[OldMissileer]

At my Technical School in Texas there was a rash of assaults and stabbings downtown, culminating in the murder of an Airman. The city police blew off the Base Commander, a General, and basically said his personnel were not wanted so the General order every single military member and their families onto the base and locked the gates. People were billeted in the gym and some training hangers.

Three days later the Mayor was begging the General to open the base as the city was actually going out of business. I don’t think they ever found the murderer but relations with the city improved dramatically.

[Califreak]

I love that story.

Pure genius.

[pepsionice]

Something like that was done over at England AFB, La in the mid-70s as well.

[JZelle]

Something similar at Keesler AFB, MS. In the 80s.

[ScottinVA]

Was that Wichita Falls, near Sheppard, back in the late 1970s? That situation sounds familiar.

[robowombat]

When Ft. Devens was being closed and it was announced a part of the base would be used as a recycling yard the local state representative announced that he was looking forward to a better class of people being at former Ft Devens. No joke.