That runway in the picture was not active at the time I lived there and we crossed it to get from the main part of the tiny base to the housing area.
This is a video with awesome still photos that were taken about 17 years after the base closed (so the pictures are recent). I left shortly before the final base closure. It's interesting to see what happens when "nature" is allowed to take over. I didn't see my own street housing, but my apartment was very similar to the ones in the video. I did have to take a close look at a picture of an overgrown bougainvillea, because it was in the same relative location as one at the front of my apartment.
I was delighted and thrilled to get the assignment to Sicily. I had never lived overseas and who wouldn't want to move to a Mediterranean island? The base was closing at the time I arrived, and Iraq had just invaded Kuwait. There was a lot of tension and a lot of the military members on the base were gone to Desert Storm. But . . . it was still a Mediterranean island with thousands of years of history right out the back fence.
It was one of my favorite places I've ever lived.
Best assigment I've ever had in 26 years. I started off my career at Comiso in 1986 and haven't had assignment even close to that one. Bring back GLCM...
ReplyDeleteAs for me, it was the final assignment of my four year stint. What a place for a 22 year old soldier to spend a year. Keeping a military bearing during the 9 to 5, and totally enraptured with the Italian culture, romance, wine, and beauty of the Mediteranean coastline. Ragusa in the summertime, all those young European gals who can only afford half a bathing suit. ;-D
ReplyDelete25 years later, it remains an awesome memory and slice of life. Thanks for letting me reminisce, Katie.
I was 15 years old when I lived here with my family. It was my dads favorite assignment. He still talks about it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were there when base housing just opened. He was in Security and I was one of the 1st spouses to come over. I worked at the pool as a lifeguard, at the small Veterinary Clinic on base and at the Commissary when it opened. The 2 years we spent there were some of the most memorable times. We talk often of the experience and friends we made both on and off base.
ReplyDeleteIt was early 84 when I got there. We were so thrilled when they built another barracks so we could move out of the porta-buildings. Watching movies projected on the wall in the rec-center. Taking a gander at the nuke protestors outside the gate. Great times, a great place to explore and of course, the best food on the planet.
ReplyDeleteI was there in Oct 83 - Oct 84.there are some Comiso groups on Facebook, look them up!
DeleteI was there before any housing was built 1986 -1987 just finished the dorms, it was a great experience and i still have stuff i bought there all those years ago hanging on my walls. I lived in a porta building for months before the Dorm was finished. I was the face of Mil Pay because I was the only person in Mil Pay, other than my SSgt. who did nothing.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a trip down memory lane. Thank you for taking the time to post this. I had forgotten how nice the surrounding mountains are.
ReplyDeleteI was stationed there 85-86. Loved it!! met some great people, got into a little trouble but would do it all again if I could. always wondered what happened to the people that were there when I was..
ReplyDeleteMy family and I were there at the same time you were Katie, 89-91. I worked in the clinic, medical records, and we loved every day there. It's so sad to see the base just sit there and be overrun by nature. All the time and money spent to build it and the when it was turned over to the Italians, they just left it. The Tara cotta roof tiles on the housing, the oversized tubs, tile floors, the bowling alley (wow, the times we spent there), the theatre and the school. Just seems like such a waste after all the beautiful memories.
ReplyDeleteRobert, my former husband also worked in the clinic from August 1990 to about August. He was an MD named Lewis.
DeleteMy family and I were there at the same time you were Katie, 89-91. I worked in the clinic, medical records, and we loved every day there. It's so sad to see the base just sit there and be overrun by nature. All the time and money spent to build it and the when it was turned over to the Italians, they just left it. The Tara cotta roof tiles on the housing, the oversized tubs, tile floors, the bowling alley (wow, the times we spent there), the theatre and the school. Just seems like such a waste after all the beautiful memories.
ReplyDeleteI was stationed at Comiso in 1988, I work in the clinic. It was the best assignment I had in my nine years in the Air Force. It's really sad about the outcome of the base.
ReplyDeleteI was there, and remember watching them flying out the GCMs
Wow ... Comiso ... I was there 1983/84 ... beautiful island and wonderful people ... it was an amazing time ... the best part of my eight year stint
ReplyDeletein the Air Force ...
I remember the beach at Gela ... strolling after dinner ... the amazing architecture ... I did quite a bit of art while I was there ... 1983 and 1984 were some of the best years in my life ... one of my most unique Air Force assignments.
ReplyDeleteI was there from October 1983 to October 1984
ReplyDeleteChris, Where did you work? I was in AV, Film Library
DeleteI remember back Sep 84, my first remote assignment; I got lucky. Yep, had to live off base for a while in Gela. I remember those European Buses taking us to and from work... the muddy streets and newly built everything. Remember the multi rank club and the USO type bands for entertainment. Ha, the VCR taping of shows from home and movies.
DeleteI was at Comiso Oct 87 - Oct 88 in Security Forces. Loved the history on the island and the people.
ReplyDeleteAm looking for two friends from Comiso, 83/84; Sue Gerard and Woody Wells. Hey Jack, Janet, Chrissy misses you guys!
ReplyDeleteI was there from 1984-1985 and loved it tremendously. I kept in touch with some very close Italian friends who invited me back for a visit in 2011 after I had a heart attack in 2010. I have been back a total of 4 times (2011, 2012, 2014, Aug 2016) and would like to have the base rebuilt as a tourist/retirement center. Check my page on Facebook Comiso Tranformation from Eye Sore to Business, Tourist, and Retirement Center
ReplyDeleteI was stationed there August of 89 to Aug of 90.. I was only around 20/21 years old and was counting down the days at the time to get back to the states.. I wish I would've been more mature in order to appreciate the opportunity to live there for a year.. Seeing the video was both wonderful and depressing. Wonderful to recognize the buildings, yet depressing to see its current condition.. Thanks for the sharing the memories..
ReplyDeleteWill
Was there from 90 until it closed in 91. I remember getting housing ready for posture. I was a Civil Engineer troop. Some of the housing units were never even lived in. It was so sad to see it go. Not sure why the Italians waited so long to do something with it. Those buildings were practically brand new when we shut her down.
ReplyDeleteI remember that about some housing never being lived in. When we moved there they kind of told us, "Look around at the different quarters and choose the one you like." Later we looked in the windows of the officer quarters that had carpeting (we chose the other ones with all-tile floors) and they had laid the carpeting and trimmed it at the edges, but didn't even bother to pick up the scraps because the workers knew they would never be lived it. :-(
DeleteI was there 1988-1989----wonderful memories. My uncle had been a soldier during WW11 and landed at Gela and was part of Patton's outfit that zigzagged across Sicily to knock out the Germans..was an thrill to visit all the historic places and send my uncle pictures of the places he had been.
ReplyDeleteI was stationed there 86-87 . Loved the food and best wine to date. After ole Mnt Etna spewed a huge mushroom I couldn’t get off fast enough. The bases condition is sad to see. I was a box kicker also made Sqd mail run.
ReplyDeleteI was stationed at Comiso from January 1990 to January 1991 one of my favorite places. Interesting and sad to watch the videos of the way it is now...
ReplyDeleteHi :) I was there from age 9 until 12 from 86 to 90. Didn’t we do a time capsule? When they built the school and took us out of the portacabin? I tell stories of laying my head down 3500 feet from nukes and watching the Russians fly in to inspect and people are in awe…or don’t believe me lololol. What an amazing experience as a kid
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