My Dad past away in 2007 he use to talk about Needles California all the time.
I just spoke to my mom who lived with him In Fort Ord, that’s where he was stationed not Needles. While in the Army they would travel 7 Plus hrs in a large army brigade to put up Fences in Needles California.. Mom tells me they were there from 1961-1964, they would go for 2-3 weeks at a time and section off areas with fencing in Needles, for what she has no idea.
Tom