I attend this event nearly every year with my combat veterans pals. It is a real hoot to just loiter and tell our tales of warrior days and share medication stories! The property is owned by Joe Abodeley, a retired Army Officer with 1st Air Cavalry in Vietnam and a Colonel with the Army Guard. He is also the President of the Army Museum on McDowell in Phoenix.
Too bad it is on Easter weekend this year… Jesus has some stories to tell too! Have a ton of fun men.
BASE CAMP 2010
Veterans and friends are cordially invited to attend Base Camp 2010 to be held
April 2, 3, 4 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) 2010. The purpose of Base Camp is to provide a
location for veterans and friends to assemble and share camaraderie. Live music and
entertainment is provided on Saturday night. ADMISSION IS FREE.
Base Camp is an area lined with bunker/fighting positions simulating a firebase or a
line unit’s perimeter defense camp. Military apparel and military vehicles are welcomed to
add to the ambiance. All veterans are encouraged to attend. There is a 90-foot high
flagpole with a large American flag and the Republic of South Viet Nam flag. There is also
a 35-foot high observation tower and other military type structures, water and two flush
toilets, a stage for live entertainment on Saturday, and a shooting range dug into the
ground at the base of a mountain as a backstop for target shooting. Camp out Friday and
Saturday nights. Bring your own food, beverages, drinking water, and firewood.
DIRECTIONS TO BASE CAMP
Traveling south on 1~10 from Phoenix, exit 1-10 at Wild Horse Pass. Take the first
left turn (Maricopa) to go past Firebird Lakes on your left. Proceed past the fire station on
your right to the T intersection with the stop sign. Turn right. Now you are on the road
(Highway 347) to Maricopa. Go through Maricopa, cross the Railroad tracks by the big
RR water tower and continue 2 miles to Ak Chin Casino. Highway 347 is also called John
Wayne Highway. Go 2 miles past the casino to Papago (you will see a large Santa Rosa
Cooling sign) where you turn right (west). Go west 4.5 miles on Papago until you curve left
(south) on to Warren. Go about .9 miles south on Warren until you reach Val Vista where
you turn right (west). Go west.5 miles on Val Vista through the wash and past the canal to
the first street on your left-Deer Trail. Turn left (south) onto Deer Trail, and go .5 miles
to where it Ts into Quail Run. Go right (west) on Quail Run for 1110 of a mile to the
entrance of 9014 North Wealth Road and Base Camp. The house phone number is 520-
868-6777 and my cell phone number is 602-509-8763.
SCHEDULE:
April 2-1200—Set up camp
April3–1000–US and RVN flag-raising, Betsey Bayless and other dignataries
1200–1800-0pen Time
1800– Entertainment
April 4– Break camp-go home
THERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE, FAIR RULES TO FOLLOW WHILE AT BASE CAMP.
- You WILL have fun.
- Shooting range use-SAFETY FIRST-and police all brass and ammo.
- NO ILLEGAL DRUGS.
- HOLD HANDLE DOWN until toilet flushes completely as a courtesy to others.
5. POLICE your areas of ALL TRASH and respect other people’s rights and property.
We’ll see you at Base Camp 2010. For further information, call Joe at 602-509-8762 or
602-253-2378 or 520-868-6777.