Reese AFB Little League Field

WHERE: Reese Air Force Base, Lubbock, Texas
WHERE EXACTLY: Off base, 1/4 mile NE of Main Gate, on George Drive

WHEN VISITED: November 2006

I was stationed at Reese AFB from June 1986 to March 1990, when I separated the active AF, joined the Air National Guard, and moved back to California. 10 years later we were back living in Texas, in the DFW area, so we decided to go visit Lubbock again, see my old base, show Sonny where he was born.

I knew that the base was deactivated and had been sitting mostly vacant since 1997. The buildings and hangars on base looked like they had been maintained, but I was shocked to see base housing obliterated and the nice sports complex completely overgrown.

It looked as though time had suddenly stopped. It appeared that they didn't try to salvage or sell off anything, just left it there. Tommy and I went up into the announcers booth, and found score sheets and rosters and electronic equipment. It was kinda eerie, like suddenly everyone just vanished. Did the scoreboard sense it's impending doom, "NOO!"

I remember playing softball on the adjacent manicured fields, pausing the game and facing the flag for the Star Spangled Banner in the evening, and running for shelter during sudden lightning storms.

Even the old control tower looks a little sad.