These 5 Military Installations Give a New Meaning to “Housing Nightmare”

If you’re a military family that’s just received PCS orders to a new location, there are a few very important questions you should always ask about housing. 

How long is the commute?
Does this home fit our family’s long-term financial plan? 
And, most importantly, is this place haunted? 

Because when it comes to both on- and off-installation military housing, ghost stories are most definitely a thing. So check under the bed and turn all the lights on, because today we’re exploring five bases stacked with supernatural lore. 

1. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina

In Havelock, North Carolina, one wandering woman has been haunting MCAS Cherry Point for generations. According to legend, Kissie Sykes and her two children were buried together on land that later became the air station. But during the construction of the flight line, her grave was moved, separating her from her children. 

On several instances, some Marines working near the flight line have reported hearing children laughing while others say they’ve seen Kissie roaming the runway during night shifts. The base’s own account states that Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting crews frequently report strange happenings. Whether it’s Kissie tirelessly searching to be reunited with her children or a very convincing late-night imagination, the story has become a solid part of Cherry Point chatter.

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

F.E. Warren has been a military installation since 1867, so naturally, its historic buildings have accumulated stories throughout the years. One account in particular comes from a former base housing facility manager, who described hearing heavy footsteps cross the attic of an old brick stable. When he went upstairs to investigate, the lights switched off, despite finding no one there. His maintenance technician later told him that other staff had reported hearing the same footsteps. 

But the legends don’t stop there. Warren’s ghost stories also include a nurse said to haunt its former hospital, now Building 34. She’s often described as making rounds through the building, even though her last shift ended decades ago. (Talk about a workaholic.)

3. Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay

Hawaii’s military bases have no shortage of spooky stories, with Pearl Harbor often hogging the spotlight. But Kaneohe Bay also has a reputation for the otherworldly. 

The base sits on Mokapu Peninsula, a place of great significance in Hawaiian history and tradition. This is sacred land, with stories connecting its landscape to the origins of the first Hawaiians. It’s exactly this history that lends itself to the frequent reports of paranormal activity. Marines stationed here tell stories of seeing figures walk through rooms and hearing distant drums, chanting, and marching with seemingly no source. Some attribute these instances to the huaka’i pō, or night marchers, which are ancient Hawaiian warrior spirits said to guard sacred land while marching along traditional paths. Bottom line: If you’re out at night and think you heard drums, no you didn’t.

4. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Built around 1834, The Rookery on Fort Leavenworth is not only the oldest surviving building on post, it’s also the oldest continuously occupied residence in the whole state. And it’s certainly developed a strong reputation through the years. The Army once reported on a family living in this pair of historic homes, who described misplaced items, mysterious footsteps, doors opening on their own, and a man they later thought resembled a former Fort Leavenworth officer. 

Now, there’s no official “haunted” tag on the housing welcome sheet. But if you do end up moving into a historic home there, just be sure to make several copies of your keys so your friends can check on you (just in case). 

5. Japan: Kadena Air Base and Misawa Air Base

We’re bending the rules a little here and giving you a two-for-one special, but Japan deserves a section of its own.

In northern Japan, Misawa Air Base has its own collection of spooky stories. The base’s own publications describe a so-called “Shadow Man” reportedly seen at night by children and pets. Ghostly warriors are also said to appear across the installation. One local tale ties ghostly children to Leftwich Park and a 1942 airstrike. There are also reports of sightings at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, which stands on the site of the old Misawa hospital and morgue.

At Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, the best-known story centers on Building 2283, a family home that was later taken out of use as a residence. Why could that be? Former residents and neighbors alleged light and faucets switching on, hearing children’s voices, seeing a woman washing her hair in a utility sink, and spotting a samurai on horseback. Other sources have attributed the activity to a tomb across the street believed to belong to an Okinawan samurai. Either way, housing around Kadena has so much activity that one house even earned a feature in the TV series I Wouldn’t Go in There. Based on the stories, we certainly affirm that sentiment. 

Between Cherry Point’s Kissie Sykes roaming the flight line, Warren’s ghost nurse making the rounds, and Kaden’s samurai on horseback, these duty stations do provide some unique neighbors. But, if you’re PCSing to one of them, you certainly deserve a home team that is, at the very least, more alive.

When you start your housing search with WeVett, our Agent Guarantee means you’ll be connected with a military-specialized agent who fits. If the first match isn’t right, we’ll help you find one who is. Skip the housing horror stories, and reach out to start your search!