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SINOP, TURKEY
Pfc Gary Weber triagain@earthlink.net
November 14, 1962 - October 20, 1963.

Flew Pan Am from New York to Ankara. A member of the Det. 4 liaison office met the three of us at the airport and wanted to know who I was - they were expecting the other two guys. I showed them my travel orders and they took us to the office. We were told that we would fly to Samsun the next day, which we did. Was kinda relieved to find a commode in the Samsun airport. They even had toilet paper, or so I thought. Found out that the texture of it was like crepe paper. The remaining leg of the trip was in the back of a duece-and-a-half from Samsun to Sinop.

Upon arrival on the hill we processed-in at headquarters. Once again, I was asked who I was and what I was doing there. I showed them my orders. They asked for my records and I told them I did not have them. Said they would try to find out what was going on. We were given a Yeni briefing, post map, and told to bunk down in the Yeni barracks. Next day I was called to headquarters and told to report to Lt. Gumm at the post hobby shop until my records were found. Since my MOS was photography, I had an easy detail in the photo lab for the two or three months it took them to find my records. (Turned out that a keypunch error at Ft Dix assigned me to Germany and my records went there. Had to exist on partial pay until the records were found.)

Met Scott Gray who showed me around town. We came across a roll of photo paper 30 inches wide and about 7 feet long. Scott had a 35mm negative of a street scene and wanted it blownup. One evening we put the enlarger as high up in the darkroom as we could get it, scrubbed the floor, and did an exposure test. We prepared the chemicals, exposed the paper and each took large sponges soaked with developer and developed the paper on the floor, then fixed the paper. Washed and dried the paper. End result: Photo 6' 4" x 30" wide. ((PIC T16))

Yeni Barracks - The good and the bad. Good: no inspections. Bad: heat during winter months came from fuel oil heaters. A 5 gallon can of fuel oil would last about 4 or 5 hours and run out before dawn. Everyone waited in the morning for someone else to get up and refuel the heater.

ON POST PHOTO'S -

BIG SATURDAY NIGHT: Henry Smith (Fat Hank), Mike Fernsler and Richard (Dick) Sullins ((PIC T23));
Rus Gillam ((PIC T42)); Mike Fernsler and Dick Sullins ((PIC T22));
Rus Gillam and Mike Fernsler ((PIC T24))

DETAILED TO LT GUMM ((PIC T17))

HENRY SMITH IN SINOP PRISON ((PIC X89))

KBOK RADIO STATION D.J. Rus Gillam ((PIC T20))

OPERATIONS BUILDING ((PIC X91))

POST CHAPEL ((PIC T43)) ((PIC T30))

POST HEADQUARTERS ((PIC X90)) ((PIC T19))

POST THEATER ((PIC X92))

RUINS OF BYZANTINE CHAPEL ((PIC B01))

SCOTT GRAY ((PIC X23))

SINOP FROM THE HILL ((PIC X39))

SNOW WOMAN outside Yeni barracks ((PIC T31))

UNNAMED GI'S ((PIC T25)) ((PIC X11)) ((PIC X10)) ((PIC X08))

YENI BARRACKS ((PIC X43))

YENI MAP (( det4_map))

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OFF-POST PICTURES -

ATOP THE WALL ((PIC M19)) ((PIC M20)) ((PIC M21)) ((PIC T28))

BOMBSITE: Photo of real Turkish toilet. Notice the water faucet on the left (when
squatting). That, along with the left hand is used in place of toilet paper. ((PIC X37))

BOOT MAKERS: These guys measured your feet and handmade boots for you that
lasted years and fit perfectly. ((PIC T35)) ((PIC T36)) ((PIC X09))

BUTCHER SHOP ((PIC X35))

CAY BREAK ((PIC M67)) ((PIC T45))

CHILDREN: Kids would come running, yelling "Chiclet's Abby?" On one occasion, one of our guys gave the kids what looked like Chiclet's from a Chiclet's package. He had substituted feenamint gum (a laxative) . Some of the little kids stuck 2 or 3 pieces in their mouth at the same time. The next time we went to town, they were throwing rocks at us. ((PIC T29)) ((PIC T46))

FISHERMEN EMPTYING NETS ((PIC X63))

GROCERY STORE ((PIC X44))

HOUSE ABOUT TO COLLAPSE ((PIC T26))

MODEL BOAT MAKERS: Handmade boats with good detail - came with wooden
shipping crate. ((PIC X62)) ((PIC T37))

NATO BARBER SHOP: Most of us had our hair cut here. Electric clippers were used when electricity was available and hand clippers at other times. Excellent haircuts and good price. Several photos of Nazmi Kuru, his helper, and GI's.
((PIC T32)) ((PIC T33)) ((PIC T41)) ((PIC X41)) ((PIC X42))

PLOWING ((PIC X55))

PRESIDENT KENNEDY PHOTO IN A STORE: Note Kennedy's left hand.
((PIC X02))

PRETTY FARM: During the summer, cattle were hitched to a post and herded in a
circle thrashing grain. ((PIC X25))

PRISON GUARD & INTERPRETER: After several tours of the prison, finally an
intrepreter was provided. Have lost both of their names. ((PIC T40))

QUILT MAKERS: Quality handmade quilts at bargain prices. Kirby Benson bargaining for quilt. ((PIC X59)) ((PIC X60)) ((PIC X61))

RESTAURANT ((PIC X46)) ((PIC T21)) ((PIC X45))

RUINS OF CHURCH: ((PIC X73)) ((PIC X74)) ((PIC X75)) ((PIC X72)) ((PIC X71))
((PIC X77)) ((PIC X78)) ((PIC X79)) ((PIC X80)) ((PIC X81)) ((PIC X85))
((PIC X82)) ((PIC X86)) ((PIC X84)) ((PIC X83))

SHARK ((PIC X12))

SINOP PRISON: Turkish prison guard stopped me outside the prison and wanted me to come in. His nephew and niece were visiting and he wanted pictures of them. Photo's of guard, children, and prisoners.
((PIC X52)) ((PIC X53)) ((PIC X54)) ((PIC X64)) ((PIC X56)) (PIC X57)) ((PIC X58))

SINOP PRISON: West wall: ((PIC X34)) South wall: ((PIC X51))

STEAM BATH'S: Several of us went for a real Turkish Steam Bath. We were scrubbed with something very coarse and left with red and tender skin. Felt like we had been sandpapered. But we were clean. Photo of domes of steambath with firewood piled outside in foreground. ((PIC X21))

STONE MASONS ((PIC X69)) ((PIC X70))

SUNSET OVER WATERFRONT ((PIC X36))

TOBACCO DRYING ON RACKS ((PIC X14))

TRANSPORTATION SCENES ((PIC X65)) ((PIC X68)) ((PIC X66)) ((PIC X28)) ((PIC X03)) ((PIC T38)) ((PIC T39))

VARIOUS SCENES OF SINOP ((PIC X04)) ((PIC X05)) ((PIC X13)) ((PIC X07)) ((PIC X06)) ((PIC X22)) ((PIC X40)) ((PIC X38)) ((PIC X48)) ((PIC X19)) ((PIC X20)) ((PIC X16)) ((PIC X15)) ((PIC X33)) ((PIC X32)) ((PIC X88)) ((PIC X31)) ((PIC X30)) ((PIC X29)) ((PIC X26)) ((PIC X27)) ((PIC X49)) ((PIC X50))
((PIC M18)) ((PIC T44))

WOMAN HAULING WATER ((PIC X01))

WOMAN HERDING CATTLE ((PIC X67))

WOODEN SADDLE'S: Tried to ride a horse with a wooden saddle, but my bony butt could not handle that saddle. It appears this fellow couldn't take it either.
((PIC X18))

WORN STEPS: Steps going up one of the towers were well worn. ((PIC T34))
===============================================================
From: Gary Weber triagain@earthlink.net
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003
Subject: Tuslog Det 4

Stumbled upon your website the other day and really enjoyed it. 
I was stationed at Det 4 from Nov 14, 62 to Oct 20, 63.
I noticed correspondence between you and Alex Gantos concerning the ruins of the Bzyantine Chapel.  On one of my trips downtown, I ran across the ruins of an old church with some frescoes remaining (most were badly damaged).  I don't know what type church it was.
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C01.jpg is inside the remains with an entrance on the left and (out of camera range) is a large arched way.  PICTURE

Within this pic is some writing at the left (C02.jpg) PICTURE

To the right of the writing is a figure choking the devil ( C03.jpg), I believe.  PICTURE

C04.jpg has some images on the wall. PICTURE

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