From: Steve Stubbs <AllStubbs@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999
Subject TUSLOG Det. 4, Sinop

Memories of "the Hill," approx. Sept. '63 thru Sept. '64:

During my stint, total population of detachment was only a couple hundred or so? Besides a lot of good folks and good times shared (along with a few bad ones and seemingly interminable boredom at times), here's some bullet points of what I remember:

* Beatles just starting to hit in US, lots of receiver nets starting dialing-in on "Princess Radio" and other "pirate" Brit stations playing the music.

* Vietnam still thought of as pretty good duty (for ASA folks). Bankok highly regarded. Sinop tour just above Shemya in overall popularity.

* Kennedy assassination really stirred the place up for several days. Big alert (have read many stories since playing down the level of alert at this time but you'd never believe it if you'd been there), listening for any peep we could detect out of our friends to the North. They didn't know what the hell was going on either, it seems.

* Recall many times being approached by Turks, both townies and people working at the Site, who stopped me, and I'm sure many others, to personally express sadness. I think JFK was somewhat of a media star with the locals.

* A trip any distance from Sinop was a real adventure. Surface travel to Ankara in the best weather was challenging. Remember going through mountain pass town of Kastamonu, found local circuit bus half in river bed (not much water in summertime), half on road above. Not damaged bad but locals had no way of dislodging it. We were driving a 3/4-ton with a front-mounted winch. After much consultation with local authorities, managed to dislodge their bus and get it up to the road. Entire town turned out to watch this. Success was met with lusty cheering...then people began filling our vehicle with flowers, food and even a couple bottles of wine! The whole thing took us maybe an hour or so to do. I'll never forget how thankful the locals were.

* Turks and Greeks had one of their periodic stare-downs over Cyprus sometime during my stay. US Fleet parked between Turkish coast (and their navy) and Cyprus until things finally calmed down. Locals were absolutely not pleased about that turn of events and made no bones in telling us. Had friends who were shaken around inside a cab down in Ankara during this period. No real assaults that I recall.

* Wasn't Ankara the fun place to be? Hell, compared to the Hill, anyplace else was a big deal. Anybody remember the Hotel Balin? How about the Imperial? Was a curfew for everybody (the Turkish military brings you this temporary pause in your parliamentarian government) much of the time I was in-country, resulting in some hairy cab rides (come to think of it, every Turkish cab ride was hairy) and avoid the local ascaris. Funny how cab drivers assumed you were a fare headed for the karihanti (sp?) and not the Attaturk Memorial.

* Share-owned sailboats in Sinop harbor were a big thing. A little local boatyard (Sinop Gentlemen's Drinking Establishment and Yacht Club) built them (about 20' , built roughly to Lido class day sailers...but with nails, not screws!) and the "fleet" was maybe 6-8 boats (?). Black Sea coast for as many miles you had cajones to sail up, absolutely pristine and beautiful. Dropped my watch off a boat in about 20 feet of water once, could practically read the time on it sitting on the bottom (actually recovered it and it worked...a while)! Seems like you could have one of these boats built for just a few hundred bucks (compared to maybe a couple, three thousand back in the world). Three-four or more guys owned "shares," would sell when they shipped, etc. Always someone to go out with, even if you didn't own a "share."

* Ate "off the economy" a lot and I swear I never got Attaturk's Revenge until six months into my tour I had a meal at the Ankara AF station. Thought I'd die.

* Cooks on hill Germans supplied by civilian contractor. Most could actually cook if they had something to work with. If weather bad a long spell, no vehicles and/or airplane in, you could get down to some pretty interesting stuff on the menu...could describe it only pending the autopsy report.

* A mixed drink (whatever you want, yeni!) a quarter, can beer (Beck's, OK?), a dime. PX booze so cheap you couldn't afford not to drink. Premium whisky, what, couple of bucks a fifth? Most stuff, a dollar-something.

* Pack of Camel cigarettes, originally 18-cents, later 22? Turks loved Camels (and didn't go back to women!). Barber downtown always plucked a few from shirt pocket very artfully with tip of scissors. Helluva haircut, shave, less than 50 cents including a big tip. Smoke Turkish cigarettes and we can track you a midnight in a swamp. Would never admit this back then, but I kinda liked them. However, a Bafra cigarette (about cheapest local product I recall) would slam-shut your lungs like a direct hit from a nitro express.

* Remember "arctic dome guys," also "point-site guys," even had some Navy and Air Force linguist types from time to time. ComCenter was true intersanctum, holiest of the holy. Get out there and police the area after all the day's traffic is incinerated!

Imagine the place was really a trip back in the mid-50's. Would like to talk to some folks from that era and also some from the late era just before US forces left. It ain't every day you get the chance to chat with folks who've been on "the Hill" and survived (albeit with a bionic liver) to tell about it.

Steve Stubbs

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