End, swimming in the river near old Kernville before the dam. I raced motocycles with a number of friends. We used to ride to the wagon wheel for our first beer stop. It was then over the mountains and circle back to Trader Mays for beer and peanuts. I have a great picture of the wagon wheel circa 1960's . We also called it Charley's place.

  I have had your web site for quite awhile and finally looked at the WHOLE site today.

Thank you so much for making this nostalgic journey possible.  It is very nice of you to do this and I know it takes alot of time.  Thanks so much for your efforts,

Barbara Dupuy

When I first received orders to China Lake, I drove my wife up from Camp Pendleton for a pre-visit.  I had been there before on squadron deployments but I wanted to ease the shock by taking her there to show her the sights.  She was born and raised in San Diego County and I thought easing her into the desert would be in my marriage's best interest.  When we reached Red Mountain on 395, I announced we had arrived in Ridgecrest.  She looked over at me and said "you've got to be kidding me!"  I assured her I was joking and when we arrived in Ridgecrest she was greatly relieved.  She eventully came to love Ridgecrest and the people and earned her nurses degree at Cerro Coso Community College.

  I was stationed at China Lake from 1986-1989 as a Weapons Systems Development Officer with the Marine Corps.  I worked and flew R&D flights for the AH-1 Cobra and UH-1 Huey but also flew operational test flights with VX-5.  Part of my flying duties was to act as a helicopter Search and Rescue pilot for the base.  I had the unique opportunity to fly over all of the ranges and Sierras during this tour.  Flying helos let me see the desert up close and I was able to fly in many remote areas in and around the installation.  The fun community on the base, the friendship with the scientists and engineers , camping and four wheeling in Panamint and Death Valley are all part of my fondist memories of my tour there.  Over the 30 years I spent in the military, the best 3 years was the time I spent flying at China Lake.

Stationed at NAF China Lake as an Air Traffic Controller. Lived in Barracks 2 (now gone I'm sure).  Roomed with what turned out to be my best friend, Lonnie Walker for my entire stay. Met my first wife Rachel(Burke), got married in 1974, have two wonderful sons.

Remember my first impression was "have we landed on the Moon"? My last memory of my service at NWS/NAF China Lake was in my rear view mirror headed for home(Napa, CA), but returned many times over the next 15 years to visit my first wife's family.

Drive by now on US395 going from Sparks to Yucca Valley to visit in-laws. Can't seem to escape from the high desert. Have fallen out of contact with Lonnie(life is strange). If anyone knows his where abouts (last in Columbia, SC) let me know.