These American military bases are right out of ‘Game of Thrones’

May 13, 2021 6:38 AM PDT

1 minute read

SUMMARY

The HBO series “Game of Thrones” (or GoT for short) is based in the mythical world of Westeros and Essos, continents of the Known World. Westeros is where most of the storylines in the show take place. The continent of Westeros is broken down into…

The HBO series "Game of Thrones" (or GoT for short) is based in the mythical world of Westeros and Essos, continents of the Known World. Westeros is where most of the storylines in the show take place. The continent of Westeros is broken down into Seven Kingdoms made up of nine regions: The North, The Iron Islands, The Riverlands, The Vale of Arryn, The Westerlands, The Reach, The Stormlands, The Crownlands (King's Landing), and Dorne.

The Known World... in Game of Thrones, anyway.

Essos is located east of Westeros and separated by the Narrow Sea. Each location has its own unique geography and culture.

Many U.S. military bases, located both domestically and overseas, have similarities to the fantasy world of GoT. Here is a list of military bases that could parallel them:

Fort Drum, NY (Castle Black and The North)

A 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) Soldier uses snowshoes to charge up a hill during a portion of the Mountain Winter Challenge competition, held Jan. 28-30, 2014, at Fort Drum, N.Y. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joel Pena)

Just like The North in GoT, the winters at Fort Drum are cold and harsh. Along with the large amounts of snow each year, Fort Drum, home of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division, is located near the Canadian border.

For those familiar with the show, Castle Black, located on the Wall, is the headquarters of the Night's Watch, a military order charged to guard the Wall that separates Westeros from creatures who are Beyond the Wall such as the White Walkers. Although we hope our Canadian neighbors don't turn into mythological undead ice creatures anytime soon, one thing is for sure with the North and Fort Drum: "Winter is coming."

Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan (The Vale of Arryn)

A C-17 Globemaster III takes off into the mountains Oct. 23, 2014, at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. Since 2006, the annual airfield traffic count has increased from 143,705 to 333,610 as the support for Operation Enduring Freedom nears its end. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Evelyn Chavez)

The Vale of Arryn is home to the Mountains of the Moon, a large mountain range with some of the tallest peaks in all of Westeros. Bagram Air Base is located surrounded by impressive snow-capped mountains ranging as high as 25,000 feet.

In GoT, the Mountains of the Moon are also home to mountain clans who reject and resist the House Arryn (the governing body in Vale). Sounds familiar.

Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska (The Riverlands)

(U.S. Air Force Photo by Josh Plueger)

The Riverlands is a fertile region known as the Kingdom of the rivers and the hills. It's located in the center of the continent.

Offutt Air Force Base, home to the 55th Wing, is sandwiched between the Missouri and Platte Rivers in the rolling hills of southeastern Nebraska. The base is smack dab in the middle of the Continental U.S. Both regions may be prone to flooding.

The Pentagon (King's Landing)

King's Landing is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, and the site of the Iron Throne, where the King sits. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the Department of Defense, and it probably has some very impressive office chairs. Both places wield great power and can at times be ruthless. Just seems logical.

Fort Knox, KY (The Westerlands)

Westerlands is rich in gold with mountain ranges and home to the port of Lannisport. Although Fort Knox does not have the exact geographic characteristics of The Westerlands, Knox does have plenty of gold being the home of the Knox US Bullion Depository used to store the U.S. gold reserves.

West Point (Old Town)

Old Town located in a region called the Reach is the oldest city in the Seven Kingdoms. West Point is the oldest active military installation founded in 1802, and home to the U.S. Military Academy, the nation's oldest military service academy.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (The Iron Islands)

The Iron Islands is a group of seven rocky islands off the Western coast of Westeros. Despite being the smallest region in the Seven Kingdoms, the people of the islands enjoy great mobility due to their ships and superb naval skills.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is located in Hawaii and is the only U.S. state comprised of islands just like The Iron Islands. The base is a strategic location for operations in the Pacific theater and serves as shore side support to surface ships and submarines for the U.S. Navy Fleet.

National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA (Dorne)

New York Army National Guard Soldiers prepare to enter a mock village Oct. 9, 2011, during training at the National Training Center. (U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg)

Dorne is a vast desert land isolated from the rest of Westeros. The NTC, located in the Mojave Desert, is much like Dorne because it is very far from large populated areas.

Military personnel who rotate through NTC feel they are in the middle of nowhere, much like the people of Dorne they feel isolated from the Seven Kingdoms.

Camp Pendleton, California (Vaes Dothrak)

U.S. Marines dangle from a UH-1Y Huey helicopter at Camp Margarita on Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 11, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Grant T. Walker

Located in the Essos continent, Vaes Dothrak is a warm land ruled by a fierce tribe of warriors called the Dothraki. Camp Pendleton, located near San Diego, is home to the famed I Marine Expeditionary Force. Both forces need to rely on a great fleet to cross large bodies of water.

Join the discussion at WATM's Facebook page to add any ones we left off this list.

Follow Alex Licea on Twitter @alexlicea82