AMRHEIN, Paul  @ Chas:  62-661602 Air Transport Wing 322nd Air Division
Universal City, TX (near San Antonio) 6-15-03 Comments:  I was assigned to the 1602 Air Transport Wing  & 322nd Air Division working in personnel.

BARBOUR, Paul
@ Chas:  1965-1967 
322nd Air Division Command Post
Big Bear, CA &  Las Vegas, NV

6-11/2006 Some of my fondest memories are of Chas. Being one of the very last to leave Déols in 67, I proceeded to Stuttgart, Germany to finish my tour. I then moved back to Chas and lived right on Rue de la Gare. Lived there for almost a year selling VW's. Last visit was in 04 when I toured Europe on my Valkyrie. Spent 2 weeks in Chas. and did a lot of hiking. My 23 year friendship with a French soldier from CAB (Jean Pierre Lamont) was my most memorable experience until his untimely demise. One of my favorite memories, was taking a group of Boy Scouts up to Le Mans for the races.  Here we are bringing a tire from the winning car back to hang on our wall.  I was fortunate to live off base and therefore able to meet many of the locals.  Sorry, I don't have any pictures remaining to send.  Lost over the years! I was bartender for the base NCO club, which turned out to be a godsend.  Never drank in my life because of that experience, and always had extra money to spend on the local economy.  Since I was always being (loaned out) (TDY), I never really made any lasting friendship in Chas.  Still love the beauty of France to this date.......Paul Barbour

BOKA, Al
@ Chas:  1965-1966 
 322nd Air Division Command Post
Las Vegas, NV

11/02/2002   Great memories of Châteauroux. I lived in the "Immeuble Gambetta" in the center of town and not far from Joe's place. Great souvenirs of strolls between the apartment along rue de la gare...the grey volkswagen, etc.  I return every now and then to France but not yet to Châteauroux. I am organizer and director of the Las Vegas Marathon and do attract many French marathoners to my event.

[jpnote:  9-2005 Chicago-based Devine Racing bought the Las Vegas International Marathon last year from Al Boka, who directed it for 23 years.] 

DONATO, Marty  
@ Chas 63 - 65
1602 Air Transport Wing  & 322nd Air Division Supply
Denver, Colorado

GILBERTSON, DuWayne, Jr 
322nd Air Division
Ada, MN

1-21-08  Searching for:  Pat Alburtus, (located on another website - jp emailed in 2004 & again in 2008 - no reply)  Al Rovner, Jim Logan

[1-23-08  jpnote:  DuWayne - see Marty Donato's entry above.  JP emld DuWayne re Pat Alburtus - no replies.]

1-5-06  Was not at Chas; went to 322AD upon their arrival at High Wycombe.   I remember how much they talked about Chas and still I use a French word now and again I picked up from my fellow airmen.  Searching for Chas guys that transferred to High Wycombe.

MAYNARD, Mike   
@ Chas: 3/65-5/66
322nd Air Division Hq
Pembroke Pines, FL.
08/05/2000 Comments:  What a surprise! First time in over 34 years that I  hear from anyone who was stationed @ Châteauroux!  I was at the station from March 1965 to April/May 1966.  Assigned to the 322nd Air Division HDQ. After so many years the memories start to fade but I recall some of my best experiences in the USAF while being at Châteauroux.  Of course the Airman's club, the deli? (some type of restaurant/cafeteria) [jpnote:  aka The Snack Bar] where I would get coffee and read the "Stars&Stripes".   The movie theater...the post office where I went at least two times everyday looking for a letter from home. The town of Châteauroux was great...can't remember the bar downtown but I remember you went down some stairs into a "basement like" setting.  [jpnote:  That was Joe From Maine's place.  Still there - Joe still alive - see his page elsewhere on this website!] The restaurant in a hotel across the street from the train station was very nice. {jpnote:  That was Le Faison - still there! - but not so nice anymore]  I still have some pictures of an airshow that was held at Déols (C-124/C-130/C-117)  I hope more vets find this page and log in a note!  I will visit this web page often..thanks!

 New Recruit -  1965-66 just before leaving for High Wycombe.  This barracks faced some of the most beautiful country side (farm land) in central France. I was 18.

 10/12/2000  Comments:  Would anyone have a map of the base (CHAS)?  I was there in 1965 to 1966. After 34 years I only can remember where some of the more important buildings were located ...like the Airman's club, the gym and the barracks where I lived for about 18 months.  The 322nd HQ bldg was between the airman's club and the barracks...life was so simple when you  were 18-19?? Work, mess hall, club...the bunk!

02/06/2001   I visit this site often hoping to see names of  friends who were stationed in Châteauroux with from 1965-66. I was with the 322nd AD that eventually move to High Wycombe. I have found one friend...Otto Sprossel (actually we have kept in contact over the last 33 years). He was my immediate supervisor while at Wycombe and it has been, as it was back in 1966-68, a priviledge and a real pleasure to meet someone like Otto. Working for and with him in the 322nd was one of the great times in my life. This web site brings back many great memories....I'll try to share some of them with other guests  to this site.  I  have particularly fond memories about some of the little  French villages that were scattered in the countryside around Châteauroux. Some so small that there was only a restaurant and a few farms. The restaurants were always outstanding for the food, value and service. Of course we all know about the wine!! There was one particular town that I remember....Blois!  It was on a river and I could buy wine in the grocery store for .25 a bottle.  I also remember a town called Buzancais  .Many trips to Paris via Orleans..great rides in a small VW bug with three other GIs.  Always stayed in a hotel on the Left Bank in Montparnesse...I'll have to dig in some old papers to find the name of the hotel...but many US Air Force guys stayed there because the price was right and they were very nice to us!

MCLAUGHLIN, Major General Burl L. (Retired August 1, 1971) - (Info)

In March 1966 he went to Châteauroux Air Station, France, as commander of the 322nd Air Division (Military Airlift Command), single manager of airlift in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia as far east as Calcutta, India. During August 1966 the 322nd Air Division moved to High Wycombe Air Station, England, under Operation FRELOC, relocation of U.S. Forces in France.