I was able to snag the first to find on Charlie’s last hiding spot. I’m glad I did. There was another note in it for me.
“Sarge,
I remember how fascinated you were with my description of the North Vietnamese bunker complex I found and cleared. It is hard to believe that they created that three story deep underground complex with only hand tools.
I know you placed a geocache in an old bunker at SCTAC (GC2J93A) and that you wanted to use others in the area. I don’t know about all the bunker complexes in the area but I do know a good bit about the bunker complexes under downtown Greenville. You have to remember, my street friends really get around.
The emergency command bunker under city hall is general public knowledge and is really nothing special, but did you know there are a network of secret passages connecting that one to other bunkers under the city?
Greenville's first official bunker dates from around the Civil War while the newest one (that is unclassified anyway) is about sixty years old. I’ve talked to guys who used to travel these tunnels back when the Poinsett Hotel was abandoned and gathering dust.
Actually, Greenville’s oldest and newest bunker are quite close to each other.
The newest bunker, intended as an alternate command center for the old Donaldson Air Base, is located mostly under the southern base of the South Academy Street Bridge (N 34 50.866 W 82 24.292). That bunker was large enough to support the Administrative Corp of the air base and city officials for six months in the event of a nuclear attack. It was situated there because it was easy to reach, being nearly straight up Augusta Road from the base. It was also far enough away from the base to be survivable considering the expected warhead blast radius at the time and it was convenient to build because the new bridge was being constructed at the time. Half of the bunker is under the street and the other half is under the nearby tree-covered hill. It is a wonder folks have not commented or questioned why that prime piece of real estate has not been developed. Anyway, while its existence is not commonly known, it is no longer used and has been abandoned. The main entrance to the bunker was a camoflaged, fortified vault door in the basement of a nearby building. The building has since been demolished and the foundation has been paved over. Now, after years of neglect, overgrowth, and construction, the only remaining exterior entrance is nearly invisible. I found out about that entrance from another Greenville old-timer who lives like I do now. Don’t bother looking for it. He took me there once but I decided to let it be. I don’t want to attract any undue attention. They may still monitor it via security systems or something.
I’ve hidden your next clue at the TOP of some black metal stairs that used to be used to reach the city's oldest bunker near the river. The actual bunker entrance has been long sealed and the main part of the bunker filled in. It is not known exactly who constructed this bunker but it is believed to have been built in the 1860s to contain the local militia’s arms and ammunition. It sits under what is now a parking area off Reedy View Drive and Cox St near the Swamp Rabbit Trail under the South Academy Street Bridge. This area is known as Linky Stone Park. Nothing could be built on this site because engineers discovered additional tunnels and chambers underground that would be just too expensive to dig up and backfill.
So find the stairs and look for my message. Be sure you are not seen. This is a busy area.
Signed,
C.T.
