Subject : DAYS OF OUR LIVES #51
Date : Tue, 5 Feb 2002 20:22:23 -0600

USArmy TUSLOG Det 27 Manzarali

Scan of the December. 1965 newspaper contributed by Rob Nearpass


The following article on the 1965 Manzarali Maulers football team is an extract from the Mauler Newspaper

And is the courtesy of Rob Nearpass who was an MP and played END on the team.

MAULERS MEDITERRANEAN MEDALISTS

The Manzarali post flag football team - outweighed considerably but definitely not out-gutted -- hustled away with the Mediterranean Sports Conference flag football championship conducted at Cigli AFB earlier this month. Out mauling Maulers emerged from this double elimination tourney as the only undefeated squad, winning four games in all by pounding out 96 points to 576 for their opponents.

Our team was the only army squad there. Other teams (all air force type) were from Adana, Izmir, Ankara (Det 30) Athens and Karamursel.

The high-spirited Maulers met the Izmir nine first. On the very first series of downs Trenton Douglas (the playing coach) blocked a Izmir punt with his chin and Jim Hatmaker suddenly had the bounding ball under his arm on the airman's 1 yard line and quickly engineered an easy score from his spent to give the Maulers a 7-0 lead after a perfect conversion by the talented toe of Jim Cooper. Izmir roared back on a perfect almost field-long toss/run to suddenly narrow the margin to 7-6; missing on their conversion attempt. But BINGO - after the ensuing kick-off, Hatmaker retreated into his own end zone and uncorked a long pass to John Williams who wheeled it all the way for a touchdown; the play covering over 75 yards (this not bad on an 80 yard field). Cooper connected with his foot and Maulers led 14-6. After this, it was a rout; our boys leading 33-6 at the half. The second half was fairly even, mostly defensive as out athletes romped home 40-20. Cooper, besides his extra points, booted two lengthy field goals.

Next, there came a very hectic affair against Adana. Outweighed some 30 pounds per man (they were every game) and plagued by an unbelievable 299 yard in penalties accessed against them (this maybe an all-times world's record), the marvelous mauling Maulers from Manzarali never the less scored in every period to down the bigger bruisers 25-12. Our lad -to add to their discomfort - had to play most of the final three periods with but 12 men (injuries took out several and one was asked to leave by the officials because he supposedly called for unauthorized help from above).

The third game was even rougher, being marred by several pier 6 affairs, and unsportsmanlike actions such as clippings, kicking and elbowings. The word I got was that the motto of these opponents was ELBOWS, LOCK AND LOAD). This clambake was against the Karamursel Kryiers, and they were tough. A spectacular 60 yard punt return by Calvin (Pete) Gunn finally broke the biggies backs and the Maulers (again down to some 12 players due to missing ivories and stitch worthy gashes, plus a few unauthorized words) went on to a 18 -12 verdict. Despite the roughness of the game, few penalties were called against either side; if the officials themselves weren't clobbered, the play usually stood.

Needing another win over Karamursel to cop the title, our outweighed outsiders went after them. We scored first after a grinding march and "Coop" booted the EP for a 7-0 lead. The big (Wild Blue yonder) guys came back with sustained drive however to finally score and narrow the margin to 7-6. it was evident the plane jockeys were out to get the little bitty army guys so instead of going for a one point via a place kick which would have tied up the thing, they went through the air in an attempt to pick up two points and the lead. This backfired however as the pass had a flame out to fall short of it's intended receiver's fingers furiously fetching fingers and our boy retained their narrow margin, the score being still 7-6 as half-time rolled around. After being sewn up, taped, slapped back to consciousness, our punchy pals went back to work. The second half was a pro-type affair as both teams battled heroically. Our Maulers managed to score via the air routes to run their lead to 13-6 but this was quite a shaky lead, especially when our extra point try was booted to the left of the H shaped goal. In the fourth quarter, one of our passes strayed off course to be intercepted and the air guys went on to score and suddenly the tally was 13-12. Again they deterred to go for the toe conversion and a tie score but went for two and a win. But, aha, our battlers batted the ball down in the end zone like Cassius did Sonny, took the ball after the kickoff and hung on to it like it was a case of booze until the clock ran out.

Suddenly our mighty midget were it! They were the kings, the champs! They'd battled bigger bruisers, bigger elbows, bigger muscles, and perhaps maybe just a wee bit or prejudice. But they had one big thing going that couldn't be overcome by three teams they played...They had the intestinal fortitude, sometimes referred to as plain ole GUTS.

Congrats from all on the post to the 16 who accomplished this achievement, and it was an absolute achievement. Listed below are these men, complete with their nicknames as dubbed by their own teammates.

2dLT. James (Sir) Crane SP5 Barry (Red Eye) Sanders

PFC William (Animal) Gregg PFC James (Golden Arm) Hatmaker

SP5 Steve (Savior) Brown PFC Tony (Molt) Molton

SP6 Willie (Doc) White Cpl Robert (The Shy) Nearpass

SP4 James (The Golden Toe) Cooper PFC Thomas (The Surf) Murphy

SP4 Trenton (Easy) Douglas PFC Robert (Aki) Davis

SP4 Calvin (Pete) Gunn PFC Mike (Awet) Higgins

SP4 Thomas (The Hulk) Boecher PFC James (Legs) Williams

Phil Kelly and Manzarali Station, early 1960s

res037jb@gte.net

Click the image to see a larger version

Aerial view of the station east to west view

In the spring of 1963 or 1964, I can't remember after so many years, one of the friends I had in HQ Co, Phil Rivaldo, the PBX operator who was quite a card and I decided to take a hike and see some of the countryside on foot. We went to supply and checked out "half-shelters" (one half of a two man

tent) and some c-rats for food and left on foot using the road to the west away from Ankara and into the unknown. We were dressed in our fatigues and boots as I recall, probably not a good idea in a foreign country that only tolerated us, but just the same, we were on an "adventure"

After several hours of walking, we left the road and walked up a hill away from any habitation and pitched our tent, joining to two halves to one and settled in, eating some rations and waiting for darkness to go to sleep. Well, we fell asleep alright, but sometime during the night it began to rain. It rained like it does there in the Spring, torrents of water and we started getting wet. Even though we were up on a hill, water was collecting around us and seeping into the tent and our bedding. To make matters worse, we began to hear something like tinkling bells, voices and dogs barking. It was pitch dark, still raining, and we could only surmise that a herd of sheep was passing directly through our campsite, further muddying up our forlorn little campsite. Cold, wet, discouraged, and sleepless for the rest of the night, Phil and I grumbled and waited for dawn to survey what kind of mess we had to content with. When it was light enough to see, we got out of our wet environment into a quagmire of mud and sheep dung. There was one bright spot. The rain had stopped and the sun was out!

Everything we had was now heavier by double because of the rain soaked conditions. We packed up everything, walked, bent over with the load back down to the road and without even looking at one another, started for Site 23, back to warm food, a dry bunk, and "home". We realized with the added weight that it might take us two days to get back, but after an hour or two, a horse drawn cart with a family headed for Ankara gave us a ride to Cerkezouk (sp) just a mile or two from the gate. We were properly thankful, gave them some C-rat candy and ciggies and walked back to our home on the hill.

The guards at the gate had a good laugh when they saw us coming up the hill. I found Phil Rivaldo on the internet last year, just doing a people search and talked with him on the phone for a bit. It's hard to believe that he and I, just 20 year olds at the time, are now nearly to retirement age. My memories are not all that clear about all of my time there, I probably drank too much and missed out on some traveling I should have done, but I have enough fond recollections and a few pictures

Haci Muratli: This pic was taken by me of the village located east of site 23 and hidden from view. It was just a short walk and I made friends with some of the villagers through a janitor named Veratin, who cleaned HQ.

Vetsday63-1: There was a parade on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 1963. These guys are in front of HQ with the Provost Marshall's office to the left and rear. Only 11 days later our President Kennedy was shot and we did this parade again for the loss of our Commander-in-Chief.

Sp4Kelly: This is the only one I have of myself from that time.

PICTURES ANYBODY???

I would appreciate pictures of this ilk and time period, either sent to my e-mail address:

I'll trade, too! I do have a few more.

res037jb@gte.net

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Mike Fisher, San Francisco, CA., SP5, 98C2L76 (Turkish linguist), Det 27 and 4-4 Day Lady, retired, wrote in August 2001: It's amazing how a little history can jog one's constipated memory. You guys have yet to mention another of the Det 27 and 4-4 traditons. But, first let me digress. I have a confession to make, after 34 years. Guys, I never worked a day of shift work at either location nor did I ever poke a MATSUM. For some reason, only known to the Green Hornet, when I showed up for work in January 1967, one of the day ladies was rotating from Site 23, and SFC Green assigned me to work with Andy PATE and Dennis FRANSTED. I worked that problem at Site 23 and Det 4-4. I think the Green Hornet knew I could play some softball -- I was able to throw the ball from shortstop without it bouncing four times--all while holding a beer in one hand. However, I did participate in the "grate rub" and "red belly" traditions that only a few of us would understand or even appreciate. Give us a "A" for effort in finding uses for stamp pad ink. I have included my top ten Det 27 rememberances:

10. Bill Baker (Trash Can) head first in a garbage can following Thanksgiving Dinner.

9. (Related) The Viking Thanksgiving Dinner 1967--eating without utensils.

8. NCO Club Friday nites with the Turkish group Rhythmi Dort (Rhythm Four)

7. The "Fock Rock", of course.

6. Ralph Neu, Mr. Cub, who later was profiled in SI, as the founder of the Bleacher Bums.

5. The two Det 27 anthems: "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" by the Animals and "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones.

4. Cheap beer & cigarettes

3. Softball games, where no one cared who won.

2. Buying a bottle of Seagram's Crown Royal--for the ribbon.

1. Buddies!!!!!!!!!!!!

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