10 Allegedly Haunted Military Bases

Though there is never conclusive proof, legends and eyewitness reports overwhelmingly indicate that ghosts and entities result, most often, from violent and premature deaths. Disturbing events of the past lead to strange occurrences in the present. Many such haunted sites include mental institutions, hospitals and clinics, and of course, battlefields and military bases. With respect to this last category, reports of haunted military bases have been heard across the country, and the world. The reports range from specific individuals whose violent or tragic deaths we have corroborated reports of, to simply creepy occurrences of objects moving on their own, winds blowing with no windows open, and brief glimpses of unknown individuals that disappear in a heartbeat. There's no denying that many disturbing things have happened at military bases throughout the world, and it seems, to many, that unfortunate souls still roam the halls, rooms, and streets where they died.

Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia

Even those who don't believe in the paranormal admit that Fort Monroe is creepy at night. This place is a ghost hunter's dream, many people's nightmare, and certainly one of the most thoroughly haunted military bases in the world. Reported ghost sightings include Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis (who was briefly arrested for the assassination of Lincoln), Edgar Allen Poe, and Ulysses S. Grant. In addition to these big names, unidentified figures have also been reported, including a little girl and her grey cat, a young man with an arrogant air, and a woman in a white nightdress who was murdered by her husband after being caught in an affair. This is a good paranormal hotspot you can legally visit if you're up to the challenge.

Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan

The U.S. Air Force base in Okinawa, Japan has had numerous reports of hauntings and bizarre supernatural occurrences. There are a few implicated areas in this haunted military base, including a single-family house, Building 2283, and Gate 3, the northeast gate of the base. The paranormally active gate is a fairly straightforward haunting: Multiple people have reported being approached by a blood-covered soldier, dressed in WWII-era military clothing, asking for a light for his cigarette.

Building 2283 on the other hand seems to be a source of much paranormal activity. It's no wonder that this haunted house gets a lot of tourist traffic around Halloween with reports of wide-ranging occurrences; including, the sighting of a strange woman in the bathroom, lights and water faucets turning on and off by themselves, and the sounds of children laughing or crying when no children are around. One of the most commonly reported occurrences is the sighting of a samurai warrior—an interesting report, given that the home sits just across the street from the warrior's grave.

Fort Concho, San Angelo, Texas

A notable phenomenon regarding alleged sightings of identifiable ghosts at haunted military bases is that they generally stick close to home—that is, they are most often sighted in the places they lived and frequented. This is certainly the case at Fort Concho, where numerous people have reported sighting the ghost of Ranald MacKenzie, a renowned commander of the fort. These sightings are largely reported near Officer's Row, where he lived during his time there.

In addition to MacKenzie, visitors have allegedly seen the apparitions of numerous individuals, including George Dunbar and James Cunningham, as well as 13-year-old Edith Grierson, the daughter of military officers who died at the base.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The two-day Battle of Gettysburg is viewed as both a major turning point in the Civil War, and a terrible tragedy in which nearly 10,000 people were killed and as many as 50,000 were critically wounded or missing between the two armies. It's no wonder that such extreme bloodshed, trauma, and death would leave a lasting mark. Indeed, Gettysburg is largely considered to be one of the most haunted places in America, if not the world. Believers in the paranormal allege that the souls of as many as 10,000 soldiers have roamed the area ever since the civil war. Other reports include strange, floating lights appearing and disappearing, and even sightings of the first soldier to be killed there in the very inn where he died.

F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming

With heart-stopping shrieks and screams, spectral military patrols, and more, the F.E. Warren Air Force Base is certainly one of the most famous haunted military bases. The horrible screams that have been reportedly heard on numerous occasions are believed to be the screams of the ghost of a native woman, whose gruesome assault and murder left a permanent mark on the base. In addition, visitors and residence alike have reported seeing military patrols all around the base, dressed in uniforms you would now only see in museums—or on the ghosts of soldiers who died there, decades ago. A more humorous legend has it that many strange occurrences—drawers, doors, and cupboards opening, lights turning on and off—can be tied to the ghost of a young man named Gus, who accidentally hung himself trying to escape the enraged husband of a woman he was caught in bed with.

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Of all the haunted military bases in the U.S., Fort Leavenworth may be the most densely populated with ghosts. In fact, the base holds as many as 40 haunted buildings and haunted houses, according to residents and visitors alike. Many of these buildings and houses are actually still lived in.

One of the most famous of these hauntings is made up of 12 and 14 Sumner Place, the Rookery. The Rookery is said to house a plethora of spirits, including a young man believed to be Major Edmund Ogden. One of the families that lived at 14 Sumner Place reports hearing footsteps all night, but only in each others' rooms. In addition, the young sons in the family recall experiences in which their shoes would go missing after arguing with their mother, only to appear hours or days later in plain sight.

March Air Reserve Base, Riverside County, California

The March Air Reserve Base hospital reportedly houses the spirits of a number of children. Considering that the building used to be a children's tuberculosis clinic before it was repurposed as a dental clinic, it's certainly possible that many children died in that area. Plus, the basement housed a morgue, and we all know morgues are one of the creepiest places you could imagine. Whatever the source, staff at the dental clinic today report seeing and hearing the ghosts of children laughing, playing, and generally making mischief. As if hearing giggling ghost children weren't enough, some have also reported sighting a young, teenaged girl roaming the halls, with slashes across her face.

Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York

Considering it has not been an active base in over two decades, the Plattsburgh Air Force Base sure does buzz with activity—paranormal activity. From kids to soldiers, tourists and residence alike have reported seeing shadowy figures that clearly do not belong in this decade. The cemetery is, naturally, a hotspot for such activity, but so is the Old Stone Barracks, where numerous soldiers have committed suicide, their ghosts allegedly lingering in the area. Other strange occurrences includie figures disappearing in front of visitors' eyes, lights flashing with no source, and the sound of hoofbeats with no horses.

The USS Hornet, just outside of San Francisco, California

Although the USS Hornet is a ship, not technically a base, it is sure a base for paranormal activity. In fact, due to the prevalence of strange occurrences on this ship, they even offer overnight stays for you to see for yourself so you can experience how it feels to live in a haunted residence. Such occurrences range from electronics turning on and off on their own, to sightings of uniformed apparitions roaming the halls and deck. Considering over 300 people have died on that ship, there are a lot of possibilities for who these apparitions are—especially since many of them committed suicide or died other particularly tragic or violent deaths.

Vancouver Barracks, Washington, USA

Perhaps the most haunted military base in the Pacific Northwest is in Vancouver, Washington. The hospital at the old military base is a particular hotspot of paranormal activity, with numerous reports from different sources alleging strange, supernatural occurrences. One such report comes from a member of a team who did maintenance on this building. He reported hearing footsteps during a time when he was the only one working on the building, as well as the entire team having trouble with a fire alarm that acted strangely, responding to no attempts to fix it. While inconsistently beeping fire alarms isn't necessarily a sign of ghosts, in conjunction with the strange sounds, sights, and overall creepy vibe of the building, these workmen were happy when the job was done.