Message Board
Treasure Island Naval Base

20 Messages Since 7-1-02

Posted 7-9-02
ETC Bill Hanzel, 64 - 65, 67 - 68, 70 - 73
bhanzel@msn.com

Schools Command ET"A" school--Jun 64 - Jul 65. Schools Command ET"B" school--Sep 67 - Sep 68. CommSta San Francisco (NTCC-TI) Feb 70 - May 73. Looking for old shipmates.

Posted 9-30-02
Robert (Rob) Kelly, 1969
kelleyj949@aol.com

Was stationed at Treasure Island in 1969. Was Laison N.C.O. for Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. Looking for Cpl. Finloff. He was working with me at Oak Knoll. He is from San Francisco. Loved to hang around pool halls. Would like to contact him.

Posted 2-21-03
Louis C. Landry, Radarman, 1965 - 1966
loulan@eatel.net

Went to ET-A school and RD-A school on T.I. from April 1965 - August 1966. Lots of good memories of T.I. and FRISCO.

Posted 2-23-03
Corporal Thomas J. Chiricos, 1975 - 1976
colerkjr@yahoo.com

I served on Treasure Island 1975-1976 as a Marine Corporal MP. I directed traffic at the main gate. Stayed in the barracks (old) right adjacent to the fountain (unrestored then) down along the main drive on the SF Bay/Alcatraz side about 3/4 down and turn right. The star shaped multiwing barracks (two of them) were right across from ours. This was Navy enlisted. I also worked for a short while in the Brig Bldg. #222. It was the old draft horse stables used during construction prior to 1939. A good friend of mine Lance Corporal Esidoro Agular lost his life on TI. Another friend , Cpl. Charles McMahon, left TI for Embassy Duty. He attended Embassy School in the Wash. DC area and then drew Viet Nam as his duty post. Of all the beautiful Embassies and the glory duty at them, he was unlucky enough to draw this cesspool and lost his life during a rocket attack during the evacuation in 1975. He was billed at Ton son Nuit (sic) air field.

I have many fond memoried of TI. It had one of the best EM Clubs for miles around. Girls used to stack up at the gate to get in. As gentlemen Marines, we always found sponsers to sign them on base. I saw the 35th . reunion USO show on TI with Bing Crosby, Mel Blanc (Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny,Elmer Fud, Etc.) I met and have a picture of Jerry Ford on TI just before Squeeky Frohm tried to assainate him in S.F. I was on duty when Patty Hearst was captured and had the FBI Agent (who assisted) autograph her wanted poster when He came to the base to eat lunch at the Officers Club. I think this is the Agent who married her! It was my bank in SF that the SLA shot a hole in the brass plate in the revolving door.

I was discharged from TI on Mar. 1, 1976. Stayed in Ca. until 1977 Lived in Alameda on Poggi St. and married a Wave from TI. Went on base as a dependant and shopped the PX and Commisary often and made my former Marines bow down to me!!! They did not have to salute because I was Enlisted. I have a photo of me commanding an Honor Guard with National Colors in front of the main building on right. This was the HQ 12 th. Naval District.Lots of fond memories of the best base Ive ever been to. Good chow, civilian cooks! Former Corporal Thomas J. Chiricos Harrisburg,Pa.

Posted 3-9-03
Ron Henderson, Grade School, 1967 - 1968
rhenderson@tnl-online.com

I attended grade school at Treasure Island in 1967 - 68. My father was stationed there and we lived on Yerba Buena Island. Would like to hear from any one who lived on Treasure Island or Yerba Buena. I have some grand memories of living there and would appreciate any information that you could share. Respects to our Navy Families. Ron Henderson, Coroando, CA

Posted 4-19-03
Tom Vicinanza, CTO3, 1977
wa2uch@att.net

I only spent a few days on TI.   It was a miserable place for a guy just back from 21 months on Okinawa without a dime in his pocket due to transportation delays.  I had gotten there on Friday afternoon and had to wait untl Monday to get my final pay and get out of there.  I was only 20 years old so could not even get a drink at San Fran airport while waiting for my flight.   I do remember getting a job, it was something to do, at the movie theater.  I got to change the letters on the sign on the roof one saturday night.  That was June 1977.

Posted 5-5-03
Lynette Noteboom (now Lynette Lum), Dependent, 1977 - 1979
Temecula.realestate@verizon.net

Lived at 1318-A Gateview. Many memories of the teen club, bowling alley, movies,skating rink and jumping off the rafters at the pool. We were bussed in to Potrero Hill Junior High, spent more time at the wharf and Galileo. Monique Sablan, Dawn Wesley, Deanna Chavez, Renee Sablan, Danny Lorezca, Jamie Alameda, Kelvin Autrey and everyone else where are you now?

Posted 9-02-03
Billy Wayne Thomas, 1972 - 1976
vlveng1@aol.com

Hi my name is Billy Wayne Thomas and I was a Coast Guard service brat that lived on Treasure Island, Ca. from 1972-1976. I lived at 1241-C North Point Drive across from the Fire Fighting School. I have many fond memories of that time of my life and would like to find, if possible, some of my old buddies.

Posted 11-29-03
Winn Hall (Now Jaimes), Dependent, 1972 - 1974
wjaimes@hwlaw.com

We lived on Yerba Buena at 301-F Nimitz Drive, Officer's housing.  Went to Potrero Hill Jr. High, bussed in, grades 7 though 9.  Fondest memories of Yerba Buena were all the neat places to explore, endless roads that twisted and turned, a real haven for younger kids.  And no one to bother you, your parents didn't worry when you left at 9:00 in the morning and didn't come home until dark.   I think I babysat for just about every couple there, back then it was a big deal and you made a lot of money. There was that beach at the base of Yerba Buena, the marina, the Coast Guard Station, the navy motel. In 7th grade me and four others made our way into the old "BRIG" and got caught by military police and our parents were called.  We got into SO much trouble by doing that buy hey, we were bored!  Does anyone remember riding the base shuttle bus just for the fun of it, took you to T.I. and back to Y.B.I. Some of my friends were Michelle Pearson, Robert Webb, Matt and Kim Cazier, Fred Petty, Kelly Risch.  I am sure they are all married now, I am. Going to the base theater on T.I. and the swimming pool.  Big whop was to jump off of the rafters!  If anyone out there who can relate to my memories, please drop me a line!

Posted 11-29-03
Michael Dale, 1961
Drmbd10442@aol.com

My name is Michael Dale, and I went to ET Class A school on TI in early 1961. In fact, my class started in early Jan., 1961. Would love to hear from anyone that may remember me.

Posted 11-29-03
Jim Wheeler, CTMSN and CTM3, Feb to Nov 1970
wheeler513@cox.net

Attended the three phases of Electronics Technician Class A School at Naval Schools Command. I lived in Cossen Hall, the round barracks with a large hub. It was new when we moved in. We ate great cheeseburgers and fries purchased at the back door of the Acey Duecey Club. The instructors were great and I still tell people that ETA was the best technical school the Navy had. Taking the bus from San Francisco East Bay Terminal to TI was an adventure. That bus terminal had every kind of human being possible, this was 1970 in San Francisco. I had cousins that lived in Concord and Martinez and I visited them by taking the bus. I had a lot of fun in San Francisco. Liberty was good at Stintson Beach, Muir Beach, Santa Cruz, Presidio and down on Market Street. I was 18 there and ended up drinking at the Marine Memorial Club. My best friends were Jim DeMonge, Harry Davis and Vince Orth. I ended up spending 6 years with Vince in Washington D.C., Keesler AFB, Adak and Guam. Standing Fire and Security Watch was cold as %#^$% down by the NBC warfare school. I was there during President Nixon's Vietnamization progam. We had Vietnam students living with us and they took us to Chinatown and we were treated to some great times there. I enjoyed my time there with all those old relics of the Worlds Fair of 1939. The school buildings were about that old too.

Posted 11-29-03
Bob Lawrence, 1961
bobl128@comcast.net

My name is Bob Lawrence and I first arrived at TI in Sept of 1961 to attend Electronic Technician Class A school. This was a 38 week, intensive school in how to repair the US Navy's electronic equipment, primarily aboard ships. I was somehow picked to be a 'runner' for the admin offices of the school and did this for about 3 months. Great job that required very little work and lots of time off. Got to go to San Francisco just about every day via bus from the main gate. Recall the night of the Alcatraz breakout that resulted in it's closure. I was on guard duty walking my post next to the shore, closest to Alcatraz. Of course we walked our post with an unloaded M-1 rifle but, after the breakout we were issued live ammo and told to shoot on site, anyone that might come swimming up to the island. I am from Oklahoma, lived in the old WWII style barrachs and loved being stationed on TI. Great website idea here and hope others will write with memories to share. Bob Lawrence Bedford, TX

Posted 11-29-03
G.W. Frederickson, PO3, 1969, again in 1971, Transient Barracks
fredegw@dodmedia.osd.mil

I was sent to TI in August 1969 for processing prior to starting my two years Naval Reserve active duty tour.  I well remember the week or so I spent in those shabby old WWII barracks, trying to sleep as that cold harbor wind blew in through the cracks in the bulkhead.  I was puzzled at first by the brown streaks below all the windows, until we got our battery of overseas inoculations which made almost everybody sick to their stomach - those windows were about as far as you could get before losing your dinner! I also remember the indifferent, vaguely hostile civilians who worked in the chow hall, exchange and base admin areas. They really made a 19-year-old feel great about going off to points west.  I passed through again in 1971 when my 24 months on Guam were over.  Those same civilians were, by then, all solidly anti-war and there was nothing vague about the hostility some of them felt towards the military.  Hell, I was a friggin' dental tech who'd been on Guam and I had some woman in the records processing center call me an "imperialist baby killer"!  True story.  That's how screwed up those people were! TI was a hole. Later I went into the regular Navy and served at some great duty stations before I eventually retiring.  But of all the bases I ever experienced, TI still sets the standard for how not to run a naval station. It might have been great duty for permanent party personnel, but if you were passing through you just had to suck it up and endure 'til your flight date.

Posted 6-20-04
Ron Henderson
rhenderson@tnl-online.com

I would like to share some stories about living on Yerba Buena Island. We went to school as kids on Treasure Island. On the website www.military.com you can view unit and/or tribute pages I have on this site.

"Tribute pages" are as follows;
#1 My Father A Naval Officer #2 Navy Kids Who Lived on Yerba Buena Island #3 The Kitty Hawk and the Constellation #4 The U.S.S.Nimitz #5 The U.S.S. Midway in San Diego

There are also "Unit pages" which are as follows.
#1 Home comes the U.S.S.Nimitz #2 I lived on Yerba Buena Island #3 Oakland Bay Bridge & Yerba Buena Island #4 Treasure Island Picture #5Yerba Buena Lighthouse   Enjoy!

Posted 9-14-04
James Etheridge, 1952
jighoweasy@alltel.net

Treasure Island was a Naval Base when I was stationed there in 1952+, I have fond memories of T.I. I was a YN3, working out of Bldg. #2l8, and later worked at the Brig, transporting and picking up prisoners. I caught many shark from the rip-rap with Roy O. Gunnels of Hardeville, S.C. I had many friends there, those I remember are: Ray Buschbom of State Center, Iowa, Mike Franzen of Hattiesburg, Miss.(now deceased), Buzz Stark of Salina, Ks., he married Carolee, a Wave also stationed at T.I., (they have been married over 50 years now), and there were many others. I correspond regularly with Buschbom and the Starks but it took me over 50 years to find them! I would really like to talk with anyone that was on T.I. in the early 50's when I was there. To this day I can still hear the fog-horn on Alcatraz and Revellie and Taps. I turned 2l while there, went to the E.M. Club and bought 2l Coors Beers. After all of this was consumed a fist-fight ensued, but we all escaped. We made many trips to Yosemite to camp and fish, to Top of the Mark, Purple Onion, other joints and bars., etc. I went on to duty aboard the Cavalier (APA-37) and the Noble (APA-2l8). I stayed 8 Years, got out, graduated from Law School, got married, have one daughter - a nurse, and one son - a civil engineer. I put in 20 years as a Tax Agent (with accompanying ulcers and other things) and live in the foothills of the Cohutta Mountains now, in North Central Ga., near where I was born-Crandall, Ga., a wide place in the road. I would welcome a reply from anyone that was on T.I., and would respond to any messages. Best wishes to old shipmates of long ago.

Posted 9-14-04
James ( David ) Barfield, Dependent, 1977 - 1979
JamesJDAVID@aol.com

Live at 1211-A Bayside Dr Had many fond memoires of going to school in San Francisco and all the places we, where me and my friends went to have fun on the island playing basketball the christmas show we put on. Where are all of you now Mike Moor, Glen K, DeDe, Dawn Wesley, Lynette Noteboom, Tracy Smith, Tracy Stroller.

Posted 9-14-04
Col. John W. Burkard, 1968 - ?
aburkard@hotmail.com

My dad, Col. John W. Burkard, was the commanding officer of Treasure Island during 1968 - ? and would like to meet people who have information concerning this time frame.  I tried many times to get my dad to attend reunions, but would not do so, so I am now looking to hear from people who have served with or under him.  His time of service is from 1939 - 1981, served in the South Pacific during WWII and stateside during Korea and Vietnam.

Posted 2-14-09
Deanna Chavez, 1975 - 1981
Layyteebug@aol.com

Greetings!! My family lived on T.I. from 1975-1981. My name is Deanna Chavez. I have two sisters Denise and DeeDee. We lived on northpoint 1241-D. I remember so many people Toni Morini, Jim Nettles, Marvin and Peter Yohie, Gina Kushlan, Lauralee Mackenroth, Rhonda,Tracy, Lynette, Renee, Monique, Lynette Jones to name a few. My dad died at the age of 58 from cancer.That was only two years ago! He retired from the Navy when we moved in 1981. I remember Potrero Hill and Galileo. I remember ditching school. Those years will always be so special to me. I hope someone reads this and it brings fabulous memories, like reading all of the others did for me!!! God BlessYou all !!!!

Posted 2-14-09
Christie, 1955 - 1958
lafranconi1@comcast.net

Hi...my dad, Daniel Johnson, was a Chief Petty Officer assigned as an Instructor at Fire Fighting School on T.I. from 1955 until early 1958.  What fond memories I have of T.I. when my dad served at the fire fighting school there.  The smell of coffee roasting at the foot of the Bay Bridge early in the morning when my mom would drive my dad over to the base on the days she needed the car.  The great Sunday smorgasbord at the Chief's Club...wow so much food!  The view of San Francisco from the base...and most of all the Christmas Party one year when a little boy about my age then sang "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth."  Very sad that the base has been abandoned by the Navy. I still live in the San Francisco bay area and today this beautiful spot is being utilized as a place for section 8 housing.  Why did the Navy ever let this base go?

Posted 2-14-09
Yvonne Daycak, 1970
dayyvonne@yahoo.com

My father was stationed on Treasure Island in the early to mid 1970s.  Although I was extremely young at the time, I have very fond memories of TI and the people I knew for the brief time our family spent on the island.  When I found this site, and starting reading posts that included references to the Acey Ducey, the Officer's Club, etc., I felt I had to post something.  Our last name is Wilbert...we lived on Exposition Drive (though the house number escapes me!).  I would love to hear from anyone who lived on the island at that time and who may remember us.  I still think about the short time we had the privilage to live on TI, and all these years later, look back on the island with fond memories.  I may be reached via email.          

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