Watching this was awesome, I lived there when I was 9,10,11 years old in 1950-51-52, looked for the quarters where my family lived but didn't see, they were duplex, one-level and right at the "jungle" in the back with a huge concrete drainage ditch, probably those quarters were replaced, the base looks like it's had vast improvements since 1950.... I remember the swimming pool, taking swimming lessons there. Loved seeing this, I will watch it again and again. I like the "Alto" street signs, brings back memories. It was like paradise living there. Thank you so much for making this beautiful video.
Very Nice..! Worked at Albrook Air Force Base...Stationed at Clayton 70-71...Played in a Rock/Country Band...Mostly downtown Panama City at the Golden Key...some at the Hotel Ideal...Albrook, Rodman, Clayton...and Quarry Heights...and so on...Hated to leave It was a place I Loved...Never went back...as it changed too much...Great Video thanks a bunch...Our Band was Synthetic Atmosphere...
Enjoyed your video. My family lived next door to the Lombardi family our first year there. Our house was the 2nd from the main road and the Lombardis the 3rd.
The shot of the pool at the very end was cool. I used to go there with my momma in the late fifties. I remember it very well with a round kiddy pool and the big pool with a high dive. I want to go there again and feed the honey bears coming out of the jungle behind our house.
Thanks for sharing! You passed by my old house twice. Corner house on the left just before the tennis courts. Dad was stationed there 84-87. Had the best time of my life on that base. Used to go in the jungles surrounding, what an adventure. I painted the baseball with a friend, used to take swimming lessons at the pool.
I have lived here, driven these curves, ran these roads for the last 4 years. I'm glad my family and I have had this opportunity to explore and live in other countries outside of the U.S. Panama has been hard and easy all in the same sentence. Enjoyed watching your clip and singing along to the songs on the radio. Hold the Line is one of my favorites. Anyway, Panama has changed so much over the last several decades. Hope you enjoyed your visit.
Wow. I used to live on Albrook AFB between 1972-1976. I love that you posted driving through the main street of the residential area. We lived in the house directly across the street up the hill from the "famous Pams hairing blowing in the wind" busstop (1:25mins). It's on the street in front of the old BOQs. What great memories.
I lived at Albrook AFB in the 60s. Amazing how much it has changed. The group of quarters by the teen Club and pool was airmans barracks. I was 16, dad was an officer, (real pain in the a__ ) so I wasn't suppose to look at barracks going to pool! Sad all of that is gone now. We lived there four years.
Im panamanian born in America, and boy I miss the base when it was there. Why did you guys leave panama? I was in albrook swimming pool today reminiscin so much when you guys where here. its just not the same.
We were at Fort Clayton from around 83-87 when I was in grade school but we went to Albrook often mainly to go to the officers club to eat as Fort Clayton did not have a good officers club, would go to the pool every once in a while too and shop. I did not recognize anything until you got to the end, the officers club looked familiar, I remember they had a sit down Gallaga video game and slot machines at the officers club, the pool looked the most familiar, and I remember there was a area with several stores, a big toy/hobby store that had steps leading up to some area where they put stuffed animals all up, there was also a computer/electronics store, a small book store, I believe a small pet store, place where you bought cars, home goods store, hardware store, etc. I don't really remember venturing to the back roads/housing when we would go to Albrook, I don't even remember seeing if it had a airport/runway, I remember Quarry Heights, Fort Amador, Kobe Beach, fishing in the Panama canal and spending the day on islands you could rent, all kinds of great memories especially the wildlife like sloth, iguanas, parrots, toucans, monkeys, etc. Thank you for the video.
So Fun!! My family was there in the early 60's - during the riots. We lived there for 5 years and grew up playing in the jungle and building forts since there was only about 3 hrs TV. it truly was amazing. I learned to swim in the pool - after I almost drowned -the live guard, Carlos, insisted after he saved me. Such a fun memory lane. Joni Benton (Best Friend) and John Curcilous (sp) love of my life at age 9! Thank you
We lived there (next door to the Bentons) during the same period - we all remember Carlos so well too. What a great place to spend part of a childhood!
Susan - my maiden name is Cook. What is yours - we must have know each other since we lived directly across the street from the Bentons for, I think, almost entire time they lived there (5 years). My recollection is they lived in a stand alone single residence; we lived in a duplex. My sisters are June and Carolyn. They left about 1 year before we did and we watched their ship go through the Panama Canal and the person at the locks let me talk to Joni over the loud speaker. We caught the school bus at the bus stop down the hill and a short walk down the street. I live in Fort Worth Texas now and recently re-connected with Joni Benton
My maiden name is Taber. I am a bit older than you & Joni, but believe my sister Becky and she were friends. I'm sure she remembers you - I'll ask her. My parents were friends with the Bentons. I remember giving Andrea a bunch of Beatles records as she adored the Beatles. There were also brothers (Bobby?) who hung out with my brothers Matt & Dicky. I didn't spend time with people in the neighborhood really as my friends were older, but remember it as a wonderful time in a beautiful place. As it happens I'm taking a trip to Panama in April as I'm considering moving there for retirement - not Albrook but might want to stop & see it again.
Wow, you go away from a place for 50 years (live on Albrook from 1961 to 1964) and it turns into a nearly unrecognizable place. If your tour took you out toward the old back gate then you passed my house which was on the very last street on the right as you traveled toward the back gate. Geeze, I'm just slightly blown away!
1972-1974 we lived there awesome childhood memories I went to Diablo Elementary my brothers & sister went to Curundu. I remember building forts in the jungle, trick or treating the General's house on Halloween, .50 movies, the pool, t-ball, we would be all over the base parents had no worries it was paradise. My father passed away in 1974 and we moved to PR then eventually settled in Central Florida. Claudio was the last name my brother Eddie Claudio was a very popular kid. Miss those days!!!
That old bus stop was where we kids would catch the bus to go to school at Balboa Elem. I lived up the last street hill near the top on the left side....the top was a dead end circle with the jungle up to the street end....not sure what the name of the street was nor what my house number was but they were duplex homes with carports on the bottom next to the maids quarters stairs going up the back and front with a second story to the bedrooms....I can remember all my neighbors and friends I swam on the swim team at the pool with Carlos as the coach...swam in meets off and on several bases....great times.....saw things migrate thru there....crystal mountain, the horse stables, building tree forts in the huge trees, the dangerous drains when the monsoon rains would create those drains NO ONE in their right mind would get near...HAHA....those miserable "stickers" you had to cross over to get to the other side of a grassed area..... if you went barefooted you were stuck.... HA....Some of my old friends were Cindy H. Alayda P. Billy and Bobby F. Hilda H. the Scully's Janet C. Barbara M. Gary W. and the girl that had the white horse who lived across from the bus stop... can't remember her name....one dear friend was Paula W. who's family got me a Penny Bright doll one year for Christmas....sigh....good times and good people....was there for the student riots...our family housed a couple of families that were living off base during the threat....I'll never for get also the Nordike family and the many many skits we did for fun....camping out and catching lighting bugs to smear their lights on our skin to light up....wow....the memories are great....I remember swiming with shark nets in place so no shark would pass thru to eat us up....the wonderful beaches and shells, and tide pools and baby octopuses we could wrap around out fingers like little trinkets The Balboa club house and pool there.....MISS DE LA PENA who hated my guts for some reason.... Miss Facett who was always kind....and the thing I think I loved most....gineps...that's what we called them....THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for posting this video that reminded me of a bittersweet time in my life....LOTS of turmoil in the world at the time....but also saw and experienced amazing things....who remembers Lucho Azcarraga? How bout Spagetti night at the NCO club? I could go on and on.....Blessings to all....Keep looking up.
So nice to see this all again...yet so sad. I remember walking/riding bike throughout this entire base. The three building by the baseball field were the shoe store, toyland, ect... The tennis courts, the pool...wow the memories!
Oh Wow. I didn't look at the video all the way through the first time. You showed our house at 5: 44mins. The red one with renovations....It's not like the old White with red tiled roofs. I would love to touch base with the neighbors. We were the Edmondson's.
Hey man, appreciate the vid! You actually drove right by my house after you left the Officer's club! After you went down the hill and turned right, my house was on the left! I used to play handball on that little area at 12:51. My Dad was a DJ at that club as well as the NCO club on Howard from 83 to 89! We also got shot at at the street where the Church is at during the the invasion. Once again thanks for the vid!
Nice Video Chip.... Just happened upon this after a few years. Can't believe you remember my hair blowing in the wind - I guess it made a lasting impression on you. And no, it wasn't at that bus-stop.
Oh, I should have waited till the end of the video,lol. I used to LIVE at the Youth Center! Bowling mini arcade AND a Shopette? And the Baseball/Soccer field right across the parking lot? Why stay home?! lol
Well, "veteranfw", the video was intended for people, like myself, who had not seen the Canal Zone since the 1970's. I am NOT a professional tour guide. But since you are, you are welcome to give it a shot. BTW, all my friends loved it. Shut the f**k up.
Well, Mr. "veteranfw", the video was intended for people, like myself, who had not seen the Canal Zone since the 1970's. I am NOT a professional tour guide. But since you are, you are welcome to give it a shot. BTW, all my friends loved it. Shut the f**k up.
Watching this was awesome, I lived there when I was 9,10,11 years old in 1950-51-52, looked for the quarters where my family lived but didn't see, they were duplex, one-level and right at the "jungle" in the back with a huge concrete drainage ditch, probably those quarters were replaced, the base looks like it's had vast improvements since 1950.... I remember the swimming pool, taking swimming lessons there. Loved seeing this, I will watch it again and again. I like the "Alto" street signs, brings back memories. It was like paradise living there. Thank you so much for making this beautiful video.
Very Nice..! Worked at Albrook Air Force Base...Stationed at Clayton 70-71...Played in a Rock/Country Band...Mostly downtown Panama City at the Golden Key...some at the Hotel Ideal...Albrook, Rodman, Clayton...and Quarry Heights...and so on...Hated to leave
It was a place I Loved...Never went back...as it changed too much...Great Video thanks a bunch...Our Band was Synthetic Atmosphere...
Thank you so much for this post! You drove right by the house we lived in from 1958-1962.
Enjoyed your video. My family lived next door to the Lombardi family our first year there. Our house was the 2nd from the main road and the Lombardis the 3rd.
Thanks for the video! You drove right by my old house too (formerly Clark St) and it was great to have that flashback.
The shot of the pool at the very end was cool. I used to go there with my momma in the late fifties. I remember it very well with a round kiddy pool and the big pool with a high dive. I want to go there again and feed the honey bears coming out of the jungle behind our house.
Thank you Mr. Talton for posting this vid, I was Army 1987-1989, Fort Clayton but stil loved going to Albrook!
Thanks for sharing! You passed by my old house twice. Corner house on the left just before the tennis courts. Dad was stationed there 84-87. Had the best time of my life on that base. Used to go in the jungles surrounding, what an adventure. I painted the baseball with a friend, used to take swimming lessons at the pool.
I have lived here, driven these curves, ran these roads for the last 4 years. I'm glad my family and I have had this opportunity to explore and live in other countries outside of the U.S. Panama has been hard and easy all in the same sentence. Enjoyed watching your clip and singing along to the songs on the radio. Hold the Line is one of my favorites. Anyway, Panama has changed so much over the last several decades. Hope you enjoyed your visit.
Wow. I used to live on Albrook AFB between 1972-1976. I love that you posted driving through the main street of the residential area. We lived in the house directly across the street up the hill from the "famous Pams hairing blowing in the wind" busstop (1:25mins). It's on the street in front of the old BOQs. What great memories.
I lived at Albrook AFB in the 60s. Amazing how much it has changed. The group of quarters by the teen Club and pool was airmans barracks. I was 16, dad was an officer, (real pain in the a__ ) so I wasn't suppose to look at barracks going to pool! Sad all of that is gone now. We lived there four years.
Cool video. I was stationed at Howard but attended Airman Leadership School on Albrook in '97. Video brings back lots of memories.
Im panamanian born in America, and boy I miss the base when it was there. Why did you guys leave panama? I was in albrook swimming pool today reminiscin so much when you guys where here. its just not the same.
We were at Fort Clayton from around 83-87 when I was in grade school but we went to Albrook often mainly to go to the officers club to eat as Fort Clayton did not have a good officers club, would go to the pool every once in a while too and shop. I did not recognize anything until you got to the end, the officers club looked familiar, I remember they had a sit down Gallaga video game and slot machines at the officers club, the pool looked the most familiar, and I remember there was a area with several stores, a big toy/hobby store that had steps leading up to some area where they put stuffed animals all up, there was also a computer/electronics store, a small book store, I believe a small pet store, place where you bought cars, home goods store, hardware store, etc. I don't really remember venturing to the back roads/housing when we would go to Albrook, I don't even remember seeing if it had a airport/runway, I remember Quarry Heights, Fort Amador, Kobe Beach, fishing in the Panama canal and spending the day on islands you could rent, all kinds of great memories especially the wildlife like sloth, iguanas, parrots, toucans, monkeys, etc. Thank you for the video.
Thank you for your video. It brings back memories from 90-91 with the US Army.
So Fun!! My family was there in the early 60's - during the riots. We lived there for 5 years and grew up playing in the jungle and building forts since there was only about 3 hrs TV. it truly was amazing. I learned to swim in the pool - after I almost drowned -the live guard, Carlos, insisted after he saved me. Such a fun memory lane. Joni Benton (Best Friend) and John Curcilous (sp) love of my life at age 9! Thank you
We lived there (next door to the Bentons) during the same period - we all remember Carlos so well too. What a great place to spend part of a childhood!
Susan - my maiden name is Cook. What is yours - we must have know each other since we lived directly across the street from the Bentons for, I think, almost entire time they lived there (5 years). My recollection is they lived in a stand alone single residence; we lived in a duplex. My sisters are June and Carolyn. They left about 1 year before we did and we watched their ship go through the Panama Canal and the person at the locks let me talk to Joni over the loud speaker. We caught the school bus at the bus stop down the hill and a short walk down the street. I live in Fort Worth Texas now and recently re-connected with Joni Benton
My maiden name is Taber. I am a bit older than you & Joni, but believe my sister Becky and she were friends. I'm sure she remembers you - I'll ask her. My parents were friends with the Bentons. I remember giving Andrea a bunch of Beatles records as she adored the Beatles. There were also brothers (Bobby?) who hung out with my brothers Matt & Dicky. I didn't spend time with people in the neighborhood really as my friends were older, but remember it as a wonderful time in a beautiful place. As it happens I'm taking a trip to Panama in April as I'm considering moving there for retirement - not Albrook but might want to stop & see it again.
Cindy Boling I remember Carlos. Jake was the other lifeguard. I lived in the flats
My name is Gary wangberg we lived in the flats on albrook 1974-76. What a place! Miss everything about it!
Wow, you go away from a place for 50 years (live on Albrook from 1961 to 1964) and it turns into a nearly unrecognizable place. If your tour took you out toward the old back gate then you passed my house which was on the very last street on the right as you traveled toward the back gate. Geeze, I'm just slightly blown away!
1972-1974 we lived there awesome childhood memories I went to Diablo Elementary my brothers & sister went to Curundu. I remember building forts in the jungle, trick or treating the General's house on Halloween, .50 movies, the pool, t-ball, we would be all over the base parents had no worries it was paradise. My father passed away in 1974 and we moved to PR then eventually settled in Central Florida. Claudio was the last name my brother Eddie Claudio was a very popular kid. Miss those days!!!
That old bus stop was where we kids would catch the bus to go to school at Balboa Elem. I lived up the last street hill near the top on the left side....the top was a dead end circle with the jungle up
to the street end....not sure what the name of the street was nor what my house number was but
they were duplex homes with carports on the bottom next to the maids quarters stairs going up the back and front with a second story to the bedrooms....I can remember all my neighbors and friends I swam on the swim team at the pool with Carlos as the coach...swam in meets off and on several bases....great times.....saw things migrate thru there....crystal mountain, the horse stables, building tree forts in the huge trees, the dangerous drains when the monsoon rains would create those
drains NO ONE in their right mind would get near...HAHA....those miserable "stickers" you had to
cross over to get to the other side of a grassed area..... if you went barefooted you were stuck....
HA....Some of my old friends were Cindy H. Alayda P. Billy and Bobby F. Hilda H. the Scully's Janet C. Barbara M. Gary W. and the girl that had the white horse who lived across from the bus stop...
can't remember her name....one dear friend was Paula W. who's family got me a Penny Bright doll
one year for Christmas....sigh....good times and good people....was there for the student riots...our
family housed a couple of families that were living off base during the threat....I'll never for get also the Nordike family and the many many skits we did for fun....camping out and catching lighting
bugs to smear their lights on our skin to light up....wow....the memories are great....I remember
swiming with shark nets in place so no shark would pass thru to eat us up....the wonderful beaches and shells, and tide pools and baby octopuses we could wrap around out fingers like little trinkets
The Balboa club house and pool there.....MISS DE LA PENA who hated my guts for some reason....
Miss Facett who was always kind....and the thing I think I loved most....gineps...that's what we
called them....THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for posting this video that reminded me of a
bittersweet time in my life....LOTS of turmoil in the world at the time....but also saw and
experienced amazing things....who remembers Lucho Azcarraga? How bout Spagetti night at the
NCO club? I could go on and on.....Blessings to all....Keep looking up.
So nice to see this all again...yet so sad. I remember walking/riding bike throughout this entire base. The three building by the baseball field were the shoe store, toyland, ect... The tennis courts, the pool...wow the memories!
My house was right across from the bus stop up the hill.
Oh Wow. I didn't look at the video all the way through the first time. You showed our house at 5: 44mins. The red one with renovations....It's not like the old White with red tiled roofs. I would love to touch base with the neighbors. We were the Edmondson's.
Wow..grew up on this base from 84-89.. we lived down in Hidden Valley "The Flats"
I used to patrol that 82-84. Thanks for the video.
Hey man, appreciate the vid! You actually drove right by my house after you left the Officer's club! After you went down the hill and turned right, my house was on the left! I used to play handball on that little area at 12:51. My Dad was a DJ at that club as well as the NCO club on Howard from 83 to 89! We also got shot at at the street where the Church is at during the the invasion. Once again thanks for the vid!
thanks, it was a nice tour, weather is very nice here in Cal, in 60's and its winter, PTL
Lived in the house (63 Evans St) from 70-74 at 1:06 into the video.
Nice Video Chip.... Just happened upon this after a few years. Can't believe you remember my hair blowing in the wind - I guess it made a lasting impression on you. And no, it wasn't at that bus-stop.
I should have known it was you Chip shooting this video. thinking of going there once we can save enough money.
14:07 While vaccination in Panamà 1996 I met my wife at the AAFES stores pool she worked there:). Great memories
i use to live at 47 house in albrook back in 1979 1983 fun times
actually our house was the one next door to the one you mentioned. The one being remodeled.
So why is 2012 part of the date? lol! Anways, this is a great video. I rode my bike all over the base as a kid. Great memories.
I lived there from 1973-1975. At 24 seconds into the video....that's my house. My dad was Major William Rios.
Is your co host Laura Wright? You said her brother Mark. If so they were childhood friends in Panama.
Oh, I should have waited till the end of the video,lol. I used to LIVE at the Youth Center! Bowling mini arcade AND a Shopette? And the Baseball/Soccer field right across the parking lot? Why stay home?! lol
I worked in CLAYTON and toured all the military bases of Colon Fort DAVIS SHERMAN COCO SOLO GORGAS HOSPITAL todo cambio que buenos tiempo
the pool is next tp the youth ceanter and shop pet use to be at
Was that not the inflatable guy they had by the train tracks? It was opposite to St Mary's elementary? I never forget a puppet. Thanks for posting.
min 1:51 was mu childhood house wow!!!!!
Was an S.P there. 3 mth. TDY. Oh man i loved it.....then went to fukn korea...
Panamanians in Panamanian territory. Like it is supposed to be
From your perspective, at least when you lived there, did you ever want to interact with Panamanian kids?
Who else, Vince? I was trying to stump you, but you figured me out!!!
It was never "American soil"....it was leased soil from the nation of Panama.
well that was unnecessarily rude and uncalled for.
Well, "veteranfw", the video was intended for people, like myself, who had not seen the Canal Zone since the 1970's. I am NOT a professional tour guide. But since you are, you are welcome to give it a shot. BTW, all my friends loved it. Shut the f**k up.
Well, Mr. "veteranfw", the video was intended for people, like myself, who had not seen the Canal Zone since the 1970's. I am NOT a professional tour guide. But since you are, you are welcome to give it a shot. BTW, all my friends loved it. Shut the f**k up.