Camp Haan, California

My Dad has often told us kids how he met John Wayne and socialized with him for about an hour during some firefighting scenes that were being shot on location at Camp Haan which is located across the highway from March Air Force Base near Riverside, California. Dad was stationed at March Air Base from 1948-1950 but can't remember the exact year of the filming. Dad drove a fire truck during the filming but doesn't know the name of the movie or whether it might have been some type of documentary. I was hoping some fan may have some information that could lead me to obtaining a copy of the film since Dad says he was told by some fellow airmen who saw the film after it was released that he was recognizable inside the fire truck. Thanks in advance to anyone who might help.

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Originally posted by SXViper@Jan 20 2005, 11:35 PM
I found the USS Cone, a Gearing class destroyer from WW2. DD-866 was the hull number.

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I'm impressed SX!! You're right on the money........USS Cone (DD-866) was my first sea duty assignment (1975-1978). I reviewed the film location sites of the several movies that were made 1948-50 and none listed Camp Haan or March Air Force Base. I'm beginning to wonder if it was an actual full length motion picture or some training film or documentary that John may have done for the military. I was hoping that a fan on this site may have been present when Dad said this happened to shed some more light......thanks so much for your response.

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Originally posted by arthurarnell@Jan 21 2005, 03:17 AM
Hi Tincan 866,

According to IMDB and Fred Landesman's book the location shots for Flying Leathernecks were shot at Camp Pendleton and the El Torno Marine Base.

I have also looked up Flying Tigers and Island in the Sky as long shots but neither of those were shot at Camp Haan.

Regards

Arthur

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Arthur, thanks for taking the time to look up the location shots. I'm beginning to get discouraged with my quest to find this film my Dad says was definitely made with John Wayne. I asked him last night if he could remember any names of guys that saw the film after it was released but he could only remember one that he was pretty sure was killed in a bar brawl. I may try one more idea I have, looking for studio archives on the web. It's a long shot. Thanks again.

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Originally posted by SXViper@Jan 23 2005, 09:44 PM
Does your dad remember if the film was B&W or color? Was there a leading lady or supporting actor he might remember? How about the types of planes, twin prop or single prop? Any little detail could possibly shed some light on this mysterious movie.

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Since Dad never saw the film, he can't provide any other details other than it took place at Camp Haan. John Wayne was in the film and they talked with one another close to an hour between filming while Dad says a camera was filming their conversation. Dad drove a firetruck during the live filming but there was no real fire. It was added later with special effects. I sent an e-mail to the sales department at Paramount Pictures but haven't received a response yet. Maybe some other ideas will come to me......thanks for your interest SX.

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Originally posted by Stumpy+Jan 24 2005, 11:21 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stumpy @ Jan 24 2005, 11:21 PM)</div>

[url=http://www.imdb.com/LocationTree?California,+USA] Here's [/url] a page that lists filming locations in California. Nowhere can I find mention of a Camp Haan. In fact, there are only a couple of films mentioned for March AFB and/or March Field in Riverside during the time frame you mention. One was the 1948 film "Command Decision" which starred Clark Gable.

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Stumpy, Thanks so much for the information. Each day I probe Dad for a little more information regarding the movie he says he was in that was filmed at Camp Haan. Today I learned that even though John Wayne was there during filming, he may not have actually been in the film. Dad says he can't be sure of that even though the two of them spent about an hour just talking during the filming. Here's another strange fact. Dad says it wasn't a month later that some of guys in his unit saw the released film "on the base." I began to wonder first of all how it would have been released so soon and secondly, why it would have been shown on the base (unless it was a special preview) prior to being released at the local theaters there in the Riverside area. It sounds an awful like something the military may have put together for military personnel to see. Dad remembered a couple of the guys names that were in his unit and where they were from. I found one of them listed in the white pages. Dad called tonight but got a recording. Hopefully it will be the person he's looking for and we can find out some more info. Thanks again.
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Originally posted by Stumpy@Jan 24 2005, 11:27 PM
According to this, Camp Haan was closed in 1946 so I think either you or your dad is a little confused about the year the movie was filmed.

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Stumpy, Dad wasn't confused about the date. He told me that the base was closed at the time which is probably why it was an ideal place to shoot the simulated firefighting scenes. Dad was stationed at March Air Force Base but they sent him and his crew across the highway to Camp Haan for the filming.

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Originally posted by SXViper@Feb 4 2005, 11:30 AM
Hey tincan866, was the film released the same year it was filmed? Maybe it has a different release date becuase they only showed the footage that was completed at the base. Then it was released after the rest of the film was finished. I know it might not be helping but these are just a few things that are rattling around in my head.

Also, maybe there is a site that shows military films and there release dates. I know this might be a long shot. But maybe somebody knows. I will try looking myself.

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Hi SX.....
Yes, Dad said the film was released for viewing on the base about three weeks after the shooting. Like you said it could be that only the footage shot on base was shown. Since dad didn't go to the base to see it, we may never know any more details. He made a phone call to one of his buddies who did see the movie but an answering machine picked up and his call hasn't been answered yet. When I located his friend on the internet, my hopes were up that we would be able to learn enough from him to obtain a copy of the film. I have a few more web sites to check out regarding military films and if I learn anything I'll let you know. Take care.