My name is Richard Rodney, I served my hitch on the hill as a SP4 from July 1978-1979. I was with Det 169, the commo Det, living in Lincoln Hall (as I recall).
A couple of stories about that transitional period in the Hill's history:

Because of the arms embargo imposed by the US Congress over the Cyprus troubles, relations were not great with the Turks during the first part of my stay. The post was not operational and we had a 90 person "caretaker" team. Then the revolution hit Iran and suddenly we had a deep need for Turkish sites so we lifted the embargo. A large group of transition teams came TDY from FS Augsburg and other sites. By the time I left almost 400 people were on the hill and it was growing. Navy personnel came back to the hill and we fired up the Hippy. (Prior to that we only had Main Ops up and that just for the TCC.)

Relations, though vastly improved, were still a bit strained.
The two worst incidents were:

1) 4 Jul 79: During a joint celebration for US Independence day, records with patriotic American and Turkish songs were played in lieu of a band as each nation's troops marched up to headquarters. It was to be the first American Flag raising at the post in years. The Turks would only allow this as a joint US/Turkish flag ceremony. Well, the first problem was that nobody noticed that one of the songs on the Turkish record was, in fact, the Turkish National Anthem. Of course, as soon as it came on everyone knew it (the Americans heard it every night on CFN Radio). So all the American and Turkish officers scrambled to bring their units to attention and present arms. That wouldn't have been so bad, but somebody got drunk later that night, stole the Turkish flag and posted an American flag on the watertower so that everyone, including the town below could see it. That resulted in an armed search of all the barracks and almost a major international incident. The flag was found on a roof and the perpetrators never identified to the Turks. (Although the suspects were sent out of country via Ezek airlines the next day!)

2) Just about that time, the Army took back, by previous agreement, a water pumping system that they had lent to Sinop for ninety days. Though they knew it was only a temporary loan, the town fathers got insulted and decided to cut off water to the hill. So for several weeks, we had no showers, used outhouses and each took a five gallon can to the mess hall to fill for drinking each week. I don't recall whether that situation was resolved before I left the hill.

Twenty years later, I still say "Bir Daka" (one minute) when I mean "Just a second, pal". I don't know why that particular phrase stuck with me but as much as I grumbled while on the hill, I wouldn't mind going back for old time's sake.

I did twenty with a break in the middle and ended up retiring at E-5 (eek) but I did my last half a career at Fort Devens. I got to see Sinop start back up and watch Devens close her gates for good.

Thanks for bringing back good memories!

"I lost my little dick"
"go lay, go lay"

SGT (RET) Richard C. Rodney
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