Camp New Amsterdam

In 1954 a part of Soesterberg Air Base, on the north side, was assigned to the Americans and became the home of the 32nd Squadron (later became a Group), of the United States Air Force (USAF). This side of the base received the name Camp New Amsterdam (CNA) as a reminder to the first Dutch colony in America, New Amsterdam, presently known as New York.

The gate on the north side of the base was manned by the American USAF Security Police and the Dutch Security Forces. When entering the base, the first sign you saw was, "Welcome to Camp New Amsterdam Home of the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron Soesterberg Air Base". In the eighties, the sign was changed to read, "United States Air Force Camp New Amsterdam, Soesterberg Air Base".

Upon entering the main gate, if you followed the road in the direction of the fire brigade gate (back gate), you came upon several (military) buildings such as the transportation building, maintenance hangars, POL, bowling alley, audio visual, high school and base supply. Behind the aircraft hangars were the operations and maintenance area (TABVEE and ZULU). Next to the TABVEE was the baseball field and pavilion. From that spot you had a good view over the base, on the left the squadron its other restricted area were aircraft were housed. The so named 3rd Generation area (also know as Mid West). And to the other side the Dutch part of the base. On the Dutch side was also the squadron its ammunition depot located.

After entering the base, if you turned left after the bend, you drove into the centre of CNA. There you could find the Base Headquarters, services, bank, post office, Security Police, library, NCO club, O'Club, clinic's and several other facilities. Beside the many military buildings, there were facilities that had a clear social character. One such building was the Base Chapel. The chapel seated 150 persons and catered to several religions, from Roman Catholic to Judaism. Aside their work, many of the military personnel and spouses had many social activities to choose from. Such as, the church choir, Airman/NCO or Officers clubs, audio, rod & gun club or spent hours in the auto hobby shop. Another leisure activity was of course practicing a sport. The base was equipped with a baseball field, so it had its own baseball teams and even played against Dutch teams. In the mid eighties, a football field constructed, and over the years played several games against other USAFE teams.

Besides the main base at Soesterberg, the squadron/group had at their disposal the Walaardt Sacré Camp (WS Camp) and a portion of Camp van Zeist. WS Camp was located in the town of Huis ter Heide and housed the dormitories, BX, Gym and recreation centre. Also the Security Police K-9 kennels along with SP investigations were located at the main entrance. Camp van Zeist was just outside the town of Soesterberg. In the early eighties the commissary was located on the Dutch side of the main base Soesterberg, but later moved to a new facility on Camp van Zeist. In the late eighties, a new medical/dental clinic and elementary school were built on Camp van Zeist.

The child care centre and the schools were situated on base too. In the early years, the students bussed to schools in The Hague or Brunssum, but from the seventies the base provided their own facilities. In 1977 to support the increase of the American families, the USAF leased 190 two, three and four bedroom Apollo housing units in the village of Soesterberg. Later the residential area increased with the quarters Mercury and Gemini.

In the nineties, after the departure of the Americans, the school was converted into a courthouse and the clinic into a prison for the Lockerbie trial. Under treaty with the Dutch the area was considered Scottish territory and guarded by Scottish policemen as long as the trial was in progress. On January 31, 2001, thirteen years after the bombing of Pan Am flight 103, the Scottish court of law passed their judgment. After the trial, the Scottish court of law was disbanded and the terrain is returned back to the Dutch government control. At present the clinic and elementary school and several other former Royal Netherlands Air Force buildings at Camp Zeist are converted into a penitentiary.

With the departure of the Wolfhounds in 1994, the Dutch reclaimed the north side of the base and rehoused several Department of Defense (DoD) units there. Some of the buildings from the early years were demolished while others were remodelled. As an example, the ZULU hangar and several shelters in both areas are used for storage. The facilities at WS Camp are now a day used by the Dutch DoD also, but soon this will end. The commissary presently being used by the Aviation Museum as storage area.