LAON THEN AND NOW
with the precious help of Glen BRADY (1953), Bill
O'Brien - Mr B., Elmer PEARCE (1963),
Jeff MADDOX (1965-2000)
The hill like it appeared in 1953 to those who were going to climb the stairs.
One usually preferred seeing the stairs from this viewpoint !...
The american tent area when they arrived at the Base of Couvron...
...had its "military look" a little later.
Bathroom fire, cause of a stove pipe getting red hot. A lot of tents also went up in fire, because of the stove pipe's, but none got hurt.
Many of the ancients of the AFB kept very good memories from their staying in Laon area.
The main street of Couvron...
and the Ardon Gate of Laon did not change a lot.
Raymond MORY, of the french personnels, worked ont he AFB from 1952 to 1967 (here
in 54)
For those that had cars at the barracks.
The Base PX: Where to buy different things, cigarettes, candy, etc
Fubar :this plane took the americans to Cannes, France for R&R (Rest &
Recreation).
In 1963, a new housing built near the GRH...
Since, trees grew up around the old people's home.
The sight on the park of the train station changed
since a new buses and "POMA" station was built.
But the face of Carnot Avenue
did not change a lot since 1963.
From the down end of the stairs
one has still the same sight...
looking up the hill...
...on condition not to want to take a picture of
the Cathedral !
On Lyon Boulevard, then...
...there were less cars on the sidewalks.
The park, in front of then "Normandy",
filled itself, too.
The old rack rail tramway
let place to the "POMA".
The Châtelaine street
is always decorated for Christmas.
Ardon Suburb
is still the same.
But between Ardon and Laon
new districts appeared on the left and on the right.
Blair Maddox in 1965 down the stairs
and in 2000 at the same place.