--- title: "8 haunting photos from an abandoned Air Force Base" description: "One acronym drives generals, congressmen, and entire communities to the edge of panic: BRAC. One abandoned base illustrates why." date: "2022-10-04" modified: "2023-09-29" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/lists/chanute-air-force-base/" categories: - "Air Force" - "Cold War" - "History" - "War History" --- # 8 haunting photos from an abandoned Air Force Base ![abandoned air force base]() There is one acronym no commander wants to hear. The very hint of this process-who-must-not-be-named drives generals, congressmen, and entire communities to the edge of panic: BRAC. One abandoned Air Force base illustrates why. The Base Realignment and Closure process started in 1988 as a way to streamline the post-Cold War U.S. military for more efficient and cost-effective defense planning. The commission recommends moving certain military functions to other installations to clear the way to completely closing military bases worldwide. Chanute [Air Force Base](), Illinois was among the first to go in 1993. ![chanute air force base]() Opened in Rantoul, Illinois in 1917 to train pilots flying in World War I, Chanute would become a major training center for pilots and support personnel for 75 years. Today, some of the buildings are repurposed and privately owned but many are left empty and deteriorating, untouched for decades. https://player.vimeo.com/video/94426681?byline=0portrait=0 Enter [Walter Arnold](), an North Carolina-based, self-taught fine art photographer and his project "[The Art of ]()[Abandonment]()." In this series, he strives to create nontraditional images and scenes in forgotten, historic places many people will never see. ![phone on desk]() "These abandoned buildings and locations speak volumes when you enter them, even in their abandoned and decaying state," Arnold told WATM. "Every room you look into tells a story and every artifact from a bygone era holds years of meaning and lost purpose." ![unit logo]() While he usually gets permission to access abandoned sites, he did not get such permission to get into Chanute. With the help of his brother, he found his way onto the base, braving a rapidly decaying infrastructure, asbestos and rumors of Agent Orange contamination. ![abandoned air force base great room]() *Interior of White Hall* "Of all the locations that I have showcases online, Chanute has had the most response," Arnold said. "So many people passed through those hallways and classrooms and so many have connections and memories with this location." ![abandoned air force base mural]() "It's my job to create evocative scenes that tell stories and stir emotions and I think these images from Chanute really do just that. There's a melancholy aspect to my work and a lot of times the same people who see the sadness and shame in letting a building get to this state also see the beauty of what remains and the stories they still hold." ![abandoned air force base roof]() ![abandoned air force base stairs]() ![abandoned air force base wall]() ![abandoned air force base hallway]() All photos are used with permission from Walter Arnold. To see more of Chanute AFB or the Art of Abandonment, visit Arnold's site, [The Digital Mirage](). ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()