Subject: DAYS OF OUR LIVES #104
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 07:55:07 -0600

MAIL-call - PRESERVING FORGOTTEN MEMORIES

I welcome articles, BIO's, stories, etc and certainly hope that all ASA Turkey Vet's will contribute and make the newsletter worthwhile. You can write whatever message you would like, and it will show up right here for others to read and I'm hoping it will spur more memories. After all, isn't that why you're reading this now? I will respond to all e-mails and will assist whenever needed, but reserve the right to edit for content and clarity and welcome any errors that may appear herein. Most are proud of their ASA Turkey Tour of Duty and seek the greatest good for our group. - but, the not-so-pretty truth is that few help to seek out new vet's or send me their BIO's! You received this newsletter because you requested it. To unsubscribe from this newsletter send an email to me or your relayer. Thank you, Elder RC Green, aka gH, 3094 Warren Rd., Indiana, PA 15701, 724-349-7305, ercgreen@yourinter.net

What A Photo Can Tell You
It goes without saying that a photo is an image of a moment in time. I use photo’s to complement the BIO data that I compile. I find, though, that photo’s add a great deal more to my overall understanding of an individual and I welcome those photo's. The four attachments are GREAT! The one's with Pete Castigliano standing next to the ambulance and dental trailer should bring back a lot of memories to those who served at Sinop. Everyone should give a hearty thank you to Bill Simons and his Det 4 website. I wish that I could put more photo's in the DOOL's, but the extra KB's prohib it. Almost all photo's that I receive will be in the 2003 Memory Book. Please send me your photo's!

TAPS

BRADY, John W., Sgt Major, Det 27, 61-62, born: 20 March 1919 in Tanoma, Washington; died: 16 October 1987, 68y, at Washington, DC., SSN 536-16-6666 issued Washington. Article copied from June 1962 issue of the Manzarali Mauler: "Sergeant Major John W. Brady first enlisted in the US Army in September 1940. Until his discharge in 1945 he was with the 87th Infantry Division in the ETO. In April of 1947, Sgt. Brady re-enlisted in the USAF. Since 1950 Sgt Brady has served with the US Army in Germany, Eniwetok [Marshall Islands], Hawaii, Ft. Devens and AHS. In June 1962 he had been in the military for 19y and 7m. He graduated from Stadium High School in Tacoma in 1938 and Buetel Business College in 1940. He at one time worked worked in the Post Office at Tacoma where he became a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers. He also belongs to the American Legion and has earned the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal (which he has been awarded for the 5th time). Sgt Brady is married and has three children ages 16, 13 and 12. Best wishes from Site 23 on your reenlistment Sergeant!"

JOHNSON, Leo David, Det 27, ?-?, born 10 February 1942 at Fresno, CA., died 18 January 1999 at Victoria, TX - He was a veteran of the Army Security Agency, having served at Fort Meade and Ankara, Turkey. He was raised in Wichita Falls, TX. He was an instrumentation technician for Dupont for 24 years. He was a member of Parkway Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Lynda Jocelyn of Victoria; his mother, Maxine Harbaugh of Victoria; two daughters, Keri Smalley and Holly Jean, both of Victoria; three sisters, Janice Walker and Kay Longpra, both of Conroe, and DeaDea Budewig of Houston; and a brother, David Hubert of Bay City, Texas.

E-MAIL CHANGES

KERNS, John Det 4, JL60-JL61, (Sherry), 105 Hillside Dr., West Oelwein, IA 50662, 319-283-2117, sjerns@trxinc.com

MAIL CALL

ANDERSON, Jerry 341.10-Teletype repair, Det 27, JL56-JN58, (Sally), 5209, Lindermann Ave., Racine, WI 53406, 262-634-8509, jsa@wi.net - Elder:I have had 4x6 pictures made from my slides. Most of the Det 27 Em's from 1956 to 1958 are here in these pictures, which I can only identify 5 or 6 of them. I have made contact with Joe Delnero, Det 27, Sep.57-Jun.59, and hopefully he can shed some light on a few of the others. I do not have a scanner so will send them snail mail after I hear from Joe Delnero, in case you want to use some in your book of memories.

CASTIGLIANO, Pete, DOB: 15JA42, E3-E5, Medic Det 4, AP61-MY62, (MaryJo), PO Box 25864, Prescott AZ 86312, 928-778-9231, mjcrvc@aol.com Pete was the PFCIC of the dispensary when the 1961 took place at Det 4. I wonder how many ex-Sinoper's remember the blue USAF dental trailer that sat beside the dispensary. A dentist from Det 27 would visit Det 4 two or three times a month to perform dental work. I would like to hear from anyone who remembers being inside the dental trailer.

COMROE, Mike, E4, 059, Det 27, 61-62, (Jane), 205 Pinetown Rd., Audubon, PA 19403,610-666-7402, pennstateblue@enter.net - gH: Do you have any objections to me writing a letter to the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Training Center, Two Rock Ranch Station, to look into the possibilities of having a reunion there in 2004. This would help out our west coast members and give some of us a chance to do some travelling. Please send a personal reply to me, and post this in DOOL's if you desire. Thanks, Mike [Thanks Mike - Go ahead - find out and if agreeable schedule and be the honcho for the 2004 ASA Turkey reunion for TRRS].

CRAM, Eugene C (Gene) W2 W2215309 OIC T/A Det 27, 66-67, (Phyllis), 5180 SW Gardenia Ct., Dunnellon, FL 34431, 352-489-9085, superchief3@msn.com - They released Gene from the hospital to a rehab unit on 13 February, so things are looking up. He isn't too happy to be there, but I hope that they will be able to get him stronger so he can do a little more for himself before he comes home. Phyllis

GLASER, Gerald, (Jerry), DOB: 11NO40, RA15612661, E3-E4, 056, Det 4, 60-61, (Joan), 1211 Lakerise Overlook, Gallapin, TN 27066, 615-822-3672, geraldglaser@aol.com - I see in DOOL #103 that you talked to Joe Hassett, Mike Osboe, and John Kerns who was a good friend of Mike Osboe. You sure are busy, great follow up, thanks for getting all this together. After reading many of the postings on the "Riot" there are so many different remembrances of it, I am not sure anyone will ever get to the truth of it all. So much for old farts who can't remember what happened yesterday trying to get the facts straight about what happened 42 years ago. Then again maybe we all remember exactly what we knew at the time and were victims of out house rumors. Besides Joe Hassett has there ever been a mention of PVR50. I did not mention it for obvious reasons. Keep trying to get in touch with Jim Vodnik. Thanks for everything.

JORGENSEN, Gary C., (The Kid & Jorgy), 05H, E5, Det 27 & 4-4, MY66-SE68, (Virgie), 211 W House St., Duluth, MN 55808, 218-626-3676 g_jorgensen@hotmail.com & gary.jorgensen@wlssd.duluth.mn.us - gH, The question has been raised of how many ditty boppers, linguists etc.have any type of hearing problems associated with our military work. Maybe we could get some feedback through the DOOLs. Anybody want any -20 degree weather I will gladly trade for some snow here in Duluth.

MODISETTE, Dwayne G 05H, Det 27 & 4-4, 66-68, (Bonnie Copeland-div), PO Box 146, Happy, TX 79042, 806-764-3472, dgmodisette@hotmail.com - Hey Elder! A friend of mine was in the Air Force named Ike Collier. We met in I believe, Karamursel.,we were an attachment to the Air Force of course, so we co-mingled some. Anyone remember Ike? I would like to hear from the linguist Henry Tolbert also. This is from 1966 to 1968 or so. Tnx. Dwayne G. Modisette.

[Hank Tolbert was a SP6 98C Russian linguist at Manzarali and Karamursel, 65-68. His ADR is 4555 Ashmore Cir NE, Marietta, GA 30066, 770-926-1565, tolbert9@aol.com . I contacted Hank on 11 March 2002. He was elated that I called and promised to contribute his BIO and remembrances for the missives. Hank has a PhD in Russian Linguistics from Brown University in RI and for the past 21 years has been a tech writer in data processing at Marietta, GA. Hank was one of the few blacks that served at Manzarali and remembers once when he and Larry Oliver were in downtown (Ulus) Ankara and a Turk said to them, "Yankee's go home." and their reply was, "Pay our ticket and we're outta here." Hank's response: "Elder, Thanks for making the effort to track down this ole 98CL63! Your call brought back some wonderful memories; some amusing, some embarrassing, but all memorable of my three and a half-year tour at Manzarali Istasyonu and Esenboga. I heard from John Arcziszewski and Luis Bolanos shortly after leaving the Army in the early 70s, but lost contact with everyone shortly afterwards. I have lived in Marietta, GA (about 25 miles NW of Atlanta) since 1981, where I have worked as a technical writer. My wife, Juanita, is an elementary music teacher who is about to retire after 34 years in teaching. (How time flies when you're having fun!) Our son Michael is a 21-year old junior at New York University. Our daughter Stephanie is an 18-year old high school senior who has just been admitted to the chemical engineering program at Georgia Tech. I have attached a copy of our family newsletter where you can read about the latest scoop on the Tolbert clan. I look forward to catching up on the stories of the guys of Tuslog Det 27 and 4-4".

PARSONS, Fred DOB: 14MY36 SP3 722 C/C Det 4, JA58-JA59, (Margaret), PO Bx 308 Iuka, IL 62849, 618-323-3636, f_parsons@msn.com TDY to Det 27 (45d) in 63 - Dear Elder: I was in Sinop during 1958, arriving in January and departing in January of 1959. During that time I do not recall a mutiny. I recall wild parties, in which each and every participant imbibed in too much hooch. I recall free movies, even TV movies (commercials and all). In the fall when the doves flew across from Russia they were forced down fatigue and ran and the Turks were out in force with hand nets catching them. If a guy was gentle with it he could pick them up off the ground. Use a flashlight and shine it in there eyes. Worked like a charm. I remember a lot of disrespect toward officers and NCO's and an awful lot of FTA, but do not recall a mutiny. Its true that the old man tried to install some RA discipline, but by and large we were left to do our thing. We did have periodic inspections but by and large life on the hill was boring. I remember a blue jeep on the hill which some-one said had been stolen from the USAF in Samsun. I remember the wind and how water had to be hauled up on Trucks. Showers once a week. I particular remember the beauty of the surrounding mountains. I have always been a history buff and the history of western civilization came from Turkey. The earliest recorded mention that I can find of Sinop is in the Story of Jason and the Golden Fleece. It is possible that I was to much in my cups to remember a Mutiny

SIMONS, Bill, E3-E4 058 DE59-DE60, (Patricia Anne), 155 Newbolds Corner Rd., Southampton, NJ 08088, 609-859-9483, billsimons@yahoo.com - Elder RC Green. It was a pleasure to meet you at the 2002 reunion. Although I only attended a few hours of the reunion week-end, I was greatly impressed. The name tags and individual programs were especially well done and I'll be keeping mine as souvenirs of the occasion. The 2001 85 page Memory Book CD is fantastic. It would have been even better had you included Det 4 in 2001, but am pleased that all the ASA Turkey Detachments will be in your 2002-03 version. Using ACROBAT to produce and view the Memory Book-2001 was a great idea of Chuck Bergmann, who I understand relays most of the weekly DOOL's for you. The presentation has inspired me to look into using the program myself to record some of my own files that contain pictures.

...

1959-1963
I enlisted in the Army in the Spring of 1959 and was assigned to the Army Security Agency (ASA) as I had requested. I had been "promised" training for Russian at the language school in California, hoping to learn enough Russian to meet the second foreign language requirement for Graduate School after my enlistment was over. Apparently, I didn't do very well on the language test and was sent to Ft Devens (June-November 1959) to learn touch typing and Morse code. Got drunk, passed the code test and became a certified ditty-bopper, 058, for the entire of my ASA Tour of Duty.

Upon graduation, I was assigned to TUSLOG DET 4 in Sinop, Turkey. It was considered a hardship assignment and we were promised a choice of overseas assignments after our 12 month tour there was finished.

Five of us arrived at Ankara by a Turkish airline from Frankfurt in December of 1959. We were all fresh out of Devens and had all been in the Army less than a year at that time.

Our first few days in Turkey were spent in Ankara being "processed" and awaiting the next truck convoy to Sinop. We reported to a small office somewhere in the city where a portly Sergeant told us war stories about living in Turkey and dire warnings of what would happen if we offended the locals. The one warning that stuck in my mind was not to show a Turk the soles of your shoes because that would be considered an insult. We were housed at the International Hotel in downtown Ankara which was relatively modern and well kept. We had been warned not to drink anything that didn't come out of a sealed bottle and for most of that us that was interpreted as a clear military directive to drink lots of beer. We spent quite a few hours in the lobby of the hotel playing pinochle with one of the British residents who had learned the game from other Americans passing through on their way to Sinop.

What do I remember about SINOP? Lots of mud, and primitive conditions.

BOWLING
A buddy and I spent a pleasant but uneventful evening at a local night club buying "Champagne Cocktails" for two bar girls who came over to our table to keep us company. This social interaction was known locally as "Bowling". As our supply of Turkish Lira began to dwindle, the manager of the club was happy to exchange our Dollars for Lira in a dark corner of the club. His exchange rate of about 12 to 1, was higher than the official exchange rate that the banks would offer, about 8 to 1. I was now a "black marketeer".

IKI BACHUK ride to Sinop
It was a long bumpy trip of 8-10 hours from Ankara to Sinop in the back of an Army 2 1/2 ton truck. There were several trucks in the convoy but only one of them was carrying personnel. The other trucks were loaded with the supplies that kept DET 4 up and running. The drivers made this trip on a regular basis and would spend one night at Sinop before happily returning to Ankara and the relative luxury of the hotel.

NEWKS AND SHORT-TIMERS
We arrived at DET 4 after dark that evening and jumped out of the back of the truck into several inches of mud. We could hear catcalls of "New man, New man" and people telling us how "short" they were, enumerating the number of days that they had left until they left "The Hill".

DIOGENES STATION
The official name of the site was TUSLOG DET 4, but the sign at the main gate also referred to it as "Diogenes Station" because the Greek philosopher Diogenes (412-323 BC) was supposed to have been born in Sinop. The "Diogenes Station" name may have been an unofficial one because I don't recall seeing it anywhere else except on that sign.

GUARD DUTY
As new arrivals, we were assigned to guard duty until the next set of "Yenis" came in to relieve us. I especially remember pulling guard duty on Christmas Eve 1959. My guard post was located somewhere out on the edge of the base where I guarded 50 gallon drums of the diesel fuel that was used to power almost everything on the base. The perimeters beyond the barbed wire were guarded by Turkish soldiers. We were given an M1 carbine and informed that the Turkish word for "Halt" was "Dur" and sent along our way. Guard duty consisted of four hours on guard, four hours sleep, four hours on guard and so on, almost forever it seemed.

OUR BARRACKS
Our barracks was of wood frame construction and consisted of one large room with a smaller private room in one corner for the resident NCO. All of the beds were metal frame double bunks such as the ones I had used in basic training. A single oil heater was located in the middle of the room and burned diesel fuel. It was the only source of heat.

MY ROOMIES
My bunk mates and buddies included Ernie Armstrong, Bill Barbeau, Chuck Fisher, Bob Palm, Larry Rickard, Gary Teske, Charlie Trull, Walter Stanton, Pete Vladyka and Johnny Willemssen. My apologies to all those good friends whose names are missing from this list because they are locked away in some dark recess of my aging brain.

HOUSEBOYS
Each barracks had a Turkish houseboy who mopped the floor, kept the fuel can filled and looked after the stove. The "houseboys", usually older men about 50 or so, would also take our laundry down to town for washing. Our fatigues came back stiff as a board with starch (as requested) and smelling of the strangely scented Turkish soap that was used throughout the country at that time.

WE WERE LUCKY – NO BOMB SIGHTS
Outside each barracks was a fresh air 8 hole outhouse. They were set up with electricity but the light bulbs were often missing. There was one wash house on base for the EM where hot water for washing and shower facilities were usually available 24 hours a day.

Most of our goods, except the mail, came to us by truck from Ankara. During rainy periods, the roads would become so muddy that the trucks couldn't get through and we often ran short of some essential items. One time there was no liquor left to drink at the EM club except Brandy, and nothing to mix it with except Root Beer.

WHAT.....NO BELLY DANCERS AT THE EM CLUB
There was a small theater on base where old movies were occasionally shown. Once a local Magician and his female assistant come in and put on a show. She was the only woman that I ever remember seeing on the base during my year there. She was without a doubt the most popular part of the magic show.

PX
The PX consisted of a small building containing a single room but was pretty well stocked with cameras, typewriters, tobacco products, as well as presents for the folks at home. Chap-Stick was a popular item due to the drying effects of the cold and wind.

CONTINUOUS MUSIC AT OPERATIONS
Music was played continuously outside the Operations building in an attempt to mask any sounds that might be coming from inside the building. The story was that Russian submarines would pop up at night out of the Black Sea and try to listen in on what was going on at the base. They played a lot of the Everly Brothers albums and the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" must have been someone's favorite because it was heard so often.

SINOP IN ANCIENT TIMES AND POSTCARDS
One of the GIs, Leslie Payne Delaney, wrote and published a rather scholarly booklet on the history and legends of Sinop and the DET 4 area called "Sinop in Ancient Times". Autographed copies were sold on base for $2. The photography for the booklet was done by Edward H. Svoboda who was on base during at least part of my stay in 1960. There was also a set of comic postcards that were prepared and sold by another GI entrepreneur. The postcards can be seen on the Internet at Mike Moran's ASA Home Page at "http://www.dfwmm.net/~maddog/asa.htm". The page also contains a number of photos of the DET 4 base in 1960.

One of the fellows in my barracks was so upset about being sent to Turkey and being separated from his wife and child, that he went a little crazy. He was eventually flown out to civilization and it was rumored that he had been given a "Section 8" discharge. One of the guys who worked in the radio repair section protested his stay at Det 4 by shaving his head for the full year that he was stationed there.

The language barrier and religious differences with the local people forced most us to keep to ourselves on the base. Trips to town were infrequent and usually uneventful. A few of the guys made friends with some of the people in Sinop but they were the exception. Nearly all the women in this rural area of Turkey kept their faces covered with veils and actively avoided being photographed. The men did not seem to mind the camera nearly as much. Several of us went down into town to eat one day. The restaurant was a ground floor room in a private dwelling with a few tables that faced out onto the street. We had grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice. When we asked for some beer to go along with the food, a boy was sent out to the local store to buy it. The food was quite good.

SINOP WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE
Although conditions on the base were still quite primitive in 1960, permanent two story barracks were under construction and much better living conditions were only a year or two off into the future. The experience of meeting head-on an entirely different culture was certainly memorable and no doubt contributed to my broadening knowledge of the world that existed outside the USA.

After Sinop was assigned to the 13th USASAFS, Menwith Hill, Yorkshire, England, December 1960-April 1962. After a year in Turkey - England seemed as if I was stationed in Heaven. Only the KP duty reminded me that I was still in the Army and my ass still belonged to the military.I was personally extended by JFK for a couple of extra months because of some problem with the Russkies in Berlin.
I spent a lot of time in Harrogate and Knaresborough where I met my wife to be, Patricia Anne Hart. We were married in the base chapel on 1 March 1962. By the end of April, I was back in the States trying to continue my education at the Main Campus at Penn State. After 14 months of frustrating study and part time jobs, I gave it up and went to Philadelphia to find a job. In desperation, I called the secret NSA phone number and even went for an interview in a bare office downtown, but was turned down because my wife was not an American. After a few months, I eventually landed a job with a chemical publishing firm where I'm still somewhat tenuously employed. We currently live in an old house on a country acre, adjacent to cow pastures and other farmland, with a small wooded lot beyond our back-yard. I have been interested in computers since about 1985 having used them both for work and for fun. Finding the Internet and the WWW prompted me to try and look up some of my Army buddies and that's how I my SINOP website was started. We went back to England in 1997 for a two week vacation and enjoyed the visit very much.

STEPHENS, Howard C (Steve) E4 Det 27, DE60-SE62, (Judy), 3149 Tamarron Dr., Rochester Hills, MI 48309, 248-375-0081, howardstephenssr@prodigy.net Hi Zip, Got your e-mail. Good message - and back at you my old friend! Ah, but that we were half as wise when we were so very young and "knew it all" in Turkey. What true love and joys a lifetime holds in promise. What a price we pay for those of us who are fortunate enough to reach that reality in life my dear old friend. Do take care of your health, Linda and your family - in that order. Thanks again for staying in touch - and be sure to have a great VD week.

DON'T ARGUE WITH CHILDREN

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated emphatically that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, "When I get to heaven, I will ask Jonah". The teacher asked, "But what if Jonah went to hell?" The little girl replied, "Then you ask him."

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's art work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the little girl replied, "They will in a minute."

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without hesitation, one little boy (the oldest of a family of four) answered, "Thou shall not kill."

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?" Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white." The little girl thought about this revelation for while and then said,"Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"

A three-year-old went with his dad to see a litter of kittens. On returning home, he breathlessly informed his mother that there were two boy kittens and two girl kittens. "How did you know?" his mother asked. "Daddy picked them up and looked underneath," he replied. "I think it's printed on the bottom."