Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 23:22:05 -0500
Subject: Sinope years and pictures
From: "Jon Kjoller" <kjoller@the-cia.net>Hello to Sinope veterans, especially those of you who were there in the fifties.
My name is Jon Kjoller and I went to basic at Fort Knox in Aug. 1957. Following graduation we boarded a train to Fort Devens for 058 school. I can't really remember too much about Devens, except the snow and the terrific winds across the parade field. Finished Morse school in or about May, 1958 and got assigned to Germany. We shipped out of Fort Dix on the USS H.W. Butner and spent about 14 days getting to Bremerhaven, train to Frankfurt and then on to Baumholder around July, 1958. I was really enjoying this field station, getting acquainted with the town of Baumholder as well as a couple of sidetrips, one to Paris.
In October '58, 10 of us were flown to Ankara and then bused onto Sinope. A tremendous cultural shock and the bus ride from Ankara to Sinope was a real endurance test. I ended up being at Sinope from Oct,58 to Oct,59. I only got off the hill two times, one a three day pass to Ankara which required riding on the back of a deuce and a half all the way and a very pleasant 10 day leave to Athens. For a 19 year old Sinope was an adventure and I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed my time there, weather and all.
I was then assigned to the 316th ASA Bn at Camp Wolters at Mineral Wells, TX. This was Oct.1959. The 316th was a STRAC unit capable of moving out in 24 hours so all of our equipment was on trucks and APC's. While I was there the 316th went on maneuvers, trucking to Hunter Leggett military reservation in Calif. and another at Fort Lewis in Wash. This last one was a very long convoy going up through Calif. and then back thru Utah and Nevada. We thought it would never end.
Company area, 316th ASA Bn., Camp Wolters, Mineral Wells, TXConvoy to Hunter Leggett Military Reservation, Calif. 1960.
The tall guy is Ted Lowery.316th ASA Bn. convoy to Fort Lewis, Calif. for maneuvers 1959.
Riding on back of a 2 1/2 ton truck. Notice the 316th DI on hat. Person on the right is Ted Lowery.On Aug 11, 1960 I mustered out and went on inactive reserve.
I want to say Hi! to all of the ASA vets of the 50's who I might have crossed paths with but now no longer remember the names, it was a grand time and I felt privileged and proud to be in the ASA..an elite group.
Coming back from Istanbul across the Black Sea, 1959.
The Hill is under clouds with Sinop on the right.The Hill seen from Sinop. Sinop, Winter 1958. Operations during Winter 1958. Jamesways Bad weather. Barracks row. "Downtown" on the Hill 
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