Spain, Any Americans remember Royal Oaks or Torrejon? (civilian, retirement, cost)

[frankie_1951]

Originally Posted by Bob Brusa

Lived in Royal Oaks from 1959 to 1963. 5th through 8th grades. Little league and my dad coached the allstar team. Love to hear more about that era. Bob

Hey Bob, you're about a year older than me. I had Mr. Oscal as my baseball coach, I was on the Picadores then went up to the Spartans. I was there '60-'63...202D. We had friends, the Navagato brothers...Fred and Pat. I think Fred would be about your age.

[Steveq]

Lived in Royal oaks 68-72. I was 8-12 years old and I still consider some of the happiest days of my life. We had a view of Madrid, fields to tramp through all day, baseball, peepas, and a ton of friends. My best story was I actually got kidnapped (kinda) by Gypsy's. Me and three of my friends decided to raid an apple orchard and get some apples. There were three of us in a tree and one for look out. The look out didn't work so good because a Gypsy caught us. He said he was being paid to look out for the orchard. He said we would get in big trouble if we didn't go back to his camp. Remember the Gypsy camps. Their kids killed us at soccer. Anyway, once we arrived at the camp, he said two of you will stay here and two of you will go and bring back 300 pesetas. He said he would not let our friends go and to not tell anyone. We were so scared both our mom's caught us and made us tell. They called the Guardia Civil and the parents of the two other kids went to the camp. As I heard it tell, the Guardia Civil asked where the American boys were and who was responsible. The Guardia Civil butted the guy with their gun and told the Americans to leave. We boys never found out what happened next. True story.

[Steveq]

Originally Posted by stbbyblue

Devil's cliff, was my first hiking experience, I think about the poppy field and how pretty it was. Your last post reminded me of Peepe and the candy truck and lets not forget the pie guy who gave us free pies for our birthday. My mom and I often spoke of how the four years there were the best years. I feel sad sometimes when I think that so many people never got to experience the freedom we did there.

So appropriate. The freedom to be a kid. When I tell my kids and their parents that my parents would let us get on a bus and go downtown Madrid and spend the day and we were only 10, wow.

[defann03]

lived in royal oaks from 61 to 64. lived in 146-a. loved going to the pool,played on the warriors baseball team,played in the trenches, saw my first beatles movie there,fell in love the first time(she didn't know).really had a good time there.don't know if it is still there.would love to go back.

[Happytravelers]

How wonderful to see all these posts from former Royal Oaks residents! My family was stationed at Torrejon from 1967-1969 and we also lived in Royal Oaks. It was a life-changing experience that feels like yesterday. I was so young but the memories are vivid; the smells, sights, sounds... I was only in kindergarten and 1st grade but probably knew some of you. We lived at the edge of the compound as you headed towards the gypsy village - spark any memories? Anyone remember the theater when Planet of the Apes was released? My Dad was one of many who had to stand in the back for the entire movie! What fond memories!

[Dadarby]

Originally Posted by gbp444

anyone play baseball at royal oaks about 65 -68

Indeed. In the majors. Played with the Trojans and was part of the team that went to Frankfurt Germany to try and qualify to go to Williamsport for the Little Keague World Series. We got beat the first game by some kid who had a roundhouse curveball that we could not hit. He tossed a perfect game. One and done. I want to say 1966/1967. I was a catcher and pitcher mostly. The coaches son was the other pitcher. Remember hitting 3 homers in one game a bouncing one off the centerfield scoreboard.

I remember Daryl Jorgenson plated for the Rebels. He was a lefty and had a wicked fastball. Ran into him in 1968 in Tucson, AZ, after we relocated. Also I remember Henry Marshall, a kid who was a stud, played for the team with green colors. Can't remember the name. He went on to a big career in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. I remember watching a football game in the 70s, late 70s I think it was, and up pops a picture and the announcer mentioning it was Henry Marshall. I sort of freaked out, I said to the person I was watching the game with, I played Little League baseball with that guy in Spain.

So many other memories of living in RO. Playing organized basketball in the gym. I played for the Owls one year, and the Squids another. With the Owls we were really really awful. With the Squids we were a little better. I remember hating, a team called the Royals, red uniforms. They seemed to have all the really good players. I remember one kid I think his name was Whitey Kilgore, his dad was a colonel. I really hated those guys, they always beat this snot out of us.

I remember playing tackle football on the outfield of the baseball field. With the older kids, with no pads or helmets. That was a whole lot of fun.

Also remember the french fries in the cellophane bags we would buy I think for $.10 at that food place across from the gym.

Buying and smoking Viceroy cigarettes. Sewer hopping. Hiking to what was described to us as a bombed out monestary from the Spanish Civil war. Driving to school sometimes with my dad in the early morning, he was the base golf course superintendent, and listening to Radio Caroline. I heard The Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" for the first time. One particular other song burned into my memory was a version of "Stepping Stone" by a band called "The Flys".

A friend by the name of Albert who had an older brother called "Pooch" and drove a motorcycle. Late night seeing the "Guardia" walking in pairs through RO with what I was told were machine guns under their capes. Nobody messed around much in Franco's Spain.

Also riding horses up at the stables. One horse I remember was a paint or pinto, his name was Apache. I remember this horse had a particularly nasty disposition and liked to bite.

I also remember getting drunk for the very first time with a kid by the name of James Shirette. Not sure on the last name spelling. I think i was 13/14 at the time. We drank really cheap wine. I got so sick. He shared my love for all things rock 'n' roll. He had one of those Sears Silvertone guitar and amp packages that we used to play all the time.

I had my first three teenage crushes there. One young lady by the name of Bernadette Hohl. She had a bunch (10 I think) of brothers and sisters. A second young lady Candy Kendall, met her at the swimming pool. I remember hanging out at her house and listening to the song "Lies" by the Knickerbockers. She lived across the street. She had a brother named Ray. I think we lived in #219 or 222 and she lived in 206.. A third, had a twin sister. Can't remember the names. I want to say one was a Carol but not sure after 50 years. I do remember going to the movies with her once in Madrid, and saw "Fantastic Voyage".

So many memories. Dances at the teen club on base and the bus rides home on those blue bird uses. Who got lucky ad paired up and tried to sit in the back. Telling the driver to take the long way through RO so we could some extra time. Taking the luxury tour buses to and from school on base every day, and what girls we would try and sit near or next to. Going to downtown Madrid to the guitar store it was called Lecturiaga. We would catch a taxi at the front gates to some plaza, can't remember the name, and take the Metro to the store. Getting a Hofner 12 string there. Learning to play the guitar from a Kingston Trio album that had chord diagrams and lyrics.

Playing softball during recess and lunch at the junior high. Beating the high school kids as an 8th grader in intramural football. Big game, everyone was there. I think I scored a touchdown, might have been the winner. Playing basketball at the junior high on base on the concrete basketball courts with that really short PE teacher I thought was kind of goofy. I was 13 what did iWatching Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II, and the Ali/Floyd Patterson fight on 16mm film as part of PE.

When we lost the H-bombs when the B-52 and KC-135 collided in the med. the base was a ghost town for awhile. The Vietnam war. The Middle East 6 day war in 1967, heightened tensions.

Playing golf, a lot on base. Dad was the superintendent. The best French fries ever at the golf course grill. Hearing Sgt Pepper for the first time in '67 and buying the album for $2.50 at the PX.

I am sure I will think of more now that the juices are flowing.

[LindaJG]

Hello everyone,

I happened upon this while searching for information of the fate of Torrejon Air Base. I went to Royal Oaks only once, to a football game ( American football) but I was part of Torrejon family of service personnel in 1970; then we were sent to Holloman AFB in New Mexico where I learned to drive, then I grew up, but I loved living in España. I went back to Madrd in 1979 but I had no military connection and I missed it. Madrid is a great city with loads of things to do anyway.

Thank you for the memories

Love to all

[Derek Hill]

1975-1979, what a great experience. I remember the fruit man driving an old green 59 Chevy pickup with a tarp on the back, us kids used to buy gum balls from him for like 5 Pesetas apiece. The gum balls came in paper wrapped like a cone.
Now I know some of you remember that, it's funny how you can remember details from a "long time" ago.
Also, we used to go to the dump and garbage pick, the gypsies ran around with a donkey and a cart. We were kinda scared of them but they were nice. As with the above post, yes we went sewer hopping too, but if you ever fell into that concrete flume, you were going to stink to high heaven! Y'all have a good one!

[Deneze]

I, too remember Royal Oaks with fondness. I knew Torrejon had closed but was unaware Royal Oaks was demolished. My husband was in the military and we lived in Royal Oaks from 1976-1978, prior to that we lived in Alcala de Henares. I did volunteer work on base in the Flight Surgeons Office as well as in the Orthopedics Dept. Very fond memories. I also had a son born there in 1977.
I had totally forgotten of the white letters on the hill until you mentioned it! Sure takes me back.
I once did a Corelle Ware commercial, we were all paid $50, no royalties. It was a fun day. Most everything about our time in Spain was fun; such a wonderful experience.

Originally Posted by jichy

I was trying to see my old residence in Royal Oaks on Google Street view when I learned Torrejon AFB closed in the 90s and Royal Oaks was demolished! I was bummed out about that and looking for more when I came across this Memory site. I am amazed to learn how many other people have such fond memories of living in the Roaks. We lived in Madrid when we first got there and I remember we had rats in the bathroom and I played with the Spanish children with no language barriers ever getting in the way. We played Cops and Robbers with them as well and somehow we were always the cops... We moved to unit 31C and lived there from 1967 to 1970. I was in Ms. Hartzog's 3rd grade class in 1968 like Jerry and wonder if he remembers me. I wish I could remember a lot of names like so many of you but am limited. I remember we, my brothers and I, hung out with the Shetterlys. There was Erin, Kiko, Joe and about five more. They lived in La Moraleja and were children of an embassy employee. I often think of the huge pool that I got to swim on the swim team in and went to every day of summer. To this day I love swimming pools and think of it every time I enjoy a nice one. Remember the baby pool how it was a gorgeous piece of landscaping as well? I used to get to go some of the dances though I was too young because my mom would chaperone. "I'm So Dizzy"- "Yummy Yummy Yummy I got love in my tummy" "Jam up and jelly tight" on and on. The music of the era was one of the best things. And yes I remember the Candy Man with his huge satchel and the peddler in the caravan. Peepas and cases of drinks delivered weekly. I have spoken often of Sewer Hopping with no response showing any kind of understanding of how fun it was. No one else on earth has ever heard of it! Because of the great skill learned by my brothers I escaped a gypsy who chased me through the woods. I was able to cross one sewer that he did not attempt and when I reached the playground at the elementary school and looked back he was returning to where he came from! I just brought that story up to my husband a couple of days ago exclaiming how different my life would be if I had been captured. crazy... My siblings are all older than I am- Rebecca. Suzy, Ted, Rick Sawyer. My brothers would play war with me and on their own they would throw rocks at street lights and get in trouble with the Spanish guardia. They peed in bottles and tried to get people to believe it was wine. We used to ring doorbells and run. Our phone number was 743-- "La Moraleja-- diga me!" And the wonderful, sunny days running through the fields I will never forget. There was a hill with white letters on it-- anyone remember? Beautiful spot. The cathedrals and the Royal Palace. Yes, I am reminded of Spain often. So many things take me back and I had realized long ago that I look back on that time more then I refer to any other time and place in my life. I remember the iguanas we would put in the metal trash barrels to startle the next person to open it. I remember the Rastro and Navacerrada. I live in southern Wyoming and it gets cold and can be very hot and dry in the summer as well which somehow reminds me of climate of Spain. Even some of the landscape and the plateaus bring me back.

[Deneze]

We moved to Torrejon AB in 1975, came from Clovis AFB in New Mexico.....hello neighbor!