Ramstein Air Base is a U.S. Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz.

It serves as headquarters for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation.

Ramstein is located near the town of Ramstein, in the rural district of Kaiserslautern, Germany.

What an amazing time it was in 1964 when we were in middle school!

The opportunity to study abroad and experience a foreign country at a pivotal moment in history was lost myself and most my friends, but we did immerse ourselves in the important things in life such as music, dating, dancing and hanging out with friends at the movies.

1964: What A Year It Was!

As the war in Vietnam and US Congress Authorizes war against N Vietnam more American servicemen were dying, and after three civil rights workers were murdered in Mississippi the president signed the Civil Rights act of 1964 but this did not stop the violence as it continued to increase in many American Cities.

Lyndon Johnson was also returned to power after a landslide victory.

This was also the year The Beatles took the world and America by storm and Beatlemania went into overdrive as they released a series of number one hits including “I want to hold your hand” , “All my Loving” .

Other British groups also found success including The Rolling Stones and The Animals and together with the American Talent of The Supremes and Bob Dylan many say this was one of the greatest years for music in the last century.

Also one young loud talented boxer by the name of Cassius Clay won the Boxing World heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston.

1964: Popular Culture

• Sidney Poitier becomes the first black actor to win the “best actor” Oscar
• “Hello Dolly,” “Funny Girl,” and “Fiddler on the Roof” premier on Broadway in New York.
• The Rolling Stones release debut album, “The Rolling Stones”
• The Beatles make their first appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show.
• The Beatles have 13 singles Billboard’s Hot 100 at the same time
• The first pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, is established
• The Beatles hold the top five positions in the Billboard Top 40 singles in America
• Bob Dylan releases “The Times They Are a-Changin”
• BBC2 starts broadcasting in the UK.
• Pablo Picasso painted his fourth Head of a Bearded Man
• The Sun Newspaper is first published in the United Kingdom
• Hasbro launch G.I. Joe an action figure for boys to join the Barbie Doll For Girls.
• Buffalo Wings ( deep fried chicken wings coated with hot sauce ) are made at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is published written by Roald Dahl
• Top of the Pops premieres on BBC television.
• Elizabeth Taylor marries Richard Burton for the first time

1964: Popular Films

• The Carpetbaggers
• It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown
• My Fair Lady
• Mary Poppins

1964: Popular Musicians

• The Beatles
• Roy Orbison
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Simon and Garfunkel