Subject: DAYS OF OUR LIVES #105
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 08:03:59 -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

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. - - - They are the ones that care.

STROKE SYMPTONS

A team of stroke researchers has devised a one-minute test that can be used by ordinary people to diagnose stroke -- and the test is so simple that even a child can use it. Such an easy, quick test could potentially save thousands of stroke sufferers from the disabling effects by allowing faster treatment.
WebMD with AOL Health - http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/article/61/67280.htm?DEST=WebMD&contentSRC=aolhealthnews

ADDRESS CHANGE

MODISETTE, Dwayne G 05H, Det 27 & 4-4, 66-68, (Bonnie Copeland-div), 305 W. 2nd St., Venus, TX 76085, 972-366-9924, dgmodisette@hotmail.com Hello to you Elder! My address is incorrect in dools #104. Happy,Tx. is the home of my 94 year old uncle, Bill Modisette. The correction is: Dwayne G. Modisette, 305 W. 2nd St., Venus Tx. 76084, 972-366-9924, Thanks--- DGM

NEWSWORTHY ITEMS

ANDERSON, Jerry, E3-E4, 341.10-Teletype repair, Det 27, 56-MY58, (Sally), 5209, Lindermann Ave., Racine, WI 53406, 262-634-8509, jsa@wi.net . Jerry sent me 11 4x6 pictures that he had made from slides. There were several Det 27 EM's in the pictures; however, Jerry could only identify 5 or 6 of them. I scaned the photo's and sent them to other's who were at Det 27 and Det 4 in the hope that everyone can be identified. The responses will be reported in DOOL#106.

ALPERT, Brian 056 Det 4, 29MY64-30AP65, 68-69, balpert@worldnet.att.net fm NY -
Thanks for the invite Elder. I receive your great newsletter and look forward to getting them. I spoke to you once before the last reunion when the ad in the American Legion Magazine had a defunct link. You were the one who told me about Bill Simons webpage. It was the first time I learned there were any ASA sites on the web. Your sending me to Google to do a search for Bill's site started me searching for other ASA sites. I was a radio direction finder and my searches soon led me to Tom Harris's great DF site. By the way I really enjoyed the recent DOOL with Jim Baker's story about setting up the Point Site in Sinop (the radio direction finding site.) Anyway just wanted to take this opportunity to tell you what a great job you're doing and to tell you to keep up the good work. Though I spent most of my time at TUSLOG Det 4 I was sent TDY with another DF operator Wayne E. Inman to Det 27. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the great work you are doing for all Turkey ASA vets and though I still haven't sent in a bio since you now include us refugees from the hill we should really get together to make you an honorary

BERGMANN, Chuck (JC) E4 05H Det 27 MY66-DE67, (Helen), 29813 Foote Rd., Bay Village, OH 44140, 440-871-5346 jcbergmann@cs.com & cbergmann@insp-eng.com . Response to Gary Jorgensen. I see in the last days of our lives #104 you asked about those who were ditty boppers that my have a hearing problem. I guess I'm one of those that the Ditties got the best of when it comes to hearing. Shortly after getting out of the service I had a hearing test and was told that my hearing was not what it should be. At the present time I have hearing aids for both ears and I attribute it to the Ditties. I also feel that some of the problem also comes from when I was in basic training. When shooting the M1 rifles we were not allowed to wear hearing protection. I'm convinced that my hearing loss is due to both of those issues.

DesRUISSEAUX, Roy, E3, MP, Det 27, JN61-AU62, (Josie),176 Springton Rd Upper Darby, PA 19802, 610-622-3343, desrx2@comcast.net - http://www.stormpages.com/robo/nudet27.htm is his Manzarali website - Hi Elder: I read Vic Thiedek's memories in DOOL #103 and I can't say I was aware of the suicide off the tower. It would have happened before I got there as I'm sure I would have remembered that. As for John F. Kennedy, I do remember someone hitting a kid near Golbasi. All I remember was one of the MPs, possibly Ed Larkin, telling me that when the authorities were at the accident scene they asked Kennedy if he had been drinking. He told them no he hadn't but after he hit the kid he was so shook up that he started to drink then! I'll send an e mail to Ed and see if he remembers either incident.

DUNNAM, Gary (Duck) E3-E5 98C Det 27 & 4-4, (Sharon Steen),104 N Liberty St., Victoria, TX 77901, 361-575-2160, dunsteen@cox-internet.com - This came from a friend of Gary Dunnam who lives in Fredericksburg, TX. Started out a foggy morning [on Toledo Bend] so I couldn't run my boat. I got on the adjacent bank from the marina and started fishing with my wife's brother Milton. We caught several nice fish when all of the sudden there was an over reverberating earthquake overhead. It was like standing outside and hearing the first bolt of lightning overhead. Startled at first, then terrified running for shelter. Well, the rumbling didn't cease for about 2 minutes and there was no shelter to retreat to. Then there was silence....about 2 minutes later, after me and milton had a discussion about the possibilities we started to hear what sounded like a distant vehicle traveling on a wet road traveling from west to east from high above. It got louder, and louder, and louder until it was deafening, then WHAM, a piece impacted in the water about 40 feet from our boat. At this point, I realized that we were in immediate danger then I heard the second of about 25 to 50 different objects flying in from overhead. I headed for the bank with my trolling motor only to hear the second object strike a pine tree in front of us knocking off a limb. I didn't think the world was coming to an end....I knew it was coming to an end!!! -- We were helpless. No shelter to run to... No place to hide... Only praying it was not our turn as about 8 to 10 objects struck in the vicinity of my boat. --- Helplessness ... severally shaken, we returned to the marina to find out what happened. I was agape. The first report I heard was that the space shuttle had crashed in Nacogdoches, my vision was somewhat different from the breakup that actually happened. -- We called authorities and made the report of the location of the debris. --- The EPA contacted me today for a possible location of these multiple pieces that slammed into the water. I will be taking them to the location when they ask, they pretty much have their hands full at the moment. I will never forget the hopelessness of our situation and I doubt I will be fishing on the next shuttle entry. Thought I would share that with you, please forward this to whomever, its a true story of 2 lucky fisherman, surviving a horrible moment in our nations history. --- We are truly lucky to be alive

FUCHS, Russell M., 982.10, Det 4, FE62-FE63, 609-683-4616, fuchsa@bellatlantic.net
30 May 2002. left the hill early feb 1963 hopefully never to return. Been thinking about returning. Joe Tatroe, "squirel" where are you, and Steve Schiff shared some great times. Remember the Abbees, "Peg Leg, little red spots in the eggs, filling beer bottles with water, capping them and then putting them in the fireplace in the E M club.

THE HILL AND ITS DOGS

I arrived on the Hill mid to late February 1962 and the thing that amazed me the most besides the kerosene encrusted Quonset huts I would be living in, was the number of dogs on the Hill. You could not take a few steps without finding a new 4 legged friend. As the story is told, ATATURK was believed by the Turkish people to be reincarnated as a cat and dogs being dogs were not tolerated well by the Turks. They were not fed, mistreated and abused by the Turks until they found the American GI. Besides your buddies whom you roomed, showered, ate and worked beside the only comfort appreciated by us was the companionship and trust of the dogs. We fed them from the food on our mess hall trays, food or candy from the PX or E M Club and shared our E M Club beer with them. There came a time in the Spring or Summer of 1962 when the presence and number of dogs apparently created a security risk in someone*s mind. Consequently the dogs were fed poisoned food and thereby destroyed. As I write this story I see in my mind as clearly as the day I walked past Abbees tossing the dogs into the back of deuce and a half and the 25 to 50 remains piled therein. While I recognize the importance of our work on the Hill I believe the powers that were could have erred more on the side of compassion than caution. The only thing these dogs were guilty of and for which they suffered was the trust and companionship they gave to the American GI.

HAMILTON, Mark, DOB: 1943, E5, 71B, S4, Det 27, JL64-DE66, (Marilyn), 5891 Countryview Dr., Hamilton, OH 45011, 513-892-2270, mhamilton68@fuse.net
http://www.images-by-markhamilton.com/ManzaraliVets - Elder: Attached are two photos I have with Skip Boone in them. Have a couple more that just need to be scanned. It would be nice to get in touch with him. I played some with him early in 65 and have been in touch with two other members of that team who he would know well: Joe Carvalho and Kip Rutty. Joe has also been in touch with Pete Gunn recently who lives in Detroit - another great player on that team.

In Rutty-65 attachment - #14 is Kip Rutty and #22 is John Lampe

In Tipoff attachment - #15 is Kip Rutty, To his right in the picture facing the camera is Skip Boone, John Lampe #22, and #3 Pete Gunn (to the refs right).

More later. Just trying to survive the cold in our first full winter in Ohio after spending most of our lives in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California. PS The reunion IS on my agenda for 2003.

HARBER, Jim, (IBM), E3-E5, 05H-Tk 1, Det 27, 19MY62-27OC63, (Becky), 1326 Oakmont Dr., Acworth, GA 30102, 404-771-3074, jimharber@juno.com . Jim and Becky Harber are CHARTER members of the ASA Turkey reunions and for each IBM Jim has made EXCELLENT CD slide presentations. I have both copies and everyone who attended those reunions should have a copy. As for the CD of Hershey... IBM Jim says that he and Becky were not able to get around and meet everyone and did not capture that many of those present.......and didn't anticipate any opportunity to offer for sale... The charge for the Devens CD was $20 and IBM Jim reports that there was little or no interest and for the Hershey reunion he just made a few for those who played a role in Hershey reunion. The Devens CD would play on just about any PC, albeit, maybe slow and the Hershey CD requires the minimum of an Intel Pentium-II, with at least a 350Mhz processor and running MMX technology (which provides the engine to run the special effects/graphics)... So, there were just too many obstacles to make it readily available.. BOTH CD's ARE PRICELESS FOR THOSE WHO WERE THERE!! I will bring my copies to the 2003 Seven Springs reunions for everyone's viewing. Thanks again to IBM Jim.

HEFFNER, Jim, 982, Det 27, 63-64, (Linda), 1603 Blossom Hill Rd., San Jose, CA., 95124, 408-265-8422, jimgray127@comcast.net
I was upset about losing DSL in our new neighborhood until I hooked up to cable broadband. I just thought of some names from Manzareli. I roomed with Ron Montay and Lee J.Thompson (A/NCOIC of T/A shop after J G Burwell-from Mass.?- left) 'Andy' Anderson from Northern California was company armorer. [see below under Hudson]. Denny Wampler an 058 was from Allentown Pa. Tom Hinkle-059- was from one of the Carolinas, 'Easy Meade-an 05*?, Roger Squire a 982 and a Yale Grad, 'IW' Harper and Pat Coffee(sp?) Bulgarian? lingies. Also Sp6 Jim Tennant-Serb lingy-an amazing tennis player and Sp4 Hollenbeck- 059. About 5yrs later after a 3yr break in service I arrived at Phu Bai and 'Diamond Jim' Tennant was 1st Sgt and Capt. Hollenbeck was my CO.

HOWARD, Joseph, (Crazy Joe), E3, 993, ops rooms 1-3, Det 4, 62-63, NC, jhoward@bluenet.net
- I missed your DAYS OF OUR LIVES mail bag when I first visited Simons site. Very interesting stories. I have several stories also to tell. I was on the 'hill' when President Kennedy was shot! I'll need to get a scanner for my 35mm color slides of Sinop and area to show my Exclusive pictures of The "4th Century Byzantine Church" in Sinop. (Did you visit it??, Did you find it? Did you know that it was there?) I have exclusive photos of the color Christian murals that covered the insides of the Church (Now used as a Turkish farm barn).See Jesus's hand around the throat of the devil choking him over the door...... Photos taken without permission or knowledge of anyone during a daylight stelth visit. More later.........braha ha ha ha! Full story in April. I am in the process of moving to a new house this month and pressed for time. March will be spent settling in/setting up the new house in Hickory, NC and writing more stories of Sinop. Joe Howard, OEM Product Design Engineer, US CONEC

HUDSON, Steven C., DOB: 20JA43, RA14859450, E3-E5, 31J20, Det 27, 65-66, (Barbara), PO BX 162, McIntosh, FL 32664, 352-591-2579, schudson@prodigy.net . Contacted on 15 February 2003 and talked for about 2 hours. Looking back, he says that his Tour of Duty at Co A and Hqs Companies was an interesting and enjoyable time in his younger days. He was going to be drafted and opted to enlist in the ASA. Remembers his time in Co A quite well. Remembers the Armorer at Det 27 - Andy Anderson who was red headed, a ex-tree logger from Northen California. Steve and Andy roomed together and once both got tanked at the NCO Club and got into a arm wrestling match that had a twist to it. To make it interesting or otherwise - lit cigarette's were placed in the crease of their elbows and the contest began. Neither won and each ended up with lifetime scars to that area of their right arms. At the NCO Club he vividly remembers Anne McCormick (wife of the Co A, 1SG- Francis X) playing the slot machine night after night. He related the time two GI's got drunk as monkey's and rowdy in the NCO Club. The OD, a 2LT, was called and arrived - got them to cease the fisticuffs and to leave the club. The LT upon leaving the club discovered that his jeep was AWOL. The two drunkards had consficated the jeep and drove it to Istanbul before they sobered up and returned to Manzarali. Steve did not remember their names or what punishment, if any, they received. Bernie Anderson and Lee Damsgard who ran the tool and parts room in Ops were close friends as was Rick Peck from Pennsylvania and Dave Van Lysal who spent some time in the Ankara prison for injuring a Turk with his 1966 Triumph Spitfire, [See below under Van Lysal]. Later Steve Hudson bought the Spitfire from Dave Van Lysal and was able to get a new windshield shipped to Manzarali. He took a European leave when departing for the states in his British Racing Green Triumph Spitfire. His plan was to drive his all around decent little beast (the Spitfire) to Italy over the Alps, but those plans got side-tracked as the Greeks took the Turkey plates and he had to proceed without plates and several times was stopped and had to bribe his way to Athens where he gave up and shipped the Triumph to Maryland. He then proceeded to Italy and Germany before flying home. Steve promised to re-write this short recap, send some old and recent photo's for the Memory Book.

MY SEARCH FOR BRUCE MONDALE AND BIFF O'HARA - Det 4 RIOT - 1961
From: Debra Engles, Blue Earth, MN: "I looked in the local phone book and did not find a Bruce Mondale. If he is still here he probably has an unlisted number, as the Mondale family is big in political circles here in MN. I called the son of Walter Mondale and ask him, but he said that he never heard of a Bruce Mondale.

MUSICK, John R., (Buddy), DOB: 1MR37, E3, Truck Driver & Cook, Det 4, AP56-MR57, (Suzanne), 6602 Trebeck Ln., Spring, TX 77379, 281-376-1558, jrmusick@swbell.net . Contacted on 19 February 2003. Buddy enlisted for 4 years in the ASA in 1955 and took basic training at Ft. Ord, California and then spent about 2-3 weeks undergoing 058 training which he did not complete. Spent a lot of time pulling KP and guard duty before negotiating a Truck Driver MOS. Was told that he was being assigned to the Embassy in Ankara, but that thought quickly disappeared when he was told to go to supply and draw field gear. In April 1956 19 year old Buddy Musick arrived in Ankara where he spent several days in-processing and being briefed on do's and don'ts while in Turkey. After a few days he was was in a convoy of 30-40 trucks destined for Sinop. Many of the iki bachuk's broke down and were widely scattered by the time he and about 100 other yeni's arrived at Sinop and then had to find a dry spot to pitch his PUP tent. Remembers Peter Stepheny, Dennis Johnson (from Milwaukee, WI), and Austin (Frenchy) Breaux from Louisiana. Also, a LT Garrett as one of the officers. Drove trucks mostly between Sinop and Samsun for about 6 months and then cross-trained as a cook and was involved in buying all of the local food. I still have fun when I run into a Turkish waiter on cruise ships. I don't remember all of it, but enough to have some fun and see the shocked look on their face. After Sinop was sent to Ft Huachuca, then to Okinawa before ETS'ing. As a civilian he worked in Data Processing for 35 years and then was the owner of a UNIGLOBE Travel franchise for 10 years and is now retired. Buddy promised to re-write this short BIO and will set up his scanner soon and send photo's that he has of Sinop.

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
Merhaba, Nasasinis: I have been sitting here trying to think of how to answer some of your questions about my year on the hill. I can't remember the name of the CO and the XO but think that the ops officer was named Nobel. I ran across him in Rothwesten about 61 or 62. He was retired from the Army and, ""selling club equipment"". Drove a nice Citron. I've always had questions about our meeting and association in Sinop. Can't remember the 1st Sgt name but he was a big guy - had to have two belts sewn together to get around him. I wasn't in a vehicle of any kind while in Sinop. Don't remember cabs running around in town. Walked everywhere. I take that back I arrived in a duece and a half and departed to the airstrip in a icki bachuk. The only time that I saw Turk soldiers walking hand in hand was in Ankara when I left. Yes I did pull security guard duty one time shortly after I arrived. They gave me a night stick and instructed that if I heard the command DUR that I should stop. Turks did not give the same command twice. According to the CQ it meant stop. The name Dunlop rings a bell but I can't put a face with it. I remember a SFC Sprague. He got sick one night and threw up in to a four holler. He always blamed me for loosing his teeth. I don't know why he blamed me, I didn't get sick. MIGs sure did buzz us while I was there. Generally created a lot of excitement. The Turks had a strip some where in the area and were flying F-100's. MIG's could always bring them out.

There was a story going around at that time that a few years earlier the Turks were in P51's and some MIG 15's entered Turk airspace. The Turks were supposed to have jumped them and shot one down over the Black sea. Probably one of those urban legends. The Turks did pull aerial target practice over Sinop. One plane would be pulling the sock and the rest would be shooting. They were quite high but it was easy to hear the machine guns.
I would really like to make the trip to 7 Springs but don't think that I will be able to make it this year. I want to go to Palo Pinto, Texas to see and old friend by the name of CW4 Beaty. He was communicating with helo graph. Old Signal Corps and ASA type. He even remembers the 2900. I have a number of old Polaroid photos in my scrap book, if I can get them to come out on a zerox machine I'll be happy to send them along.
You do realize the Chapel that was built on the hill was started in 1958? That chapel had no government money in it at all. Built strictly with donated money, mainly from GI's. I did a 45 day TDY to Det 27 in the winter of 1963 and they let me take a side trip to the hill. The jamesway huts were gone and they had permanent USAF type billets up there. They had even drilled wells so water was no longer a problem. Somebody told me at that time that the Chapel was in the way and in order to account for it they had to list is as found on post. The Turks took a great deal of interest in the chapel and one was even found praying to Mecca in the area where the alter would be. You know maybe more attention should be paid to the similarities between Islam and Christianity and less to the differences.
All in all I think that I can truly say that I enjoyed my tour in Sinop. I learned a lot, mainly about myself, and made friends which I served with later on. All in all I spent nine years in the Army and look upon my departure and subsequent enlistment in the USAF as a mistake. That’s another story and water under the bridge. I still have a pair of boots there were issued to me at For Knox. They don't have buckles on the side, but they are brown. I don’t know what happened to my OD's, but I think that my Mother still has an old field jacket of mine. Let me see about copying these pictures and I'll send them along.

RAY, Russ Det 4, 68-69, ruff1998@aol.com . I met Brian Alpert, a fellow "Sinopian" in the Yahoo ASAVets Group. He tells me that you put out a news letter concerned with ASA in Turkey. I was stationed at TUSLOG Det 4 in 1968-69, if I have the years right. I would be interested in receiving the newsletter if you could add my email address (ruff1998@aol.com ) to your distribution.Thanks,

RIEDY, Richard, E4-E5, 988Turk, Det 4, ?-?, burada@earthlink.net - Elder Green, In one of the Days of Our Lives bulletins, someone had mentioned that James Boyte, who was the mover and shaker behind building the chapel at Det 4, had written a book entitled "Look Homeward" in which he wrote about the chapel. However, the book was supposedly now out of print. I have discovered on Amazon.com that the book is, indeed, available. Thought you might like to know. I've ordered it and look forward to getting the story of how that all came about from the horse's mouth, so to speak. I was only peripherally involved, you might say, because as site interpreter I was drawn into some discussions at the Sinop Province Governor's office about a Christian church being built on the Hill. If I remember correctly, it was to be the first free-standing Christian church erected in Turkey in decades, and there may have actually been some law against it. At any rate, the last I heard before my time was up was talk of the Turks donating the church bell as an ecumenical gesture.

My sincerest thanks to you for getting my old buddy Joe Delnero and me connected--after 43 years. We had a long, long talk on the telephone, catching up. The most exhilarating experience I've had in many a moon.

RAY, Russ Det 4, 68-69, ruff1998@aol.com
I met Brian Alpert, a fellow "Sinopian" in the Yahoo ASAVets Group. He tells me that you put out a newsletter concerned with ASA in Turkey. I was stationed at TUSLOG Det 4 in 1968-69, if I have the years right. I would be interested in receiving the newsletter if you could add my email address (ruff1998@aol.com ) to your distribution.

ROBERTS, Floyd E., DOB: 4MR38, RA16598704, E3-E4, 058, Det 4, JL58-DE58, (Marilyn), 1995 11th Ave., Friendship, WI 53934, 608-339-9012, froberts@maqs.net - Contacted on 14 February 2003. Floyd is retired and enjoying life on his 42 acre farm. It was understood that whoever finished first in the 058 class got promoted to PFC and the choice of assignment. He graduated first in his class and CHOSE Sinop. WOW! His reasoning was that he wanted an assignment where he could save money, and, NO he did not get promoted to PFC while at Devens. Yep, he chose the right place to save money, but was only there for six months when he was transferred to Kassel, Germany (and then briefly at Co B, 319th ASA Bn., Lubeck) for all of 1959. He ended his ASA Tour of Duty at Camp Wolters, TX on 2 September 1960. He related his traveling the road to Heaven (Sinop) in a 2 bus convoy that were driven by IDIOTS who raced each other and took chances time and again. The buses were full of yeni's who were being assigned to Sinop and the USAF bases at Sinop and Trabson. He remembers that the buses were once blocked by a huge boulder in the road. It took everyone to roll it off the road and down the hill. He swears that he heard the boulder crashing for nearly 30 seconds and often wonders if anyone lived below that road. He says that that is a whole story in itself. ~http://www.maqs.net/~froberts/index.html <http://www.maqs.net/froberts/index.html>

Sgt. Green, What is your first name? Elder seems more like a title, as in a church, and R. C. ?

My birthdate was March 4, 1938, which makes me almost 65 years old. I was born right here in Adams County in a house near a crossroads called Monroe Center. Except for the 22 years my wife, Marilyn, and I lived and worked in Madison, this is where we both grew up. We moved back here in 1997. Talk to you later, ~ <http://www.maqs.net/froberts/index.html>~http://www.maqs.net/~froberts/index.html <http://www.maqs.net/froberts/index.html>

SHELINE, Tim 059 Det 4, JN64-JL65, 793 Edgemere St., Port Charlotte, FL 33948, 941-629-6827, tdflwv@cs.com
I was there! Like your site. I was stationed in Sinop from June of 1964 until July of 1965. I was an 059 since I washed out as a 058 at Devens. What a blessing--if I didn't I'd most likely be hearing morse code now--instead of screeching that I hear now in my ears. Sinop was an experience especially when you were just out of school (Ft. Devens) and lived all your life in a small midwestern town. If you hear of anyone in during my time that was a 059 give them my E-Mail address. Thanks and thanks for keeping the memory alive!

SIKES, Arthur D 02-03, USAF, Det 204-Sinop, JL71-JL72, 406 Lake Dr., Wills Point, TX 75169, 214-336-9404, artsikes1@aol.com  Ret as BG.  Was replaced in Bosnia by MG Rod Isler

SIMONS, Bill, E3-E4 058 DE59-DE60, (Patricia Anne), 155 Newbolds Corner Rd., Southampton, NJ 08088, billsimons@yahoo.com , Manager - ASA/Sinop site - http://www.pics.com/~bsimons/sinop/sinop.htm
Hi Elder - Tripod has begun to shut down my free Internet sites (four down, six to go). They give no notice, no reason, no way to backup and no way to find out why. I've been resisting their pressure to pay for enlarging/upgrading the sites and that may be the reason. Perhaps they're just trying to get out of the free web site business. So...it's possible that when I upload the next DOOL file that they'll shut down the dool-1.tripod location. Luckily, I have back up files for the sites that have been lost and am in the process of setting up one new large commercial site where all my Internet sites can be located (NO ads either). The cost of these sites has come down dramatically as the cost of large hard drives has decreased over the past year or two. Hopefully, everything will be sorted out for the best in a few days. Just thought I'd let you know,

STELLE, George N E5-E7 Pers Det 66, 63-67, 1 Towers Park Ln., Apt 311, San Antonio, TX 78209, 210-822-8176, georgestelle@msn.com . Very interesting certainly knew several names. My name is George N. Stelle, Det 66 from 1963 to 1967. Arrived E5 Left E7, Personnel section. Also retired as O-3 USAR. My address is as listed above. Thank you.

STOKES, Wayland T., (Tom), DOB: 15OC40, E3-E4, Supply, Det 27, JN59-DE60, (Anita Coleman-deceased), 4207 Harvest Dr., White Hall, AR 71602, 870-247-5975, tomstokes1@aol.com . Tom has been a long time subscriber to the DAYS OF OUR LIVES, but never submitted his BIO or photo's. He now informs that he will take the time and send that information along with photo's. Tom vividly recalls hearing that one of the worse air disasters happened in NY just before he boarded a 4 prop TWA-MATS aircraft for the flight stateside. After his 3 years in the ASA he separated from the military for 14 months, then re-enlisted in the US Navy and became a LIFER, retiring in March 1978 as a E6.

SULLIVAN, Frank, 98GRU, 71-72, 1845 Timberwood Ln., Virginia Beach, VA, crypto7073@erols.com
On 9 February 1998 Frank Sullivan submited the following on Bill Simons website- http://www.pics.com/~bsimons/sinop/sinop.htm
"Thanks for the time you've spent putting the Sinop site together! I've met countless vets since I ETS'ed in 1973 but no one who was ever in Sinop. I was a ASA Ru lingie, worked in COMDEV near the main operations building. I worked with Jerry Hayes (O5K?), Chuck Clendenan (sp?), Mark Lutness, Walt Gingrich(?),"Chris" Christopher, and others. When I first got there I was assigned to the Navy shop since there wasn't much of an army mission. Worked with Tom Strong, Chuck Biggie, and other CT's whose names escape me now. I lived in the barracks but also rented a room downtown with Walt from Nato the barber; Nato's English wasn't the best but his able assistant, Nazim, spoke pretty well. We shared part of the flat with Nazim and so were able to see a side of Turkish life that others didn't. When ever we needed something from downtown he knew right where to get it! When he got married in 1972 we gave him a bunch of stuff from the PX at a shower. Whenever I got tired of the hill, I'd spend my nites downtown; when the Turks got to me I'd sleep back in the barracks. It was usually pretty dull on the hill except for a few times... I still remember the morning in the winter when I got off a mid shift; I went to the chow hall to get some breakfast and was greeted by........ GIANT SNOW PHALLUSES!! Someone had made some phalluses 4-5 ft high in the middle of the quad and on top of the short roof in front of the mail room! The MP's were called in to knock them down. Everyone buzzed about it for days. The command tried to find the culprits but none were found. I was also there when an MP was killed in the club. There was a fight, he got pushed, and choked on his vomit. Sad...... It seems so long ago, but I still remember some details so vividly! Cheers!" [Recently I contacted Frank Sullivan and informed him of my newsletters and the 2003 reunion and he thanked me for the planning and wants to be kept informed of the reunion.]

VAN LYSAL, Dave, E3, Det 27, 65-66, (Nancy), 3021 4th St S. Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494-5813, 715-424-4619, no e-mail. Contacted on 16 February 2003. Dave owned a 1966 Triumph Spitfire sportscar. That car more or less was his downfall as he hit a Turk in Ankara who ended up going thru the windshield and miraculously the Turk only got a broken leg from the accident. Dave ended in the Ankara prison where a USAF Officer found him while visiting AF personnel who were locked up. Dave was reluctant to discuss his experience in the Ankara prison and I did not press the issue. After Turkey Dave was assigned to Walter Reed Army Hospital in DC where he worked in Supply. Steve Hudson bought the 1966 Triumph Spitfire from Van Lysal and eventually shipped it back to the states.

VAN BROCKLIN, Jim, SP3 (E4), US51337026, Det 4, 27AP56-?, (Marcia), 39 Therin Dr., Hamburg, NY 14705, 716-649-9232, jandmvanb@aol.com
Dear Elder. As you say "very intersting reading from Al Lindsey". When I got to Ankara in Feb-56, I went up to Samsun in a small Jeep pickup truck driven by Lt. Llewellyn P. Rose! He was one neat guy.
I talked to someone who knew Maj Lawry (CO at Samsun), but don't know his name, and did not see him at dinner. Marcia and I arrived about 4:30 - 5:00 PM on Saturday, so we missed a lot. Maybe what we all need is a simple badge with the year in BIG NUMBERS so we can look for people in the same time frame. Then names become more important.

VANORDER, Leroy P (Roy) DOB: 27SE36 E4-E5 283 Det 4, 27SE60-MY61, (Toni), 315-633-0418, rvanorder@aol.com and roy.p.vanorder@lmco.com
"SOG: The Secret Wars Of America's Commandos In Vietnam"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0684811057/asavetsusaA/ ,
Maj John Plaster (USA-Ret), Simon & Schuster, 1997.This book is about another facet of Special Forces operations in Vietnam- those of the SOG- Studies and Observation Group. And this book is an excellant read bringing forth the deeds and accomplishments of a unique group of guys who have frankly not received their due, their operations hidden by a "black" curtain for years. Plaster tells the stories of the long-range reconnaissance missions into North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to monitor the Ho Chi Minh Trail, attempted POW recovery and general reconnaissance deep inside enemy sanctuaries. So why would this book be of particular interest to an ASA veteran?

Like ASA, SOG operations were hidden behind a veil of secrecy. A veil so enduring that only recently has their story begun to be told.

And like ASA, their reports were frequently discounted by the Saigon "establishment". This was all the more frustrating as the SOG teams risked their lives to bring back intelligence only to have desk-bound analysts doubt their veracity. Their reports also were handled in special channels, resulting in complaints about classification straight-jackets that restricted dissemination. And like many ASA'ers we have spoken to, SOG'ers were not shy about sanitizing and walking the information over to US forces when lives were at stake.

Commanders chafed at not having control over the assets. And this translated into the kinds of little petty staff wars that all too frequently hindered operations, and in the case of SOG, put lives at risk.

SOG used ASA reporting as well. The book contains a couple of references to their use of intercepts, a call for the 101st Radio Research Company to check their communications security. Don't look for this book to discuss ASA in any detail, it is focused exclusively on SOG, as it should be. But as you read through the book, that small shadow in the corner that fleetingly appears and then fades is ASA. A footnote to the history of SOG and this book is a good history of that outstanding group of special warfare operators. Jacket price is $25.00 not including taxes. You can get it for less at the discount booksellers. Amazon has it for $17.50 as does Barnes & Noble. You can order the book from Amazon by clicking on the title above. Roy Van Order, Director of Northeast Operations and Special Projects Coordinator for the Cold War Veterans Association, Phone: (315) 456-1979 - CWVA:http://www.coldwarveterans.com/

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