Visit to Fort Devens:

[Keith_Hixson]

While in Boston I drove out to Devens for a visit. Much is the same and much is different. The Old WWII barracks I first stayed in are gone and some economic group now has some business there. The more modern barracks are now fenced in and apart of the Army Reserves. The Big Buildings in the lower portion of the Fort now belong to the State of Mass. and are allowed to deteriate. Very sad site. All those who took AIT for Military Intelligence will be saddened to know that those building are in worse shape than the chapel I worked at. The Chapel I worked in for 18 months is also in a state of total disrepair. Sad.

The picture of the rusted door is the door to the wine cellar. That door went to a well insulated, little, and dark room with only that one entrance. I wonder if there is still wine there. Only the NCOIC had a key to that door. I was full of communion wine and Mogan David wines for the Jews. I had that key for one year locked safely away in my desk. No one but the chaplains and I knew were the key was located and only I had access to the key. They probably had a spare key at the headquarters but there was only one key at the building.

Keith

Attached: Some pics of the Chapel.

[HARDCORE]

Keith

I am glad that you enjoyed your trip to Ayer [Fort Devens]. I found pretty much the same thing to be true when my wife and I visited Fort Ord after not having seen the place in over 40 years. There was a liquor store where one of the front gates stood, most of the buildings were either knocked down or dilapidated and the lawns, once so neatly kempt were a mess. I even had trouble locating 5th Avenue when the chapel had once been located.

I came, I saw, it had been conquered by time and apathy. We are leaving ourselves in a position similar to the late 1930s.

Rick

[Keith_Hixson]

The still maintain the parade field. Most of the lawns were fine. The housing is being lived in and looks nice. It was just the AIT area for Military Intelligence and the Post Chapel that looked really bad.

Keith