PHOTOS - Page 3
Setting Up The Sites
3-01: A memorable trip to the remote site,
LP-3, from the RIM located at Çigli AFB. You
can see one of the Jupiter missiles being
towed towards the site near the front of
the motorized caravan. I distinguished
"caravan" by using the adjective
"motorized," for there were actually camel
caravans that would cross the road along
the way. Once out of Izmir proper, your
trip takes you back hundreds...if not
thousands...of years into the past. The way
of life hadn't changed much outside the
city limits for centuries. (GSmith, Dev. Date:
Nov 1961, Slide12)
3-02: Everyone on the site has multiple
jobs. One day you're setting up trailers, the
next day you're setting up Jupiter missiles.
(GSmith, Dev Date: Nov 1961)
3-03: Setting up the trailers used as
temporary living quarters and offices is
one of the first items on the agenda upon
arriving at a site. (GSmith, Dev Date: Nov
1961, Slide29)
3-04: All lined up, these trailers are ready
for occupancy. They were a bit drafty in the
winter time, prior to the completion of the
hard support building. (GSmith, Dev Date:
Nov 1961, Slide19)
3-05: George Smith manning the phones.
We had a radio link back to Çigli AFB that
provided phone communications to
civilization. (GSmith, Dev Date: Oct 1961)
3-06: Serious phone time with the base (or
with the Carlisle, PA draft board that found
me in the mountains wanting to know
where I was!). I was one of two Technical
Expediters (parts chaser to/from the site)
assigned to the team, managed the office
(time cards, prepared documents as I
could also type, etc.), and projectionist
during movie times. Any other odd job that
came along to pass the time was relished
as well. I also spent a lot of time being an
inquisitor about all things happening on
the site...inquiring mind needed to know
what each screw, meter, and wire was for.
(GSmith, Dev Date: Oct 1961)
3-07: There was a periodical put out by
management, and apparently a "rumor" or
innuendo was included in one of them that
prompted this notice on our office trailer.
Notice the USAFTA sticker? Recollections
are that Chrysler was working under the
guise of the USAFTA name. I believe it
stood for “United States Association for
Technical Assistance? (GSmith, Dev Date:
Nov 1961)
3-08: Chrysler employed English talent as
well. We had, for example, several
electricians working on our team, as well
as a real English Chef! That's our Chef
standing in the doorway. I've been racking
my brain trying to recall his name...I
believe it was “Robert.” (GSmith, Dev Date:
Dec 1961)
3-09. That's me standing in our mess tent's
entry way, constructed of various pieces of
lumber and plywood, designed to keep out
the cold and snow. When entering, the
kitchen trailer was on the left, the
dining/theater tent area to the right.
(GSmith, Dev Date: Dec 1961)
3-10: This was the back end of our mess tent
where we would consume our meals and show
movies. This was a temporary but lengthy
arrangement until the hard support building
was completed. It was a cold winter day,
complete with snow! (GSmith, Dev Date: Dec
1961)