From: "ercgreen" ercgreen@yourinter.net
Subject: DAYS OF OUR LIVES #126
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003 08:31:17 -0400

MAIL-call - PRESERVING FORGOTTEN MEMORIES

This newsletter is intended only for the use of the ASA TURKEY Veteran's. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender immediately and delete the material from any computer. Comments or submissions to the DAYS OF OUR LIVES are most welcome. 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. Whether you choose to share your BIO is a personal choice. However, information not shared is the same as information lost. Keep in mind that the Internet is a universe unto itself and is a dang near veritable hell-hole filled with scams, scam artists, frauds, thieves, and greedy people, etc. In the old days, back when mail crossed the country in days, identity theft still took place. Today, e-mail crosses the country at the speed of light. The crooks do too. Your privacy is extremely important. Therefore, if you wish not to receive future DAYS OF OUR LIVES, please send that request to ercgreen@yourinter.net. Thank you

GREEN, Elder RC (gH), DOB: 1936, RA13513638, E7, 982/98C, Det 27, 1-15MY61, Det 120, MY-JL65, Det 27, JN66-OC67 & Det 4-4, OC67-NO68, (Patty), 3094 Warren Rd., Indiana, PA 15701, 724-349-7395, ercgreen@yourinter.net

INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2003 ASA TURKEY REUNION

THE 2003 ASA TURKEY REUNION WILL BE HELD AT 7 SPRINGS, PA ON LABOR DAY WEEK-END, 29-31 AUGUST 2003. Thus far 34 vet's have made their reservations. The resort just informed me that they have taken away 20 of my blocked rooms. There still is 20 remaining. The cost per room is $85.00 + tax for each room. For reservations call 1-800-452-2223 or 1-866-437-1300 and inform the receptionist that you are with the ASA Turkey reunion group. Request a room on the 6th floor or above that faces the ski slopes. Each room has a balcony and the view is breathtaking! The crash site of Flight 93 is nearby as is the rescue hole for the 9 trapped miners. Both sites held the nation in suspense. Also nearby is Frank Lloyd Wright's best architecture work "FALLINGWATER" and Fort Ligonier.
THE DRESS ATTIRE FOR THE REUNION WILL BE CASUAL AND THE COST FOR THE SATURDAY MEAL IS $35. PER PERSON, PAYABLE IN ADVANCE TO Elder RC Green, 3094 Warren Rd., Indiana, PA 15701.

THE BELOW LISTED VET'S HAVE MADE THEIR RESERVATIONS FOR THE ASA TURKEY
REUNION (29-31 August) AT 7 SPRINGS, PA

ANDERSON, Jerry, E3-E4, 341.10-Teletype repair, Det 27, JL56-JN58, (Sally), 5209, Lindermann Ave., Racine, WI 53406, 262-634-8509, jsa@wi.net pd $70.

ANTONELLO, Tony, RA13576417, E6-E7, 059/05K, Det 27, AU65-MR68, Det 4, 69-70, (Val), 12257 Wye Oak Commons Cir., Burke, VA 22015, 703-239-1739, tonyvalanton@aol.com Pd $70.

BALDERSON, Eric L., (Rick), 2LT-1LT, Fin O, Det 27, 62-63, (Ramona), 36 Florie Farm Rd., Mendham, NJ 07945, 973-543-2093, ericramona@aol.com Pd $70.

BERLIN, Franz DOB: 1939 RA17534092 E5 98J Det 4, 4-1 & 4-4, 62, (Peg), 300 Arundel Beach Rd., Saverna Park, MD 21146, 410-544-4833, warbi@mailstation.com Pd $40.

BINNEY, Bill (Dumbo) E5 98C Det 27, JA66-JN67, (Carole), 7800 Elberta Dr., Severn, MD 21144, 410-551-9175, lstupid1@starpower.net Pd $70

CARRICK, Ernie DOB: 1936 RA25358534 E3-E4 Personnel Det 4, NO57-OC58, (Betty), 6111 Fairfield Dr., Huntsville, AL 35811, 256-852- 6180, eecarrick@hotmail.com

COMROE, Mike, E4, 059, Det 27, 61-62, (Jane), 205 Pinetown Rd., Audubon, PA 19403,610-666-7402, pennstateblue@enter.net. Pd $70.

CRAM, Gene W2 W2215309 OIC T/A Det 27, 66-67, (Phyllis), 5180 SW Gardenia Ct., Dunnellon, FL 34431, 352-489-9085, superchief3@msn.com pd $70.

CRANE, Jim 01-02 05225154 FC Det 27, 65-66, (Lisa), 1490 Lago Mar Dr., Viera, FL 32940, 321-242-2404, jcrane3@cs.com

DeLEO, Steve DOB 1945 RA11423895 E4 982 Det 27, JA64-AU65, (Agnes), 203 Cheney Pl., Castle Rock, CO 80104, 303-688-1520, casrokcomm@aol.com. Retired Col, USAR, 32y svc, 7 as EM E-6

ERICKSON, Ron DOB 1940 E4 059 Det 27, MY61-DE62, (Cathy), 17204 E 37th Terrace, Independence, MO 64055, 816-373-3349, rke3349@cs.com

GOODMAN, Jay DOB: 1952 E4 MP Det 4, SE72-SE73, (Kathy), 3468 Izy Hill Ln., Finleyville, PA 15332, 724-348-0358, jaykathy@nb.net. (Motorhome) Pd $70

GREEN, Elder RC (aka Al & Green Hornet) E7 Det 27, 1-15MY61, JN66-OC67 & 4-4, OC67-NO68, (Patty), 3094 Warren Rd., Indiana, PA 15701, 724-349-7395, ercgreen@yourinter.net pd $70.

HUDSON, Steven C., DOB: 1943, RA14859450, E3-E5, 31J20, Det 27, MR65-SE66, (Barbara), PO BX 162, McIntosh, FL 32664, 352-591-2579, sbhudson6@aol.net

HUNT, Carlos E DOB 1937 E3-E4 058 Det 4, MR58-MR59, (Frankie), 10215 Hwy 79E, Henderson, TX 75652, 903-889-2391, cehunt79@aol.com Pd $70.

JONES, Ed, DOB: 1944, RA18664602, E5, 059, Det 27, OC62-MR65, (Florence), 30 Woodland Hills Dr., Bismarck, IL 61814, 217-759-7773, hejones@escocorp.com

KEENAN, Frank E5 058 Det 27 @61 fm NJ per Roy Springmeyer & Art Landskov
KJOLLER, Jon, DOB: 1938, RA15578113, E3, 058, Det 4, JL58-AU59,, (Darlene), 993 Rosemary Dr., New Braunfels, TX 78130, 830-625-1064, kjoller@the-cia.net. (Plans to drive)

LAMBETH, Henry (Hank) DOB: 1940 RA14750951 E4 283.1 Det 4, JN62-63, (Catherine), 1419 Marvin Dr., Vinton, VA 24179, 540-890-4508, halambeth@cox.net (cable) Pd $70.

MAU, Norman R., E2-E4, Finance, Det 27, JA65-JN66, (Theresa), 11225 Broad Green Dr., Potomac, MD.20854, 301-983-8469, maun@hotmail.com & maun@yahoo.com Pd $35.

McCLEVISH, Chas Jr E1-E3 RA13772572 711 S2 Det 27, 63-64, (Carolyn), 1908 Harrison Rd., Dundalk, MD 21222, 410-285-1416, cmcclev@msn.com (Fri only)

McCULLOUGH, John T., DOB: 1938, RA15560286, E3-E4, 058, Det 4, 58, (Sue),1044 E.
Smith Rd., Medina OH 44256 330-722-6490, john38@zoominternet.net Pd $70.

MURPHY, Bob E3-E5 058 Det 27 and Det 4, AP61-AP62, (Peg), 7623 Turnbrook Dr., Glen Burnie, MD 21061, 410-255-0320, murphy@annap.infi.net

NEARPASS, Robt D E3-E5 MP Det 27, DE64-DE66, (Lorraine), 111 Hope Crossing Rd., Belvidere, NJ 07823, 908-638-7625, nearpass@accessgate.net pd $70.

NEILL, Hank, PVT-2LT, Finance, Det 27, AU62-JA64, (Judy), 7417 Jenna Rd Springfield, VA 22153, 708-569-5163, Hneill@erols.com - Retired Colonel Pd $70.

RODRIGUES, Charlie E4 Supply Det 4, 59-60, (Patricia), 210 Benham Ave., Syracuse, NY 13219, 315-487-1195, pcrodrigues@webtv.net pd $70.

SCHWARTZ, Fred Det 4 58-60, (Rose), 321 Fain St., Morganton, GA 30560, 706-374-4302, roses1939@ellijay.com pd $70.

SINOR, Walter E4 F&AO Det 27, 62-63, (Betty), 3049 County Road 239, Valley Head, AL 35989-4721, (256)635-6860, 877-453-5097 (toll free), walter.sinor@stpaul.com

STEFFEN, Arnold DOB: 1937 RA16568829 E4 283 Det 4, JL58-JL59, (Janet), 1043 Old Humboldt Rd., Jackson, TN 38305, 731-664-5058, asteffen4@aol.com Pd $80.

TAVERNETTI, Dave & Sue, DOB: 1940, 2LT-1LT, Watch Officer TK#4, Det 27, MR62-SE63, 238 Rio Vista Dr., King City, CA 93930, 831-385-4458, tavernetti@redshift.com pd $70.

VAN BROCKLIN, Jim DOB: 1929 SP3 (E4) US51337026 Det 4, FE56-SE56, (Marcia), 39 Therin Dr., Hamburg, NY 14705, 716-649-9232, jandmvanb@adelphia.net Pd $70.

VAN ORDER, Roy DOB: 1936 E4-E5 283 Det 4, 27SE60-MY61, (Toni), 8186 Kneeskern Rd., Bridgeport, NY 13030, 315-633-0418, rvanorder@aol.com Pd $70.

WILLINGHAM, Ted DOB: 1944, RA18737230 E5 33C (Sugar Tree), Det 27, SE66-JN68 (Susan), 3 Chestnut St., Easthampton, MA 01027 413-527-9687, tedw@the-spa.com. Pd $70.

WYLIE, Jim (Sick Call), DOB: 1941 RA13774855 E3-E5 993 Det 4, 64-65, (Sharon), 322 Crossfire Ln., Ligonier, PA 15658, 724-238-6457, no email. Pd $70.

ZIMMERMAN, John W. (Bear) DOB: 1941 RA13774858 Det 4, 64-65, (Sherry), RD#4 Latrobe, PA no e-mail, 2nd in MSC Hvy Wt class in 1965 per Mauler. Pd $70.

THE ASA PICNIC WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, 2 AUGUST 2003 AT BLOBS PARK, MD. THE GATHERING IS INDOORS AND THE COST PER PERSON IS $15. PAYABLE AT THE DOOR. DIRECTIONS TO BLOB'S PARK: Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (I-295) to 175E and immediately look for the BLOBS PARK sign on the right side. Patty and I will be there and hope that other ASA Turkey vet's will join us. The picnic is from 1200-1600 hours. The dress attire is casual.

MAIL CALL
BALL, Richard, RA12615407, E4, 341.10, teletype repair, Tk#4 Det 27,13JA62-14JN63, (Debbie), 10 Heritage Dr., Lancaster, NY 14086, 716-685-9129,docpwrball@msn.com [edited] Elder - I've been reading the back issues of the DAYS OF OUR LIVES newsletters on the web site and they bring back a lot of good memories and names that I haven't thought about in almost 40 years. I had to get out the old picture albums and am still trying to rummage thru stored boxes to find memorabilia. One of the names who is attending the reunion was our trick 4 Watch Officer, Lt Dave Tavernetti. I remember when he walked into operations for the first time and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Dave". I also have a picture of him on our flag football team. Capt Gerarld G. Gibbs, company commander, who thought Manzarali was a penal institution when he first saw the fenced in area of the operations building. I guess this was his first assignment after West Point. Then there was Georga (sp) the ashack (donkey) that the medics had on post. She came to the flag football games and would drink a coke or Budwieser from the can. And if she had too many "Buds", she'd pass out and lay there until she sobered up. What a site. As to the reunion, although it's only about 170 miles away, I won't be able to attend as I have other commitments that week-end. I'm looking forward to future ones.

DesRUISSEAUX, Roy, DOB: 1941, RA13668334, E3, MP, Det 27, JN61-AU62, (Josie),176 Springton Rd Upper Darby, PA 19802, 610-622-3343, desrx2@comcast.net - Elder: Josie and I won't be able to make the reunion this year. Just an enormous amount of stuff going on. I remember Christmas of 1961 Ed Larkin and I were talking (or bitching) about this and that as GIs sometimes did. Anyhow Ed said "hey Bob Hope goes all over the world entertaining the troops but he's not coming here. It's like they don't know we exist". I of course agreed at the time 'cause it sure seemed that way. I'm not sure if it was 1962 or 1963 that he did indeed entertain in Turkey. I know there are several on this list who saw him, perhaps they might want to share a story or two about that time. I missed it. However in the early 1970's Hope was invited to Washington D.C. to entertain the White House News Photographers Association. While I wasn't a member I knew many of the photographers and was asked to do some photo work at the banquet. Hope arrived the night before at Dulles Airport. I was there with one or two other photographers. It wasn't that these pictures would be going out on the wire or used in the paper they just figured since he was appearing before a large group of news photographers we should at least show up. I, and a few others, got to ride in the limo back to the Shoreham Hotel where he was staying. He told a few stories on the way in. I think he was having some minor medical problems and needed to get some yogurt. As it was somewhat late he wanted to know where he might get some. I mentioned there was a 7-11 on Connecticut Ave. about a mile from his hotel. What time does it close?? Eleven I said. Got a little quiet before he got it but chuckled a little. We went there and his personal aide went in and got some and we went on to the hotel. So that's my Hope story. I just heard on the news that Sen. Elizabeth Dole offered a resolution to bury him in Arlington National Cemetery. I can't speak for anyone else but I think it's a great idea. Any others have thoughts on this, pro or con? Ok I'm getting windy here.

FULLER, Ronald L RA17720193 E3 Det 27, 66-68. Claudia Hinton James wrote: "As I reread some of the letters Ron Fuller sent me I found some information I thought you would find interesting:
1. His family was from Denver, Colorado
2. On 16 Aug 67 he wrote he had about 203 days left in Turkey
3. On 4 July 67, Det 27 held a carnival and the band he played in "The Men from U. N. C. L. E. " performed--he was a guitarist
4. Gerkheryewk, Turkey was the location where he was stationed when he wrote several of the letters.
5. On 15 November 1966 the post gym in Gerkheryewk caught fire. They were using the gym for storage and all 300 crates of new furniture were destroyed.
6. One of his friends at Ft. Devens (1966) was:
Dave Claypool
RA19862531
Co. D, 2nd Bn. USASATR
Ft. Devens, Mass 01433
7. I think I may have located him, but I'm not totally certain. When I called the Iowa number I got a recorded message that sounded like the voice tone I remember--I'll call again next week. Don't think the SSDIs apply because I'm almost certain he was born in Colorado, therefore his SS # would probably have been from that state. I'll have my daughter-in-law e-mail the picture of the band to you the first part of the week, she's my assistant. I haven't yet mastered the scanning and sending of photos, although I've tried-so I just leave it up to her. I'm a public speaker and I have some gigs in the Carolinas next week, so I'll check my e-mail when I get back to the office. I look forward to hearing from you again. Claudia Hinton James

PS: If you would like a copy of the picture of the band performing on the 4th as well as a picture of him for your reunion memorabilia just let me know and I'll e-mail them to you. Sincerely, Claudia Hinton James

HOWARD, Joe, RA12654839, E3, 993, Det 4, 62-63, 1363 Homestead Dr., Hickory, NC 29601, jhoward@bluenet.net
This is some of what I remember about Sinop, not necessarily in chronological order. My BIO
The DRAFTY start
It was a cold and rainy fall day just after Thanksgiving. I had received a letter from my "Friends and Neighbors" asking me to come down and take a Physical. The Draft board has struck! So here I am in line in my underwear. When I got to the Hearing test I noticed some strange things going on. While testing my hearing they changed the equipment four times. That did not happen to anyone else. I was asked if I could really hear the signals on the last test and I said, "I gave the right answer didn't I? He said "Smart Ass," get into the next line. About 20 minutes later this great big mean, old looking Master Sergeant calls out my name and I answered. Follow me he said. We go down this long dark corridor, turned left on another corridor and went to the last office on the right. I stepped in, the shade was down and there was on old Regulator clock on the wall with roman numerals on the dial. The office smelled musky. There was an old steam radiator hissing under the window. Shut the door and sit down he barks. Then he blasts me with a barrage of unusual questions. "Do you advocate the over-throw of the United States Government? Are you a member of the Communist Party? Do you have a Criminal record? Have you ever been arrested? I thought" Oh Shit what have I done?" As beads of sweat were appearing on my face I answered NO to all of those questions. I guess he could see the terror on my face when he said those infamous words "Relax., I want to make you an offer you can't refuse..." If you enlist for 3 years I can get you out of the vacation in South East Asia (Vietnam)" I can't tell you anything about it because it is Top Secret he said so I signed up in the ASA unassigned for 3 years. He gave me this great big multi-page form and told me to fill out everything I had done and every place I had live for the past 20 years. I said but I am only 18 years old. Do your best he said. I arranged December 27 as my start day so I could spend my Christmas at home.

Training and School
I took my very first train ride to Ft Dix, New Jersey for basic training. I shot for 3 years in High School NRA rifle club, so I managed to shoot expert with the M1 Garand. Winter training is so wonderful NOT. After Basic Training I got my orders to go to Ft Monmouth, New Jersey, Signal School. My newly assigned MOS was to be a 993.1 Electronic Warfare Specialist with a special 14-week crash course. I got married between Basic and Ft Monmouth. Still married after 40 years. She was a Lutheran so while at Ft Monmouth I started Lutheran adult confirmation classes. I shipped overseas 1 week before confirmation. Also while at Ft Monmouth I joined the USASCS HONOR GUARD DRILL TEAM. It was quite an experience, a lot of work and I had a good time. I went to Ft Hancock to train on the intercept equipment along with millions of horseshoe crabs lining the beaches. When we were asked where we would prefer for overseas assignment I relied on what I had learned in basic training. You never get what you ask for! I did not want to go to Shemya, Alaska, the outer most Aleutian Island so that is what I chose as my choice. Sure enough I got orders for Sinop, Turkey. Then I started hearing rumors (Horror Stories) about Sinop. They were so bad that I figured that they couldn't be true. I was right. It was worst than the rumors...and I was there.
PAN AM to Ankara Turkey
and
WHERE IS MY RETURN TICKET HOME?
When I got my orders and one-way airline ticket via PAN-AM I also found out that I was going alone to the other side of the world. It was just me and my pocket Bible into Islam territory. Two other GI's just happened to get on the plane in Rome, Italy on their way to Ankara, Turkey. We three arrived just two weeks after an attempted revolution and 15 minutes before curfew. We were met at Esenboga Airport by an US Air Force Sergeant and told to grab our gear and run to a Duce ½ parked in front. They started to drive off as soon as we threw our gear in the back and we had to run and dive in the back. The truck passed sand bagged machine guns manned by Turkish Army at almost every intersection as they drove like wild men not even stopping or slowing up for red lights and horn blaring. We arrived at the Air Force billets in Ankara just as curfew started. We could here shooting all around us as they closed the gates. What a welcome to Turkey. Where is my home return ticket I asked? They just laughed. They put us up on the 4th floor of the 10 story high Air Force Billet. Next morning at chow I heard the 6th floor was closed because of the 50 caliber staffing from the Turkish Air force fighter plane that turned and accidentally shot the building while shooting at the rebels at the War Collage. Many of the Air Force residents took pictures of this from the roof of the building looking down on the plane. I saw some of the pictures. Where is my return home ticket?
Samsun
A few days later we go back to Esenboga Airport to fly the infamous THY Airlines to Samsun. I managed to snag an English-Turkish-English dictionary on the way thru the Airport complete with the book tax stamp. Flying THY Airlines was quite an experience. It was a high wing Fairchild turboprop. We had a cute sexy stewardess wearing a colorful all black Burka. Nice eyes though. For in-flight snack they passed and old nasty brown paper bag filled with hard candy left over from WW1. Take all you want if you can break a piece loose from the stuck-together mass. I soon learned the easily recognized aroma of the Turks. It was a mixture of old B.O, vomit and sickening sweet strong perfume that fails to disguise the other odors. The combination along with the smell of the Turkish cigarettes still lingers over my thoughts. I knew the rumors about Turkey were wrong. Now I wished they were right. Gag gag gag. The flight was uneventful. Going over the narrow pass I could see the small grass, mice, ants and mountain marmots. We could not fly this low with the wheels down. With the wheels down we would have been 2-3 feet higher. I think we did manage to fly under some tree branches though.
SINOP
The trip to Sinop from Samsun was in the back of mail run truck along a creek bed and across country. Surely this could not be a road. Riding on top of the mail bags being beaten half to death bouncing around in a box with one small window in the back door was quite an accomplishment to survive. When we arrived at Sinop and the hill top there was no room at the Inn. All the new barracks were full. Even the yenni billets were full. So they sent us off to the new Gym. On the left side of the gym they were building a two lane Bowling Ally. There was no wood floor or equipment yet but there was a row of bunks on the bare concrete floor. My bunk was one of the two at the very end that were below grade in the pit for the future pin setting machine. No windows or shades on the high windows. No charge for the extra noise from the gym. Confirmation of my Top Secret Crypto security clearance did not arrive for 2 more weeks so I could not go to work in Ops. Most of the time was spent at the EM Club or waiting for detail work lying on my bunk. Remember the pinsetter pit? No one could see me on my bunk unless they walked all the way to the end of the ally and looked down. People would look in the door and see no one and leave. Never did they call out or come down and look. I was invisible for most of the two weeks.
Washington Hall
After I got my security clearance they moved me into a converted day room in Washington Hall that held about 30 in one room. Everyone in there was on permanent day shift because they worked support jobs. I was the only one in the room that worked Tricks. I was assigned Trick 4. It was tough sleeping when they were all awake or getting ready for an inspection. I tried to get it changed but I was told that once you are assigned a spot, you stay there until your tour is over. See my section about "Trick 4 Party" for the exception to this rule and hints on lease breaking. Somehow I managed to get the other 29 in the room and about 25 others to petition my immediate relocation after 5 months and one "Trick Party" of cohabitation
Operations: First day
I got the grand tour and was quite surprised. I found out that I would be in rooms 1,2 and 3. I was trained for rooms 2 & 3 but the mission in room 1 was so Top Secret that we had no idea that we would be doing that. On the job training was how it was done. Room one was the primary mission and room two was the secondary, when nothing was happening in room one. I was put on a position in room one the first day. Trick 4 was on days that week. The schedule was 6 days on 1st shift (Days), 2 days off, 6 days on second shift, 2 days off, and 6 days on 3rd shift, Midnight to 7:00AM followed by 3 days off. Then the whole cycle started over again. Just as your body got adjusted to when to eat and sleep, you screwed it up again. Instead of getting into a rut, your body was in a bog. The EM club became your relief when you couldn't sleep and real food when your body suddenly decided that it was hungry. To flop your sleep cycle back to the day shift after a week at 3rd shift we usually forced our-selves to stay up and awake until 10PM or so that night. That is why we had 3 days off. Otherwise you would fall asleep in your workstation, very bad. We usually went down the Hill into Sinop after break-fast, for something to do.
A New Lutheran Chaplain arrives
About two weeks after I arrived in Sinop, we got a new Chaplain, and he happened to also be Lutheran. About a month or so later he started confirmation classes. Having so many activities to choose from I decided to give up watching Television (yah, right on, He he) and go to the classes again. Maybe I can finish them this time. (See trick 4 party)
PT in the FOG
In the winter time dense fog would roll across the hill. When we had PT in the morning sometimes you could not see three feet. If you were in the middle of the group where the NCO's and Officers couldn't see you, most of us just stood in place and counted the repetitions with the poor suckers in the front row who were working up a sweat. We never got caught. Love that morning fog!
Escargots migration
During the fall, we experienced a massive Escargot migration. These large white, eating types of snails covered the entire hill. All surfaces were totally covered with billions of these snails. The chain link fence around OPS was solid white with the snails. The roadways and sidewalks were covered. You could not walk without stepping on them. Crunch squish, crunch squish. It was awful to walk on them, killing them by the hundreds. After the crunch and squish they were slippery to walk on. Running was out of the question. If you stood still too long, they too will cover you. Love those slime trails. Like slugs with shells. Fortunately this only lasted a couple of days. I was suprised that they did not show up on the mess hall serving line.
Russian bomber over flight in 1962-63
I had just climbed into my bunk in Jackson Hall. My trick had worked 3rd shift and I had breakfast and was getting ready to sack out. Suddenly I heard this rumble of very loud jet engines. I rolled over grabbed my eyeglasses and put them on. I reached up to the window and pulled the blinds apart just in time to see it. A huge Russian Tu-16 "Badger Bomber" was gliding over the quadrangle headed towards OPS. The flaps were down full as it lumbered overhead at about 100 feet off the rooftops. The big red stars on the wings and tail looked huge. The wheels were down to help slow the airplane, and the damn Bomb bay doors were open full. Inside the Bomb bay I could see a man in flight gear strapped to the forward wall. He was operating what looked like a 70mm movie camera with two circular film drums mounted to the top of the camera. Smile, you're on candid camera, I thought to myself. A second later he was out of sight and I did not see anyone in the tail gunner compartment. Well so much for feeling sleepy, as I tried to peal myself off of the walls. What a subtle attempt for a "Spy over flight". We were having an IG Inspection that day and our Big Brass had just arrived an hour earlier. When the Otter came in with them he goofed and radioed that they were on board. I guess Ivan decided to say, "Hi, we know you are there!"
0300 Mousewich? Yummy, yummy!
On 3rd shift they sent sandwiches to OPS around 0300-0300 for us to eat. One night I arrived in the break room before the sandwiches. There were about 3 of us in the break room when this mouse runs across the floor and behind a long board lying on the floor and against the wall. I kicked the board against the wall as hard as I could. When we pulled the board away from the wall we found the mouse dead. Just then the sandwiches arrive along with 5 others. We all grabbed a sandwich. One of the guys that just came in opened his sandwich and put the dead mouse inside it, re-wrapped it and placed it back into the box of sandwiches at one end. By now about 10 of us knew about the "Mousewich" and hovered nearby for an un-suspecting victim. We were awful. The guys piled in getting their coffee and sandwiches. Finally this Sergeant comes in and grabs the "Mousewich". He fiddles around talking and takes his time while jabbering with some of the other guys. Finally he slowly unwraps it and started talking again. The suspense is building and the tension is crackling in the room. At last he opens his mouth wide and starts to put it into his watering mouth...Guess what happened. As most of us started to gag, one of the guys panics and says "Sarge, what kind of a sandwich do you have?" He withdraws the unbitten sandwich from his mouth. As he opens the sandwich he says "I have a (sees the dead mouse) OH MY GOD!" Drops the sandwich on the floor and runs out of the room to the head. Everyone else checks the insides of their sandwiches and splits back to their duty stations. We had lots of extra sandwiches left over that week. I bet that he still thinks that the Turks in the Mess Hall did that prank.

Trick 4 Party, "The last one". Moving into Jackson Hall.
I had been in Sinop for about 5 months when our Trick Chief called us together. He said we have good news and bad news. First the good news: It was our turn for a Trick Party. The bad news was that the last three Trick parties were big flops and poorly attended. He was told that if this party was a flop there would be no more Trick Parties. It fell upon us to uphold ASA Tradition and throw the best party we could. We all agreed to 100% attendance. It was decided to hold it on a Saturday night during our break between 3rd shift and 1st shift to give us a day to recover. I arrived a little after 8PM and their was quite a crowd. The Trick Chief arrived a little later. He had a head start at the EM Club and was quite drunk already. I found an opening at a table and started playing cards, eating and drinking double Rum and Cokes. We played, told stories, jokes and sang songs. We were having a great time all of us. Around 2200 hours they ran out of Rum. What a bummer I said. Give me a 7-7. I have had about 12 Rum and Cokes and the 7-7 hit me with 10 tons of bricks. One sip and my body went totally numb from head to toe. I tried to get up but I fell on top of the table laughing hysterically. My Trick Chief helped me back up and decided to help me get back to my room before he would have to carry me. It was quite a sight, 2 drunks staggering out the door. It took 3-4 attempts to climb the stairs in front of the EM Club but we succeeded. I was in hysterical laughter the whole time. The last thing I remembered is collapsing on my bunk fully dressed. I have no knowledge or memories of anything until about 1000 hours (See Lutheran Confirmation story) the next morning. EVERYONE in Washington Hall hated me. The 29 roommates were particularly vile. I had stirred up a hornet's nest. Nothing they could do would shut me up. Cold showers, I could not even feel the water! I was told that at one point they had put me in my wall locker UPSIDE DOWN. I did not believe them. They took my tape recorder and recorded me in the wall locker. They even sent the tape to my wife stateside. I denied everything. Monday I received my eviction notice! I was assigned a room in Jackson Hall with the rest of Trick 4. It turns out that I missed out on the best part of the party. Around 0100 is when the riot broke out. Two Turks and an MP got thrown out of the building through closed windows. The inside walls and furniture were trashed. The party was a resounding success. ASA Honor was upheld. All future parties were CANCELED!!! BUT THE "TRICK 4" PARTY WAS A SUCCESS!
Lutheran Confirmation, finally!
Sunday morning after the Trick party was also Confirmation day. Jesus had called to Lazareth to rise and come out of the tomb. About 1000 hours I woke up. I felt like I had died and gone to Hades. Flames seemed to be devouring my insides. My head was about to explode. I hurt all over and felt sick. I should have died I thought but here I am half alive. He was calling to me now so I rose up and staggered to the head and started to clean myself up. Back in the room now my stuff was a mess. I found my Class A uniform and put it on. I think the tie was on backwards. Some Good Samaritan outside the chapel helped straighten it around to the front. I do not remember much of the sermon that morning but I was finally confirmed into the Lutheran Church. And I never got drunk again. It was over 10 years before I could stand Coke again but I still do not like Rum.
KGB Spy Incident
We had just gotten off of 3rd shift and they made us go to a special meeting in the "Safe" conference room in OPS for a briefing. Near the end of the "Top Secret Briefing" we were informed about some people being sent TDY to other bases along the Black Sea. We were told not to discuss any of this information outside of this meeting ever. This was our last night on 3rd shift. We had the next 3 days off to flop our bodies over to 1st shift schedule. I went to the Mess Hall for breakfast of old eggs, lumpy canned milk, and watery orange juice? I changed clothes and hooked up with one of my Trick 4 buddies and rode the duce into town. I went to see Husane Ugar in the model boat and jewelry box shop. And my buddy (I think his name was Parker) went into the variety shop 2-3 shops up the street. About 15 minutes later Parker walks up to the door and motions me to come outside. He was white as a sheet. He said that he did not feel well and needed to go up to Base immediately. I questioned him but he was evasive. We went back to the duce and he climbed in and I joined with two other GI's so I could stay in town. (No soloing allowed in town for safety reasons.). The duce left and he went back to base. The next morning we were locked down. No one permitted off of the base. Later a bus full of CIA/NSA agents in suits arrived. We had an all hands meeting in the Gym. The agents manned security at the main gate and at Ops. Ops shut down to go the meeting. The agents introduced themselves and told us we may have had a major security breach. My trick 4 buddy, Parker? Was not as sick as he put on. Upon returning to base he immediately went to security to report what had happened to him. In less than 2 hours after hearing about the transfers in OPS he was asked point blank by a Turk about the movement. How did they hear about it so fast? Where was the leak? Was there a bug in OPS? Many questions with few answers. They informed us that there were several KGB agents working on base. They know who they are and could control their access to information. If they busted them we might get new agents that we did not know about and that would be worst than keeping the ones we know about and can control. No names were given. The CIA then shared the following information with us: About two weeks previous to this incident, the Russian Embassy in Ankara changed Ambassadors. The morning after he arrived he and the "Charge'D Affairs" of the embassy got into a car and drove over the mountains and creek beds and arrived in Sinop. He checked into a hotel, went out to a restaurant for dinner. Then he went to a movie. Sinop movies were typically open air projected 16mm on a whitewashed section of roman wall. You sat where you could on rocks, boxes, and a few chairs. Real classy movie theater-not. He went back to the hotel and retired for the night. The next morning he went back to the embassy in Ankara. He made no contact and met no one while in Sinop. The movie was not that great to warrant the arduous trip over the mountains. His main purpose was to be seen with the Charge D' Affairs so the local spy agents would recognize him when they came in to report. Sinop was a hot spot for the KGB. We were told to double our security efforts. If any one talked in their sleep they would provide bunks up in OPS for them to sleep. Watch out and be cautious of every one, even your best friend. We all started sleeping with one eye open after that. Were you a spy??? The walls had ears! Tension was always high. You could sleep but you could never relax. No wonder the EM Club was so popular.

Signal Hunting Rm. 2
It used to get very boring late on 3rd shift. Not much action so I went hunting. Usually after 0300 I went into the ELTEX files and went card by card and went searching for the listed signal to see if I could find it. There were many unknowns listed and I would concentrate on them. One night I pulled a AUEF that was possibly associated with the Badger Bombers. We had lots of them over the Black Sea. So I started hunting for Puffballs, the Badgers main radar. I found a flight of them, about 30 all going the same direction. I carefully DF their position and direction. Then I switched tuners to the frequency band of the listed AUEF signal. Bingo, got one the first try. I started the recorder and got one of the other positions to tune in on the Puffball. I got a long patch cord and plugged them into one recorder on different tracks so I could record them together. It was a lobe switching radar with the PRF of around 70,000cps. It had a very distinct butterfly flutter to the sound. It also felt like hot air or heat deep inside of my ears. I was the only one on the base that could hear or feel anything with that high a frequency. Most human hearing ability stops around 20,000cps. I had to follow the Badger within ½ of a degree or the signal faded. After 20 minutes of recording I terminated intercept and searched for more. Every Puffball I found had one of these AUEF signals. I made over 20 separate intercepts that night with signal PRF varying from 66,000cps to 88,000cps. I used up a case of tapes that night. Then I had to fill out all the paperwork and reports about the tapes. I did not get off of 3rd shift until about 0900. The head analysts came up to me and said that the tapes were blank, he could not hear anything on them. I told him to look at the scopes! He came back again and asked if I was human. I barked back at him: "Woof woof woof." No one on the base could hear these signals but me. I found them with my "Ears" that the draft board physical discovered. I never found my upper limit but it was close. Do any of you other ELINTER's have or had super high frequency hearing? I would like to "hear" from you (Pun intended). I never found out what this signal was. An educated guess is that it could have been a new in-flight refueling radar or something to aid close formation flying at night. The PRF was extremely close, so it would only be effective for about 100 meters or less. You could probably track a pin with it.
Master Control Surprise: Signal up.
Master Control (MC) in room 1 was manned 24/7. The MC console was able to monitor and scan all the other positions in room one. The MC intercom was linked to every position in every room in OPS. That is one of the reasons it was named "Master Control". When a mission was in progress, it was controll-ed from the MC console. Very seldom were we ever got a surprise. Third shift is very routine and usually boring. One night it was my turn to man MC. It was after 0300-sandwich time and I was lazily switching through the positions in the empty room. Everyone else was in room 2. Suddenly the earphones were screaming and my scope was in full bloom. I immediately hit the start button. The huge tape recorders jumped to life and less than a second were at a screaming speed of 120 ips. Then I pushed the intercom button and announce the entire complex, "Signal Up", looking into the "Nixie Tubes flashing the time I read off the time onto the tape. Meanwhile there was a thunderous commotion behind me. I turned to look and saw the door to the main hall closing. There was someone sitting at every position putting on his earphones. The Trick Chief was there and relieved me to take his position at MC. We were surprised. This intercept lasted for over 45 minutes. This length of time too was a surprise.
IG Inspection and Hiding stuff below the Crypto Room!
We were having our annual IG Inspection. As usual, we had some equipment that we could not find paperwork for so we needed to put it where it would not be noticed. Never would we think of hiding something. I discovered that the building actually had a basement. Sort of. Inside the Cryptographic room, underneath some equipment there was a hatch in the floor. This led to a basement space under the building. There we stacked the equipment until we could find the authorized paper work that went with it. We had all heard that the OPS had a destruct setup in case of an emergency. Supposedly the commander had a box in his office with a timer and or a switch in it. He could set the timer after the building was evacuated and blows it the moon. Or if under attack he could push a button and immediate POOF! Self-destruct. In an emergency we were all expendable. It was inside this basement that I actual saw the hundreds of blocks of Plastic Explosives fastened below the floor of OPS building above our heads. Hundreds of wires converged into one big metal box. One armored cable came out of its side and snaked along the ceiling and going through a conduit up to the commander's office. It was no joke. Thirty-five minutes later I was telling a guy I was working with about this setup. He was an ex-Navy Seal. He laughed, then he told me that the timers were all wired to instant destruct. He said they did not believe anyone would deliberately hit the self-destruct button. So complain after the fact he said. If you can he said. He had wired a few places like this as a Seal.

Top Secret-Crypto Spy Books
Some times during the long hours of 3rd shift, I would sit and read the "Special" books with all the faces blacked out on the pictures. This allowed me to put a picture in my mind to go along with the "Work we were doing" when I found something I had a clear picture of what it looked like. This worked very well, later on when I was back stateside. We had to take MOS proficiency test. The second highest score in our Battalion was by our Platoon Sergeant. He scored about 76 on the test. I got 123 on the test and could even draw them a picture of the equipment. Because of this and my ears, that I was offered $10,500 (The maximum in 1965) reenlistment bonus for 4 more years. I told them that I would rather go back to New York State and live on welfare because the monthly pay was higher. The First Shirt took my discharge paper into the CO's office, came out and handed them to me and said "GO". I saluted, turned around and never looked back. As soon as I was out of the main gate I stripped off my uniform while driving. "FREEDOM AT LAST".

F*** the Mission, Clean the Position!
It was a very busy night on 3rd shift. We were all in room 1 and had just started the recorders and had about 4 minutes of intercept. We had about 4 hot signals coming in when suddenly the darkness of the room was boldly interrupted when the door swung open and they turned the overhead white lights on blinding us. Normal operating mode was with small red overhead lights so we could see and read all the CRT tubes at each operator's position. This Yenni Master Sergeant barked "I want every swinging dick out in the hall immediately for a GI party! We all just sat their stunned. "That's an ORDER," he shouted. One of the positions down from me pushed his intercom button and says, "FUCK THE MISSION AND CLEAN THE POSITION". All intercom voice is permanently recorded on the tapes along with the time and date code. Then MC hits the stop button on the big recorders and throws his headset to the chair and says "Lets Go". We all followed him out of room 1 (Prime Mission of the entire base terminated for mop buckets.) We made the place shine and sparkle. It took the rest of the night. The next day the tape was sent to Ft Meade, NSA Headquarters. Did the shit ever hit the fan! We never saw that sergeant again. No one outside of our assigned group ever dared to open those doors into room 1 again.

My trips to 'Friseurs Body Shop! (Medical Dispensary)
From "Collision, and Heat Stroke" to the "Big Daddy of the Turkey Trots."
The Base dispenser's nickname when I arrived was Friseurs Body Shop named after a previous doctor whom severed his internship on the hill. One of the medics had to show him how to read an x-ray. Fortunately he left before I arrived. My first trip to the dispensary occurred right after 2nd shift. It just started to rain as we left OPS on our way to the Mess Hall. Several of the equipment repair guys were ahead of me on the road. We all started to run to keep from getting soaked. The repair guys remarked that the operators could never pass them running. Ha! I shot past most of them and was about to pass the leader on his right side. Just as I was passing him he gave me a shoulder block knocking me into one of those concrete road guard posts. It felt like my leg from just above the knee down stayed on the concrete post as I flew head first into the ravine. I did a perfect one point landing with my face. The impact shattered my eye glasses and drove mud and rocks into my eyes and mouth. I laid there unable to move with incredible pain to the right leg. Several guys shouted down to me as I lay in the mud and driving rain asking if I was OK. I spit out the stones and mud and mumbled NO. I could not see and must have looked terrible. When they got down to me and scraped the mass of mud off of my face they said I was covered with blood. They formed a human chain and carried me to the top of the ravine and road. Just then a MP jeep came down the road and they flagged him down. The jeep rushed me to the dispensary on the other side of the base. After quite some time banging on the dispensary door they woke the medic on duty and he let us in. The medic sent the MP to find the Base Doctor. Meanwhile the medic started to work on me cleaning off the mud and assessing my injuries. He washed my face and eyes. The majority of the bleeding was coming from a large cut in my eyebrow area. He put a butterfly bandage to close the cut. Then he washed my eyes out and checked for damage. There was no damage to my eyes and I could now see again. The MP returned. It was Saturday night and he found the doctor passed out at the "DOOM Club". The medic asked the MP to assist him and they x-rayed my leg. No bones were broken but I had a massive bruise to my lower thigh. The medic put a ice pack on it and gave me something to dull the pain. Late the next morning the Doctor came in to see me. He apologized for not being there to help me. He examined me and said the medic did a great job on me. He said they would start therapy that afternoon and I could return to duty the next day. Great news I thought. About 1700 they put me in the whirlpool bath tank to help lower the swelling.They turned it on and it started to heat up. It got hotter and hotter and hotter. A short time later I got this real strange feeling. I took a deep breath and yelled "MEDIC", and passed out. Everything went black but I could still hear. The medic ran in and caught me just before my head sank below the water. He screamed as he put his arms into the hot water and called for more help. They dragged my limp body out of the tank and put me somewhere. I could only hear what was going on. They poured cold water all over me as the doctor rushed in. My vision slowly returned and I could speak again. After another examination and a head x-ray they could find nothing. The doctor thought that I might have had a head injury from the fall that may have cause some brain swelling. They decided to keep me there a few more days for observation. The next day another GI came in for treatment for an ankle injury that he got playing basketball earlier that week. It was his 2nd or 3rd treatment in the whirlpool bath. He, too, started to feel strange and got himself out before collapsing on the floor. I yelled for the medic. We had a second victim of the tank. They put a thermometer in the tank and turned it back on. It rose to 212F. The thermostat was broken. I suggested that they put in some carrots, potatoes and onions the next time they put someone to cook in the tank. They had given us both a Heat Stroke! They ended up keeping me in the "body shop" for a week. The second time I went to the dispensary, I was able to go under my own power. During 3rd shift, the cramps started. They were quite severe and it would double me up. I got the cold sweats. It was around 0430 and sick call did not start until 0700. My trick chief sent me out about 0500 and I laid on my bunk in agony until sick call. I had gotten my first case of Amoebic Dysentery, aka-the "Turkey Trots". They put me in a bed in the dispensary. I was moaning and groaning from the cramps as I fell asleep (I was on 3rd shift) I woke up around 1700 while they were serving dinner. Everyone seemed a bit irritable around me. It turned out to be a day later. I had been out of it for about 32 hours straight. I had kept all the other patients awake all night moaning, screaming and talking in my sleep as I thrashed around making considerable noise. I felt terrible but the cramps were gone. I had some broth that night and normal breakfast the next morning. They had just served me lunch when they came crashing thru the double doors carrying someone on a litter. They were at a full run. They came to a sudden stop at the foot of a bed, flinging a new patent headfirst into the bed. It seem to be a coordinated motion as he seemed to hover in the air as they pulled the sheets down and stripped his pants down and shirt off. One of the medics was doing CPR on him as they did this. Another medic picked the foot of the bed off of the ground and shoved a chair under it. They did not have time to crank up the foot of the bed. The doctor came running in the room caring a great big syringe of adrenalin. The doctor immediately plunges the needle through his chest and into his heart. The patent comes awake and started to throw up blood. They had just brought him back from the dead. My lunch was spaghetti in tomato sauce. The GI had an extreme allergic reaction to a penicillin pill and had collapsed in his room in Washington Hall. A roommate decided to go to the room before he went to the chow hall and just happened to stumble upon him before he passed out. The GI told him that he had just taken the penicillin before going into the room to lie down. That message saved his life. The doctor knew what had caused the problem and gave the right antidote. I give that doctor and the medics an A++++ that day.

"Spy? Intruder" grabs something out of the burn bag in Rm. 1. And runs.
Once again 3rd shift is where the action is. It was a dark and stormy night. (I added the "stormy" for dramatics. I do not remember the weather that night). All was quiet. It was around 0400 in the morning. Three of us were sitting around in room 1 talking when all of a sudden we heard a strange noise coming from the Clasified material burn bag. All by itself the burn bag started to move around all by itself. You could hear the russling of the papers inside as of someone searching through them for something special. Before we could get up the bag suddenly tipped over and the creature inside ran out of the bag with something white in its mouth and ran behind the equipment racks. We charged after it from each end but it dove into one of the cable trays that ran through the building like minature tunnels. Desperatly we started to rip the metal covers off of the cable tunnels to catch or stop the creature. I darted to the end of the room where the cable trays exited to the antenna field. As I removed the cover a ferrle cat ran past me and through the wall opening. It had nothing in it's mouth as it ran past me. It had dropped it somewhere in the maze of cable trays while we were chasing it. We carefully searched the trays, removing each cover. We were all hot and sweating by now. Finally we found it. The object that the "Trained spy cat had snached out of the burn bag turned out to be half of a 0300 sandwich that someone dumped into the burn bag. We laughed, maybe it was one of those "Mouswiches"
The Sinop Knife and Gun Shop, run by Don
One of my favorite pastimes was to go into town and watch Don, the blacksmith and his dad, make custom knives from truck leaf springs. They also restored old cap and ball pistols. I bought a 36 cal. Colt Navy, Address Colt, London while there. I also had a custom knife made by Don. Great knife!
Turkish beach, clams and sunburn
A Turkish friend invited us down to the Turk beach for swimming. We stopped for the usual refresh-ments, a liter of wine each. We had just got off of 3rd shift and were trying to flop our time schedule over. It was going to be a fresh clambake. When it got time to get the clams our Turkish friend showed us where to find them. At low tide you broke them off of the rocks. They had black shells. I used to call them barnacles. The type you scrape off of ship hulls. We baked them on a old metal sign we found over a fire. Well at least we did not die from them. After half a liter of wine they weren't too bad, choke choke. The sun and the wine were a bad combination. We all fell asleep. I woke up after an hour or so and rolled over on my stomach and tried to crawl over to the shade of the cliffs. I passed out before I made it. When I woke up I had medium-bad sunburn on both sides. The other guys were 2nd degree sunburn on one side. Both were very nasty burns. The uniforms were usually starched so stiff they would stand by themselves. I had to wash mine twice to remove the starch so that I could put them on without wanting to die. It was a very long week of healing.
Mess Hall Pizza
Every now and then the mess hall with German and Turkish cooks would make an attempt to make pizza. They would use regular bread dough, which ended up about 1 inch or more thick. They would top that with canned stewed tomatoes, American cheese, and sliced hot dogs. Then they would serve it as Pizza. Not even close.The canned milk was usually lumpy, the barrel of orange juice was so watered down you could see the bottom. The eggs were so old they held their shape for a full minute before sort of spreading out on the grill. Most of us survived on burgers and fries at the EM club. No one gained weight.
Bob Hope, USO Show in Turkey
The biggest highlight of the entire tour was going to be the "Bob Hope" Show in Turkey. My trick was on days when the show was scheduled. Our trick chief worked up a schedule where we had only a small crew in OPS. We would all take 15-minute turns in ops, every hour. That way we would each get to see some of the show. They were late getting to the hill. They arrived and started to set up just as my shift started in OPS. 45 minutes went by before any relief came. They said it was all over. It lasted only 15 minutes. Two female singers, and some small name comedian gave the show. The "official records" had showed we had only about 20 or so radar technicians.So they sent 3 of their entertainers to Sinop. We had 400+ on base at the time. They apologized for Bob, saying that if he had known we had so many people that he would have brought the whole show. Because of security, they could not even tell him when they got back. So I had missed the big event of the year, just my luck. When I got off duty I went to the EM club and put my dollar down on the bar. When you put a dollar on the bar you got all you can drink for the night. Got drunk, and went to the flick.
President Kennedy's been Shot!
I was sitting in the TUSLOG Det 4 post theatre at the midnight flicks, watching Judy Canova in Carolina Cannonball, I was on Trick 4 which was on duty 3rd shift but was given the night off as 3rd shift in Rooms 1 & 2 were usually dead and over staffed. I ran all the way to Operations and checked in. The UPI and API News teletypes were screaming out reams of paper and the 4 copies were being split and hung on the hall walls so we could read them. It was wild, conflicting reports uncensored and some-times wrong. All the other teletypes were running, most were usually silent on 3rd. Extremely unusual. I took my position in rooms 1& 2 and went to work (Censored). We were given the orders to destroy all non-essential classified material. We took turns manning the burn barrels, working a position and laying on our backs in the antenna field watching for possible glow of incoming missile warheads......... da## that meteorite scared me half to death. Spent the night half scared to death. Traffic patterns indicated major radio action taking place across the Black Sea. Darn, I guess they were as scared as we were. Safety pins were removed from our equipment's self-destruct thermite racks. Equipment rack mounting screws were removed and Fire axes were remove from the walls to be at hand just in case. We spent one hell of a night in operations. I had seen the hundreds of blocks of explosives under our building and knew we had self destruct capabilities if attacked. At least we did not have to worry about being taken prisoner. Dawn came with first shift coming in to relieve us (Some of them had been there hours earlier). When I finished eating and was back to Jackson Hall, I found out everyone was in full gear ready to move out or fight and just as exhausted as we were. Not a smile or a joke was to be found. It was over a week before things were back to normal.
Black Sea Boat Trip: Near Drowning
It all started as a standard trip to town. While looking for someone to partner (Buddy System) to go to town I was asked if I would like to go on a boat ride out on the Black Sea. I knew 1 or 2 of them but not the others. (Forgot all names) On the way to the docks we stopped for some supplies (Many bottles of liquid in case we got thirsty ...wine etc.) The trip was fairly boring and uneventful. It got to be more fun the more we drank. About a dozen porpoises were swimming on our bow wake for a while until some jerk hit one with an empty bottle. Then some Genius got the idea to go around the point where there always were high winds and white cap waves between the tip of the point and a jagged rock covered island. I think of the passage in "Homers Odyssey" (Old Greek Classic), where the Sirens, (Naked women singing an luring passing sailors to their death on the rocks.) Homer has his men tie him to the mast so he can hear them and has his men put bees' wax in their ears to protect them. I should have seen the Bad Omen. Going into the wind we make the narrow passage fairly well enjoying the salt spray of the waves breaking over the bow. One of the guys in a white shirt has passed out on the deck. We turn the boat around and make a wild full speed run with the wind at our backs thru the "Gates of Hell". The Turkish Captain is quite scared to do this but we bribed him with more Lira. This was fun, like a thrill ride. All of a sudden as we go through the narrows this guy who we thought was passed out, gets up and jumps overboard! OH MY GOD!!... And disappears below the cold black waters. Gone!
OK, time to PANIC!!
Instantly we all turn cold sober. In the raging seas we make a quick U-turn in only about a quarter mile. As we head back into the gauntlet, several of us stood on top of the cabin, trying not to get thrown into the water as the boat pitched and bobbed. There was no sign of him anywhere. Just as we were about to turn around for another pass, someone spotted his white shirt about 10 feet below the surface. Several guys jumped into the icy water and brought him up from the depths. After several minutes we managed to drag everyone back aboard the boat with out running them over. Would have been a bad time for a keel haul with a propeller.. He was deader than a doornail by now but after 5-10 minutes of CPR he barfed and started breathing again. (See picture) The Sirens of Homers Odyssey were cheated of another Sailor this day. The Captain was terrified by the incident. Turkish law would have held him responsible if any passengers had died. We sat on the drunk GI until we got back to the docks to make sure we did not have a repeat performance. We all decided to keep this trip a secret because we did not want to get the Captain in trouble or have our water sports terminated by the brass. I believe this was the only picture taken after the rescue.
Big Red, the MP from Hell
Near the end of my tour on the hill we got a new MP on the hill. His nickname was Big Red. He had red hair, about 6'6", 270 lbs. He was mean and hated Turks. He let them know every chance he got. He liked to fight and hurt people. In the mess hall he would call the Turk KP's over to his table and then dump food and milk on the floor and tell them to clean it up. Most people would go out of their way to avoid him. On my last night on post before I was to ship out, I went to the EM club.While there drinking I decided to get some food. They made great French fries at the club. I got in the line with one of those fiberglass trays in my hands. Big Red was in the line just in front of me. A couple of guys behind me were horsing around and one of them bumped into me from behind. This had a domino effect on me and I bumped into Big Red. Big Red swung around as hard as he could with his fist. It seemed like I might get to stay on the hill a bit longer than I was planning in the dispensary. I instantly activated my survival instincts and rotated the fiberglass tray between me, and the "fist of death". Bracing myself for the coming impact. His fist hit the tray square in the center. It bowed under the impact and the force knocked me backward into about 5 people. The tray was split clean in half. Taking advantage of his surprised look I said "Very good" like it was some sort of weird contest. This confused him for a moment. I handed the pieces to the guy behind me and said "I'll be right back" and left the EM Club. I went back to my room, picked up my already packed Duffel bag and went over to the CQ' office and spent the rest of the night there waiting for the truck to take me to Samsun in the morning. I never said goodbye to anyone on the hill. I hope Big Red is still waiting for me in the ruins of the EM Club. I'm going home. (ASA color Yellow)

HUDSON, Steven C., DOB: 1943, RA14859450, E3-E5, 31J20, Det 27, MR65-SE66,
(Barbara), PO BX 162, McIntosh, FL 32664, 352-591-2579, sbhudson6@aol.net
Hi elder I have just made reunion reservations for Aug 29-30. I will put a
check in the mail today for 70.00 .Barbara and I are looking foreward to the
reunion. Thanks. Steve Hudson. ps my mail has changed to sbhudson6@aol.com

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

Hi El, I see you are still hanging in there with the DOOL's. If you plan to do the 2003 CDs like you did last time I would be glad to help out making copies or whatever you need. I won't be making the 2003 reunion, just too many things going on this summer. I start bear hunting September 1st. so I'm looking forward to getting in the woods. Hopefully I'll get some good video also. The Timber wolves are doing well in Minnesota. I saw one the other day wearing a radio collar just trotting down the road when I was going fishing. There was a cow moose a little ways away so I think he had lunch on his mind. I'm sure you guys will have a good time at the reunion and looks like a good turnout signed up so far. Jorgy

McCULLOUGH, John T., DOB: 1938, RA15560286, E3-E4, 058, Det 4, 58,
(Sue),1044 E.
Smith Rd., Medina OH 44256 330-722-6490, john38@zoominternet.net/
BIO of John T. McCullough
Enlisted in the Army under the buddies plan with my best friend, Dick Heck, in August 1956. Was sent to Ft.Chaffee, Arkansas for basic training. During basic, Dick and I were recruited into the Army Security Agency.
In November of 56 we were sent to 058 school at Fort Devens. After completing 058 school, Dick and I were separated. I went to Vint Hill Farms,VA and he was shipped out to Germany. After about a year at Vint Hill, I volunteered for duty in Turkey. Departed Fort Dix, NJ for Charleston AFB, SC in January 1958. Left Charleston on 26 January for Sinop via Bermuda, Morroco, Tripoli, Malta, Rome, Istanbul, Ankara, Samsun and finally arrived at Sinop on 6 Feb 1958. Met a lot of terrific people while stationed at TUSLOG Det 4. Two of them, Silas Woody and John James. I still correspond with. I was assigned to trick #4 as an 058. Really enjoyed my duty there with a great bunch of guys.
What I remember most about my stay was our gang walking down the hill into Sinop.The fresh baked bread, hot out of the oven, and drinking lemonade or tea at this outdoor restaurant (can't remember the name). And of course, as mentioned by other Det 4 personel, Birdshit Island, swimming in the Black Sea, the Russian MIGS buzzing us awake and giving us the finger. But most
of all was living in those huts. That was an experience to be remembered, especially cooking snacks on the pot belly stove. Was during my duty in Sinop that the chapel was being built. I left to return to the states before it's completion. Would really like to get in touch with anyone assigned to trick #4 during 1958.
I departed Sinop on 18 December 1958 in what was called operation Santa Claus. Was suppose to get home for xmas but that didn't happen for a couple of reasons. First of all we couldn't get out of Ankara (due to being fogged in) until 26 Decemberr and secondly on our flight from Tripoli to Madrid our pilot had to feather two engines. Good thing the plane had four. Anyways we
had to make an emergency landing at this Spanish Air Force base in Palma, Mallorca. What a ball we had there for a couple of days. The Spanish people were great hosts. Palma is a beautiful place. Finally made it home on 4 January 1959. On 17 January I married my childhood sweetheart and best friend Sue. We had 4 children (two girls and two boys). My youngest son Mark, died when he was 27. We have 4 terrific grandchildren which we adore and recently obtained a little dog named Hannah. On 2 February 1959 I arrived at Vint Hill Farms Station for my second tour there. I extended my enlistment 11 months and was discharged in June of 1960.
Sue and I are really looking forward to the reunion Labor Day weekend. I'm sure a lot of stories will be told then. See ya in PA at the reunion.

STEFFEN, Arnold DOB: 5FE37 RA16568829 E4 283 Det 4, JL58-JL59, (Janet), 1043
Old Humboldt Rd., Jackson, TN 38305, 731-664-5058, asteffen4@aol.com

Hello Arnold sent his story to you today. We are looking foreword to you reunion.
Please tell me what will be the attire for the banquet. Will it be formal or causal? God Bless,
Janet Steffen

TAYLOR, Daniel H Jr DOB: 1935 RA12444896 E6 Det 4, 61-62 & WO2214037 CW3, 70, (Janet), 110 Walker Rd., Shirley, MA 01464, 978-425-2272, cw3usaret@earthlink.net
BIO
I did 20 years active in ASA and then worked at the school at Devens as a civilian for 16 years... 1953 Devens Student..... 1954 to 1956 at Herzo Base as 059. Fall of 1956 until 1961 at Devens as an Instructor in 059 and then 989 (Elint Analysis) 1961/62 Sinop Turkey as 989 1963 at Devens and appointed as a Warrant 1965 to 1968 Rothwesten 319th/17th 983A Emanations Analysis Technician. Ran the Elint Shop for a year and then became the Collection Management Officer..During some of that time I was the OIC of the hearability test for Augsburg.
June 1968 until December 1969 was an instructor at Devens in the Elint Shop and for a year was the Branch Chief for the Radio Printer Branch..
1970 Spent the year back at Sinop.
1971 to 1973 Back to Devens as instructor.
Retired from active duty in November 1973.
Returned to the School at Devens in January 1975 and retired in November of 1990. During that period of 16 years I wrote Training Literature, was a Special Projects officer and ended up being the Program Management Officer
for the Director of Training and Doctrine.
Retired the second time as a GM 13..

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