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Hi, I'm George Campbell, owner of the site. I was in Samsun in 1967-8, for a 15-month tour, as a Russian linguist. I worked both in lower and upper Ops. No nicknames as far as I know. I'm writing most of the stories on the story page, but hope I'll hear from others on this.
George = Nice site = happy to see more pics and stories on "Sam". Thanks for linking my site. I have been in recent contact with two guys from Samsun, one sending recent pics of the city which is now huge with many multi story buildings (pop. 330 thousand) = he says it was a beautiful place back in the '60's but not now = uncontrolled urbanization. The 3-2 base, he says, is occupied by the Turkish Army, contrary to my original belief that the University was there, which he reports is 15 km west. I have since corrected the info on my site. He was reluctant to photo the base as it is forbidden. Will relay his photos to you. Keep up the good work. Chuck Maki (AMIT) set up my site = I'm still a HTML dunce. Dave Matteson '60 - '61
George, This is becoming a terrific site for us Samsun guys. It's great that you are taking the time and effort to put this together. I hope other guys find it and support you with pictures and stories of Sam.I will encourage everyone I know or meet that was at Sam to visit this site and help out. Marty Mintz, Dog Trick
Glenn Shipley, 1963-64 - Russian linguist. email: glennshipley@home.net Thanks for putting this website together - I'd like to locate some old buddies from those years. At Christmas that year Bob Hope and his group were supposed to come to Samsun, but in a snowstorm all they could do was circle overhead in a C-130, cracking jokes. I remember renting motorcycles from the locals down by the harbor. I was working in OPS when news of Kennedy assassination came over VOA.
George: I'm glad I found your site. The photos bring back a lot of memories, and of course tne "war stories" are always fun. Glad I could contribute a little bit to it.
Regards,
Chuck Miller MSgt (Ret) 61-62 & 62-63/Det 3-2 Rancherchuck@ricc.net
Hi George,
My name is Roy Goldsmith and I was stationed at Samsun from March 1960 - March 1961. I was a 29251 (ditty bopper). I worked mostly in the DF shack, that was at that time, located in the antenna field.
I remember a bunch of us used to take the Bear out of the cage and play with it! Boy, when I look back on that, I know we must of been nuts...
Regards, Roy Goldsmith
George, in summer of '67, some visiting general asked a bunch of us if we had everything we needed. Somebody said, "We never get any ice cream". The general said "I'll see what I can do". A few weeks later, a sign went up at the chow hall "Ice cream available for lunch tomorrow". The next day the line went around the building at lunchtime. When they opened the doors, we went in to find not ice cream, but about 50 bowls of lime sherbet. Oh, well, not a bad substitute, right? Only problem was, the Turkish cooks had poured chocolate syrup over every bowl of lime sherbet! Yechhhhh!!!
I remember the first time I went through the chow line in Samsun. I got my food, got a glass, went over to the milk dispenser and filled the glass. After a few bites of my meal, I picked up the glass of milk and took a big swig. At first, everything was o.k., but as I swallowed, this awful taste hit me, I almost barfed! "This milk is spoiled", I exclaimed. "No, it always tastes like that", someone offered, "that's why nobody drinks the stuff". Well, I was a big milk drinker, and the prospect of 15 mos without milk was unacceptable. After some experimentation, I found if I filled the glass with ice, which was readily available, then poured the milk over the ice and gave it a few minutes to chill, I not only was able to drink it, but actually wasn't able to tell the difference.
Hi,
Please remember to add your name and dates served in Samsun when you post a comment here. That way, we'll all know who's talking.
Best wishes,
George Campbell -- 67-68 Able Trick
Hi George,My name is Scott Newton.I was stationed in Istanbul and some time in Karamursel. I came to 3-2 every 3weeks on the "white boat" with the mail etc.Years:1958-1960. I new only 3 guys that were there during my time.Bob Hill, Don Ross(deceased)and Civilian Fred Winslow. I still see Fred.Great memories from those days. Like to here from anyone.
Thank God for the White Boat. I came in in 1960 but if Scott Newton had posted his E address I would thank him personally for the mail. Dave Matteson blumssgr@aol.com
Thanx Dave Matteson for telling me to put in my Email. Here it be: scottnh39@hotmail.com You're welcome! It was my pleasure....Scott Newton '58-'60
Barry Sparkes (holyoke mass) was at the site from november 1966 until jan or feb 1968. this site blows me away becuase the picture of the able trick football team team is my team I see sullivan( Coach), sgt. paine (with his back to us left forground,murphy from boston tall guy with 8 on him He could hit and i left him a samsun baseball hat with an S on it there were lots of other activities like the time I took Tree Top jackson(about 6'6") down to able flights house at the cara hani.....boy were those women afraid of him.all except for matop , a woman with a heart of gold and talent to match , a wonderful human being I wil ber back to this site again for more stories that reflect a gi's life in the sixties
Barry sparkes again. it was curtis watson I took down town we called him tree he was big.
I am Joel Church. I was in Det. 3-2 in 62 and early 63. This was during the time of the Cuban missle crisis. Needless to say, Kruchev was not happy with our presence on the Black Sea. One morning we woke up to a full task force just out in the water. A few times we were buzzed by Russian migs. All in all, it is a time I would have rather missed.
church@freedomministries.com
David Simmons, Baker Trick 202, 6oct59 - 6oct60. Glad to have found the page. Would hope to eventually run across some of the folks I knew when at Sam. I have some pics (somewhere). If I can find them, I'll send them along. dilerin@aol.com
My home 68 until 71 That was the year I found out ST. Nick was a Turkish original. New years eve we opened the doors to the Ops Building to the world for the first time. This was the beginning of the end of the site. It was drunk out, non drinkers fell off the wagon as they new it would be just a matter of time before they went home. What a mess!!!!!!!!!!! We look back now at our Bear and wonder if he was cared for, and other pictures with a feeling of a lost family as Trails grow very dim. John E Sullivan (ED) SSGT echospass@aol.com
Never at 3-2 however looking for anyone at Karamursel from 70-71. I was with US Army Security Agency. Army unit was TUSLOG Det 4-4.
Chuck Martin Mchas41@aol.com
Greetings, After Army Language School at Monterey, CA, arrived Samsun by "Akdeniz" NOV 58. Most of the Samsun tour was per diem, with duece n'half taxis up to ops on the hill.
Departed NOV 59 on same white boat for a year at Rhein-Main, Germany on C-130's, returning TDY to Incirlik, Turkey at times. Thanks for the photos. Eugene "Gene" Skinner. eugene_skinner@yahoo.com
Tom Janke 64/65- 203- tomjanke@yahoo.com Never drank so much, smoked so much, swore so much- "f#ck" was used as every part of speech (at least twice in every utterance), or whacked off as much. After a year the washer women were looking good! Trip to Trab w/ Fenstermaker. One valley we'd be greeted by smiling faces with hazelnuts, the next we'd be stoned! (?Cyprus?) I still can taste that wild boar someone shot and cooked forever. Irrepressible Arky going ape over the Fab Four and Elvis movies. I've got a B&W blowup of "Li'l Egypt" dancing in the the buff at the club somewhere. Whatever happened to Buffy, Niel, Skip, Clarence- Big C - (was that his kid got killed near Pittsburgh?), Kaminski, Woody, Henderson, Lipson, Ray N. and all the other guys? No one from this time frame has shown up here.
This is Mike Hanna. I was there from Oct. 66 till Jan. 68. I was on the Able Trick flag football team that won the base championship in 1967. That is me on the left of that foto. I played tackle eligible, caught a rew passes to help win a couple of games. Some others on the team were Erv Johnson from Michigan, Pat Maloney from Chicago and Bill Clark from Massacussetts. Bill was the general (oops, I mean quarterback). I am at MMGREYHOUNDS@cs.com
My name is Jim Pratko, I was stationed in Samson from January, 1962 to March 1963. Dog Trick. Mey e-mail address is jim.pratko@highmark.com.
My name is Ed Wilson. Nickname on "The Hill" was PeeWee. Tour of duty was 1967-68. Scanning the comments I remember playing ball against/with "Tree Top" Watson and Bill "Sleepy" Clark. I was a clerk in the supply unit and didn't have a lot of contact with you "Ops" guys. I would really like to make contact with anyone who may remember me. Other names I have a vivid memory of are Bybee, Smart, Weber,Poll, Johnson, Grass, Sage, D'Arcy, Grissom. My e-mail is jedwilso@aol.com Thanks!!
My name is Richard Bacon. I was at Samsun from April 1966 until July 1967. I spent a lot of time at the AFRTS radio station, where Bill Bailey was NCOIC, but I was actually a member of dog trick. Most disliked part of the tour: the rotating shifts. I was tired the entire 15 months.
Most memorable occasion was when about four of us went swimming in the water tower on July 4, 1966. Also, after some signficant misbehavior by the men the CO saying he was going to tighten things down until they squeaked. For about a month "TPS" became "This place squeaks."
Richard Bacon dbacon@airmail.net Tuslog Det 3-2 4/66 to 7/67.
Hi, I'm Jim Summerlin known as Frog from May 1968 to August 1969 while at Samsun. I spent a lot of time down at our beach house with bud's from OPs. At that time the lower OPs was the base radio station and there was only upper OPs. I really appreciate the pictures because an ex-wife burned all of mine along with my other memorobilia.
Great web site, George - I'm Tony Cote from New Hampshire - Charlie trick 20250 from 6/61-9/62. Buddies included Dick Craver, Bob Couchman, Bob Sapp, Bill Smorley, Tex, Snuffy (others faded in memory). Played 3B on the base championship softball team in '62. Great memories too numerous to mention: way too much time spent in the airman's club, trips to the compound and the "Civilian Club" after paydays, boar hunting (no luck, thank God), R&R trips to Ankara, Amasya and Karamursel. It all seems so long ago, but some memories are so fresh...
Thanks for the effort putting this together.
Hello George. Just fond your site and it is really great. Thanks much..I was Site Mgr for the Tumpane in '63 and '64 after having been Mgr at Trabzon site in '60. I hope some of the troops and civilians of my time at "SAM" will e-amil me at budbruneau@hotmail.com .Thanks again and I have many slides of the base then if you are interested..
I see that more and more sites are being created with the USAFSS bases and former inmates as the subject matter. Samsun, I am sure, is deeply ingrained in the brain of anyone who was stationed there. Your site, George, conjures up a lot of memories (mostly repressed over all these years) of a time when 15 months seemed like an eternity. Hope your site grows.
Regards,
Jim Kidd SSgt, 203, RT Controller Dog Flight 5/65 - 8/66 kiddjm@attbi.com
Just (15 Dec 01) found out Chuck Maki is folding his American Military In Turkey Site due to changes in host policy. It's a sad event in USAFSS internet content. Chuck has done a tremendous service to all of us. I hope someone can fill the huge gap that will be left in the Turkey USAFSS. Thanks, George, for keeping 3-2 alive. Dave Matteson
I was stationed at Sam from Jan 3, 1961 until March 1962. I was in the A.A.C.S. Communications Squadron. I worked in bothe the receiver site down the hill and in the transmitter site about 13 miles west of Sam, along the coast road to Sinop. I have many photos, including: Library, gymnasium, AFEX, snack bar, Honor guard, White Boat, motor pool, NCO club, Officer's lounge, Headquarters building, NCO club, base chapel, dining hall (interior), Officer billet, airman's billet,my first paycheck as a disc jockey at KSAM, photos of a USO show (1961), dormitory row, me riding an asek, the transmitter trailer, the road out after a big snowfall, inside the receiver trailer, inside the transmitter trailer, a class VI card, an NCO chit book, a THY boarding pass (originally accompanied by a St. Christopher's medal, insence, prayer beads, and 3 barf bags). My Squadron commander was Richard Herman and the First Shirt was Jack Fielding. Robert Vann rhvann@alpha1-net
Francis R. Kwiatkowski, Feb 64-Mar 64. Worked up on the hill at GLR-1. Lousy place to be stationed however, the hunting was out of this world, if you were a hunter. Lt Col Adkins, Comdr, Lt Boyd Admin Off, Capt Martin, OIC GLR-1, MSgt Houghton - Lower Ops, SMSgt Ben Carr from Miss, Maint, SSgt Donald Callan, Maint, from Johnstown, PA. SSgt Batts, Sec Police, SSgt Payne NCOIC TS Control. Have 3 to 400 color slides of the base, town and ancient cites in Turkey and will try to post them when I get the time. the 6924 website also wants to get 400 color slides I have of that tour. Retired and live in Mesa, AZ the past 28 yrs. ourdogboss@mindspring.com
My name is Bob Underwood and I live in Texas now. I was stationed at Tuslog Det 3-2 from December 1967 to February 1969. I worked in personnel with Skip Shallcross. Played football on the base team and also softball, and basketball. Enjoyed the NCO club for lack of other things to do. I would like to make contact with others who were friends of mine and also make new friends. I am now 56 years old and remember very clearly my time in Turkey. You can include my email address for possible contacts. Thanks for the Website. Respectfully, Bob.
LARRY CARTER 66-67 PLAYED ON BASE TEAM BASKETBALL WITH MIKE HANNA, DICK LEE, ROGER SPERRY, DICK SACHS
I'm Del Drury, there in 1962-1963. Wish I had it to do over. I'd go everywhere and meet everybody. It's so long ago you forget the names, but you remember everything else like it was yesterday. I can still smell the olive oil. Once out of the service, I named one of my dogs, Goulan. My family probably wondered where I got that name from. If anyone knew Richard H. Hutchings, he passed away according to the Social Security Death Index. Good place to look for people you once knew. Sad, isn't it?
Hello, I'm Gary Fixsen. Its been a long time so I'll have to think about the dates a little bit. I arrived at the base around 1961-62. The upper General Dynamics test site (XAN/GLR-1) was not yet operational. We first started going to work in civilian clothes. Things were pretty loose, but no security. I was Hired by General Dynamics and worked for them after my Air Force shift as ELINT analyst. Because of the job with GD/E I stayed in Samsun until late 1964. Ihave 35mm slides somewhere. I was on duty when President Kennedy was shot. Still have the initial teletype accounts that soon covered upper operations communications room floor. At that time it was only used by us to make ditty tapes we then drove down the hill to lower ops for transmission. I understand that all changed after I left. Does anyone have pictures of the Turks lined up arm tip to arm tip all the way from upper ops down to the main base gate? I didn't have a camera when that was going on. Things were pretty tense. Also there was a second smaller Russian Brown bear that was turned loose to run free between the outer and inner fences at the upper site. It had become a bit of a threat by the time I left. The picture I saw on your site of Gullun looks like it might be that younger bear. The caged bear I seem to remember on main base was a larger darker colored bear. Any way best wishes. Pleased to find your site, always wondered what happened to the place. Gary Fixsen
Jerry D. Adams, A/2C, 30330, Karamasel 4/14/58-12/31/58, then Samsun 12/31/58-4/1/59 then to Keesler AFB, Six phase microwave fundamentals instructor. Prior to Turkey served in Berlin and Sembach, Germany.
Roomed with Reeves R. Dixon,Warren C. Faulk, John A. Banter, Stanley A. Arakawa, Donald R. Aadland, liven in a hotel near a mosque downtown. Dixion and I were the guys that did the Exlax trick on the Turks, throwing it out of the 6 by 6 on the way up the hill to the site, hollering "Chocolate" the fought over it and we didn't see a person for 3-4 days! I think Dixion is dead now, don't know about any of the others. Ran into Warren Faulk working on the Apollo/Saturn V Moon launch program.
Bob Underwood, I remember you well. Think you were from Corbin, Ky. My name is Ed (PeeWee)Wilson from Mayfield, Ky. I seem to recall we nicknamed you "Nasty", but I don't remember why. I didn't see your e-mail address, in your post. My address is jedwilso@aol.com. Would like to hear from you.
From across the void of space and time, Hello! If you remember Airman George J. Masur, it would be from the AFRTS station at Samsun. I was there from early January, 1968 for 15 months into the spring of '69. Wasn't it fun? Where could we have been where we would have enjoyed life more? Where could we have been stationed, where we would have been surrounded by such non-stop, action-packed nightlife ...and so many gorgeous, willing young women?
Interesting thing about many of us in the broadcasting service was that we really wanted to do what we were doing. Some of us, like myself, had been broadcasters before the service and were eating our hearts out to get finished with service and get back on real air back home. I was an afternoon shift D.J. At age 21, I felt destined to join the pantheon of superjocks: Cousin Brucie, Larry Lujack, The Real Don Steel ...Charlie Tuna. Such role models! Our conspiratorial obsession -which you perhaps detected- was to make the AFRTS station sound just like WABC, WLS, KHJ ...and KLIF.
You would have heard a little bit me, and mostly the L.A. area illuminaries who were on canned programming shipped to us every 2 weeks from AFRTS, Hollywood. Johnny Grant, Roger Carroll, Jim Pewter, Herman Griffith, Chris Noel: Ring any bells?
Many years ago after I got into television news, my name was changed legally to jay scott bacchus. Today, I'm jay to everyone, even in my immediate family. jayguy@comcast.net.
I wish I could remember the names of everyone I knew and worked with at Samsun. Gary Smith was 'Smitty'. A sort of older brother 'nemesis' who taught me much about life was one Frank Selig. Other faces and personalties stand out, but the names have oxidized with the passage of so much time.
Speaking of the passage of time, I'm about to become 55. And, I may have taken too much of your time. If we worked together, messed together or got into trouble with one another, please visit my inbox in metro Detroit. There will be a cold beer and a red carpet for you!
jay b.
Hi George, Larry Hunn. 203 on Baker Trick Nov 1958 to Nov 1959. Enjoyed my year in Turkey. Loved the people, the food and the scenery. In 1986 my wife and I traveled extensively in Eastern Turkey. The changes were remarkable. Thanks for this site.
Glenn Shipley, TUSLOG Det 3-2, 1963-64, second posting in case anybody is trying to contact me, my email is now glennshipley@attbi.com because Excite@home decided it would rather read Chapter 11 of some boring book on bankruptcy than tend to customer business. Hope to hear from you early sixties guys sometime!
Ah, the wonders of the internet. Skip Rither, CAFSC 20250 and a long time Dog Trick operative in 1962-1963. A big night out was playing cribbage and eating pistachios (one kilo for 10 TL when the exchange rate was 10 to 1). Ebrihim Itgoulu, our relatively ambitious house boy, taught us all a lesson with his "Maybe today, maybe tomorrow" philosophy. One of the more interesting trips was a bus tour to Carsamba, Unye and Ordu, which was organized by Father Zachman on behalf of the Holy Name Society. Captain Moore arranged for the motor coach, Sgt Pilch rounded up the gourmet food and libations, and Captain Raszewski made certain that we all had a great time. On one other occasion a group of us Dogs (Bretzke and Smitty are the only two names I can remember right now but there were two other guys in the group) rode the train to Amasya and stayed for two nights at a small hotel across the street from the river. We spent our days visiting the apple orchards (it was spring and the orchards were in bloom) and exploring the tombs in the rocks above the city. Someone else commented on the awful taste of the milk in the chow hall. One of the German cooks had mixed chocolate syrup in with it and it was pretty good tasting stuff after that. It was hard to beat the occasionally free Beck's beer and buttermilk at the NCO club...and who knows how many fortunes were made or lost on the slot machines in the entrance. Mail call in the gym at Christmas was a real treat...everyone on base came to help sort it all out. PB, from Moses Lake, Washington, received the most incredible package any of us had ever seen. It was full of exotic cookies, crackers, smoked oysters and even a jar of caviar. There was no smokescreen there, if you 62 vintage types know what I mean. I have a b/w photo of the base taken from the water tower. I'll send it along so it can be posted on the site. sritheratworldnet.att.net
Hello All: My name is George (Turk) Sisemore and I was stationed at Det. 3-2 in 63-64. We had to stay a bit longer than planned because of the Cuban fuss. I was the baker trick chief in ELINT at the old Ops. It was a great adventure for those of us that liked the place and I did. Spent as much time as possible off site visiting as much of the country as possible. I would to hear from anyone that was there at that time. My email is newfolks@attbi.com
Beautiful Country, Interesting Culture
Greetings, I was a 203 at Sam (Indiana U.) and I worked mostly as a midnight reporter (straight mids) and ran the base library during the day. My tour ran from January 1961 to March 1962. Reading some of these notes brings back a few memories and I even recognize some of the names. Lance Peterson lpeters7@tampabay.rr.com
YO! MY NAME IS CARL (HERNNIE) HERNANDEZ STATIONED ON SAMSUN 1967-68.I WAS ONE OF THE SECURITY POLICE DUDES.I REMEMBER PLAYING BALL AND HELP FEED GOULAN, THE BEAR. ED, EDNA AND WATCHING LITTLE EDDIE BORN. I WAS THE ONE THAT CALLED FOR HELP, WHEN EDNA WENT TO LABOR. I ALSO RECALL WHEN WE FINALLY GOT SOME REAL MILK. AND A REAL COOL OFFICER COL. GEMILL. HE BROUGHT BACK OUR MORAL WITH HIS LEADERSHIP. I ENJOYED SEENING THE PHOTOS. MY X GOT RID OF MOST OF MY THINGS FROM THERE. ANYWAY THANKS.......
my name is jack dingus stnd at sam from aug 62 nov 63. was enroute home when kennedy was assassinated.remember the cuban missile crisis well. was once buzzed by migs on way up the hill to the chow hall. spent many shifts on duty in the comm center afsc was 29151. would like to comm with anyone who was in comm center in the period of time i was there. great site well brings many memories.
I was stationed at Samsun from 5/62 thru 8/63. I have many, many memories. Playing very competitive softball. The bear mascot. The two lane bowling alley. Shift work Moscow Molly Very competive pinochle Learning to like powered milk Red "A" flight hat, short sleeve shirt with shirt-tails out The list is endless Ed Sugg sugg@henryadams.com edsugg@comcast.net
Jim Naster here. I was with GD/E from Feb 62 thru May 65 and have a slew of memories from Samsun. Our pet wild boar..... Ed, the doughnut eating asak..... The young bear, shot on top of his cage by a young AP.... 2 of the bullets almost got me! Lumburgers at the NCO Club....MMMMMMMM! The two Tropo workers who accepted jobs in VietNam. We thru them a nice going away party the night before they left.... 24 hours later they were ambushed and killed a half hour after landing in Saigon...... And on and on and on........
I was stationed at tuslog det 4 at Karamasel from January 1965 to June 1966. I have fond memories, spending all of my off duty time on the island of Buyukada. I left my heart there.
Don Hastings dhastings@hallowellprinting.com Hope, Maine
Thanks for setting this up. I was in Samsun in 1963 and 1964. I was a 29251, ditty bopper. For now I draw a blank to many of those memories. If anyone knew Bill Singer or Skully, they were some of our pals. I worked for TS Joe Pershika. I think that it was C shift. I can't be sure. The photos on this site bring back some familiar thoughts. I also recall working on the mess hall to set up for the Bob Hope show. He never made it due to fog. So there we sat, listening from the plane in the decked out mess hall. I would enjoy hearing from some one that might recall some of this. ebcarl1@astound.net. My name is Brian Carlson. Today I live in St. Cloud, MN.
Samsun! Charlie Trick Animals 1965-66 Don't see any names I recognize from when I was there. Maybe we really weren't? We didn't chase Homer (the pet camel named after the base commander), didn't wrestle with the bear, shoot crows at the state farm, win softball, travel to Sinop by bus to play volleyball, copy the russkijs or any of that stuff.
Thanks, George for setting up the site. Hope some of you might recognize us from Charlie Trick. Tom (monk) Person 203 '65-66 email: os29pi@aol.com
Jim Naster....... GDE 62-65 Just have to respond to the Bob Hope show episode. Since I had Officer Club privelidges I was avidly looking forward to the after show social aspects! Needless to say I ended up sorely disappointed! But I never forgot the effort that troupe made to put on the show via radio! I truly did learn to like or love Bob Hope as a result. I was a fan ever after!
I was at det 3-2 from 3/61 thru 6/62. I worked in the comm ceter. I remember the times the navy destroyer escorts would come into the bay by Samsun and we'd tour the ships and the navy would come up to the base and we'd have some wild softball games. I roomed with a guy named stan alverez, a gymnest, I believe he was from calif. My 1st daughter was born while there on 11/12/61 same day as a friend of mine named McKinney. I worked with a guy maned Joe Cobb Jones From Dallas Texas, He was later killed working as a police reservist when 2 police cars collided in Dallas. I, like most thought Samsun was probable one of the worst places on earth, but we were all young, or most were, and now that I look back it wasn't so bad I guess.. After leaving Turkey I spent the rest of my time stationed at the Pentagon in Washington.
Joe Espich
Hello, my name is Marty Flynn. I was a Russian linguist in Samsun in 1957 and 1958. In reading the other messages, I haven't seen anyone that goes back that far, but the messages indicate that the site was built up considerably after I left. In 1957-58 I only remember one building on the hill. We lived in town on per diem, and drove to our shifts in 6Xs. I remember spending a lot on time in the NCO Club they had in town. We had an apartment in town on the second floor, the first floor was occupied by an american tobbacco buyer, whose name I can't recall. At that time there was an area in town called "the Compound" where the local prositutes lived. Since no one else mentioned this, I wonder if it still existed. I shared the apartment with Chuck LeBer and Tony Dombrowski. its hard to believe its been 45 years since I arrived in Samsun! Where did the time go??? MJJF@AOL.COM
I remember the Christmas at Samsun when we were supposed to get a visit from Bob Hope--the Christmas show for the poor remote guys!! Well, we were all sitting in the gym, waiting for Mr. Hope to show up. The airport got fogged in, and all we got was a bit of the show transmitted from the planes radio to the gym!!. Allso, I remember being on duty the night President Kennedy was shot.(yes, it was middle of the night in Samsun). I was the one who heard it on BBC, and advised the shift leader, who then notified the commander. John Theisen (jwtheisen2@aol.com)
Allso, I remember being on duty the night President Kennedy was shot.(yes, it was middle of the night in Samsun). I was the one who heard it on BBC, and advised the shift leader, who then notified the commander. John Theisen (jwtheisen2@aol.com)
Jim Naster, GDE, 1962-1965.......I was watching a movie at the main base when suddenly it stopped and the house lights came on. Immediately, a senior NCO made the very short announcement of the assassination and death. We civilians were told to return immediately to our homes and the base was placed on alert. I caught a Taxi into town and it took forever to get home because it seemed like every policeman in Samsun stopped the car to offer their condolences.
Chuck Weaver here. I was at Sam from 1061-1963--went to language school at SkyTop in 1960. Served at Sam with John Riley, Doug Glenn, Rick Collins, Bill Silva and a bunch of other close friends who I would love to hear from. Now live in San Antonio, TX.
Doug Morris, Security Police from April '68-July '69. I found this site a few days ago and sent Dave a photo of a farmer and oxen that he's already posted here. I took that photo when a group of us cops rented some horses and rode for a day several miles west of the base. That particular farmer was pleased to accept a cigarette from one of our party and proudly showed us into his village. I hope some of my "akadash" read this posting, especially friends like Jimmy Haan, Denzell Sells, "Peewee" Butner, Ned Gropp, SSgt Ezelle Tutt, Sgt McInvale and Sgt Lejeune. Those 454 days on the hill seems like a part of someone elses life until I saw this site, now it's all coming back to me. Thanks Dave for keeping up this URL for all of us to enjoy. dougmorriscs@earthlink.net
Doug Morris again here, Above I mistakenly credited Dave Matteson rather than George Campbell for the site. Dave has made clear that it is George that deserves the glory and indeed he does. Sorry for any confusion my confusion has caused. Doug Morris, Samsun '68-'69
HARVEY MADISON DEC. '67 - MAR. '69 Able Trick EMAIL: Harv@nts-online.net Wow - watta rush to find this website! Remember that we couldn't even tell our parents where we were going? I was an intercept operator (294), played on the base football team which went down to play at Izmir. That was the most treacherous bus ride I've ever been on. By the time we were four hours out, everyone had migrated to the back half of the bus so they'd survive the inevitable crash. The names are all out there in the ether, but the place and events are burned into memory. I'd love to hear from anyone who recognizes my name, and I'll send some pictures.