Chanute Air Force Base
Chanute Air Force Base – Rantoul, IL
By Michael Kleen
Click here to download the entire issue!
Download entire issue (in .pdf): $1.35
Chanute Air Force Base opened in Rantoul in July 1917 and was a vital part of the local economy for nearly 76 years. After its closure in 1993, much of the base was divided up into residential and commercial properties, but most of the core buildings remain abandoned. The Chanute Air Museum moved into one of the old hangers, and its website offers an illustrated retrospective of the base’s history. Inevitably, local kids exploring the abandoned parts of the base in the past few years have begun to bring home unusual stories.
Chanute Field, as the facility was originally known, opened as a result of the First World War. When the United States entered the war in 1917, our fleet of military aircraft was woefully inadequate. The War Department quickly allocated funds to open the Field and begin training an air corps. After the war, Congress bought the land around Chanute Filed and authorized construction of nine steel hangers. Fires plagued the original base, since many of the buildings were made of wood.
Between 1938 and 1941, as the United States began modernizing its military, a “renaissance” occurred at Chanute. Buildings such as a headquarters, hospital, fire station, water tower, gymnasium, and even a theater were installed. The Works Progress Administration provided everything necessary for a permanent air corps to be stationed there.
Click here to order the entire issue (.pdf)!
Sorry guys, this page is copyright Black Oak Media, 2009. You do not have permission to copy this for any reason. Please learn how to cite your work.
I enjoyed seeing the photos, although it’s sad to see everything rundown. I was stationed at Chanute twice: 1974-1978 as a student attending (and later as an instructor teaching) Avionics School in White Hall, and again 1980-1983 as an instructor (again.) Living on-base and in Rantoul started my interest in local history, which I’ve maintained every place I’ve lived since. I would be happy to share my knowledge of Chanute & Rantoul.
Bill,
I hope you remember me. I had a band at the base called RYDER. Iused to teach basic electronics including Inst/Flight control Systems to include AFSC systems. I loved my job enough to be Instructor of the Month. I’m interested in the whereabouts of several of our instructors, to include Larry Mc Canlesss, a very special lady Vicki, Scott, Mr Henrickson..always had a big belt buckle on, a Mr Smith who was partially handicapped, to a guy named John a tall easy going guy who I beleived stayed in the Rantoul area….please send me an email asap.
Thanks,
Doug Wenger
I was stationed at Chanute AFB from 1983 – 87 as Instructor and Instructor Supervisor for the Avionics Instrument Systems Specialist Course. What have you been up to?
They use Grissom hall for high school students, i was one of those students and ive never seen anythhing happen. i would like to know bill if you know of anything haunted in rantoul
Thank you for trying to preserve things of the past. I was 20 years old when I was there and I went to Google this evening and clicked on Chanute AFB. Enjoying it very much. Keep up the good work.
I use to visit at Chanute when my brothers were stationed there. I made friends with a girl by the name of Diane Haines. Her dad was msgt allen haines. I have been trying to find her since 1980. Last time I saw her was 1/11/1975. If anyone out there remembers her I would like to here from you. I had 4 brothers that were all sationed at chanute. Alan Esmonde, Rick Esmonde, Bill Esmonde, Tim Esmonde.
I am looking for information on a SSgt Orin T. Overson who was a survival instructor at Chanute Field in 1952. He drowned in a training excercise in the Spoon River in 1952 while participating in an Air Force survival training program. Any information or guidance in finding some information would be great!
Thank you,
Rob
I attended Automatic Flight Control Systems (Autopilot) training at Chanute in 1970. I completed my training in 1971 and had not been back since until one Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2009. I was disappointed to see the base in shambles. All the old wood buildings are of course gone, White Hall the main training building is abandoned, the ‘69th Squadron building appears to be a senior centers. I talked to a local citizen that had been there for the base closing. She told me that she had seen the base closing report and it indicated the reason that Chanute was recommended for closing was “you can’t play golf year round”. Rantoul was a great little town in the heartland of America. It is a shame that someone did not take the resources that are there and start a world class technical school to compliment the U of I in nearby Champaign-Urbana.
I was a student at Chanute in 1967, 47th Sq. Life Support. Sad to see the old field falling apart but again so am I. There was B-36 at the beginning of the flight line. What did they ever do with it? Also there was a B-52. Rumor was it landed in emergency status and couldn’t take off later. What became of it. Thanks for you pictures and history if the place. Fond memories of a great place. The story goes, Chanute had the biggest chow hall in the history of the military services.
Civil Engineering and CRS or EMS disassembled the B-36 at Chanute, boxed it and sent it by railroad to Castle AFB CA. Then Castle came on the closure list and closed. See below website.
http://www.air-and-space.com/b-36%20survivors.htm
Dear Jim, I was also at chanute in 67.(60th squadron, AGE)Strangely depressing to see pictures of the old base. Went to ramstein after graduation.Live in california, last 35 years. Jim Downs
I have a couple pictures if you are interested.
I am interested in seeing your pictures I have one only. I think it is 1930’s or 1940’s. My father was not quite the age he was supposed to be.
I was stationed at chanute from oct 1981 to april 1982,as a student of 3371 school squadron.i have very fond memories from my time there.
Went to aircraft instrument school the afsc (af32331) I think. That was way back in 1967. Good memories, sorry to see it in the state it is in.
Tom: my name is Jim Reese and I was an instructor in the aircraft instrument school from 1966 thru 1968. In 1967, I believe I taught A-shift (6-noon) in Block 4 (the last block of the course). Many good memories from long ago. I’m going to make the trip to Chanute tomorrow, it’s 80 miles from my residence, sounds like I’m going to be disappointed.
I have recently gotten a picture of my Father, Donald Eugene McKinley. The photo has ( ACFT. WELDERS, CLASS, 11102B CHANUTE AIR BASE ) in the left bottom corner. The photo is of his 15 member class. I would like to have more information. If anyone can help me, please contact me. Thank you.
I was a surgery tech at the hospital from mid ‘65 to late ‘68. I’ve been able to reconnect with four of the guys, but would like to hear from more. There was an airshow there, I believe to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Air Force, in 1967. The C141, now retired, was a “new” aircraft on display. President Johnson landed there and then took a helicopter to a funeral of someone in Springfield… lots of memories of “old” Chanute. “Don’t shoot ‘em, Chanute ‘em!”
Loved the pictures, however there was not an Idyess Hall as your caption says, it is actually Dyess Hall where the Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course was taught. I attended from June 1988 to November 1988 as a member of Class # 880616 IAO (Improvise Adapt and Overcome). They was not enough quarters available for the student officers so we all lived on the economy. Several of our class live in Urbana and commuted to the base each day for classes. They were actually building a new officers quarters that would have accomodated the officer students however construction stopped when it was announced that the base was going to close. I returned to Chanute to attend the Jet Engine Mishap Investigation Course about a year before it moved to Sheppard AFB.
Thank you, George, and I apologize. Apparently when I quickly glanced at the picture to write the caption I interpreted the chipped paint at the beginning of the sign on the building as an “I.” Yes, sometimes I do wonder if I’m slipping mentally…
I really appreciate the interest all of you have taken in this particular issue. I had no idea it would quickly become our most popular, and I can’t help but feel honored to have facilitated some reunions between old comrades. Thank you for your service, gentlemen.
Beginning in 1959, I attended the basic jet engine school at Chanute. I was assigned there as an instructor in the basic course in 1966. I was stationed there twice more, and retired from Chanute in 1980 as a Chief Master Sergeant. I always enjoyed my assignments there. It’s sad to see the deterioration of some of the buildings.
Stationed here for ELAB school from Oct 81- May 82. One of the worst winters ever and I am from Illinois. Came back for High Reliability Soldering School in 1988. I once again returned after active duty discharge to crosstrain into the Fire career field at the newer Fire Academy. That was from Nov 92-Jan 93. I was in the 2nd to last class before they moved.
I was there Dec 81 to May 82 for AGE school and I thought all winters there were that bad! So much snow that winter and so cold, wow!
My father, Henry Weltman, was stationed at Chanute Field from 1942 to at least 1944. The only paperwork I have shows an Asn of 36241 730. He was with the 8th Tech Sch Sq.
All we know is that he was a parachute rigger and he apparently invented something that had to do with improving the rigging. He never spoke about the war and now my sisters and I wish we knew more about his life. Any information anyone has will be greatly appreciated.
If you recognize that last name you must have been at Chanute when my father was there. (Sept 69 – Aug? 70). We were transferred up there after Keesler once Keesler was recovering from Hurricane Camille and then he went to Saigon, while the family went home to Texas. I have mixed memories of the area. Chanute was great! Rantoul (at 16) was boring, except for speeding on the dirt roads! But Cham-bana…. well I didn’t like getting shot at because of the base sticker on my car.
I Was Born On The Base In 1953, From Time To Time I Would Visit The Base, I Miss It !
For Some Reason I Don’t Feel As Safe, The Base Is A Real Mess, Thank You Congress For
Another Fine Job, I Have To Take A Trip Back To See The Air Museum, GOD Bless America
Hello! I was in school there in 1971 as an Avionics Instrument Systems Technician. I left some money in the Credit Union there in the hopes of someday getting it! Does anybody know what happened to it or where it went. How would I get my money? Searching has sure brought back memories though.
Thank You