More Life On Site
5-01: Our site's equivalent of the "Water Cooler." Water tanks were brought in from Çigli AFB
as there was no water available from any nearby springs, streams, etc. (GSmith, Dev Date:
Nov 1961, Slide18)
5-02: The hard support building which we soon occupied was completed around
December 1961 or January of 1962. Nice to have a real cot to sleep on, and a warm
building to enjoy shelter from the elements. We lived, partied, and ate in this
building until the site's completion in February of 1962. (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962,
Slide06)
5-04: Seagram's 7? Not bad for the boonies! Our English chaps celebrating the end of
the job. (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962 Slide10)
5-05: George Smith was designated as the official bottle opener, which took him some
time to figure out how to use the opener. Never did get it opened, and never did taste
the stuff! ( GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide11)
5-06: An occasional card game would erupt in somebody's room after hours, which
would help pass the time away. Site Manager Sam Smith in the dark shirt. I don't
know how light the wallets were after the game. (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide12)
5-07: Our Chef Robert relaxing, wondering what to conjure up for our next day's
meals. We would each contribute $15 a week for chow, which he would use to
purchase food from the local markets. One meal he prepared was meatloaf made
from old camel meat he purchased at a local bizarre. It tasted like rotten hamburger.
I was designated to accompanied him on his next trip to the local market, and saw
where the fly-infested camel meat originated...on a hook hanging from a tripod in the
middle of the local village’s dirt-paved market place. We didn't purchase any more of
that! (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide14)
5-08: We had a USAF medic attached to our team. Here he is (2nd from left) swapping
jokes with a member of our crew. He would supply those in need with cough syrup
(Turpin Hydrate) when we'd feel a little scratch in our throats. We spent a number of
crazy evenings here. One day a storm let loose outside while we were sitting in the
break room when our phone got zapped with a lightning bolt. It was one of those old
crank field phones that was wired up to the communications tower…the source of the
surge current to the phone. (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide14)
5-09: That's me cracking up over a joke that was just told, spread out on the table too
weak to get up! (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide15)
5-10: The second of our Technical Expediters (left), and our Chef along with another chap from
England as I recall. His name might have been "Collin."(GSmith, Dev Date: Mar 1962, Slide17)
5-03: Our Chef (middle) had a private supply of booze, which he would share with
anyone so desiring a sample. Celebrating the end of a long job. There was the occasion
when someone visited the local village and obtained a couple jugs of “Raki,” (Lion’s
Milk) the Turkish national drink, which they consumed during a movie. By the end of
the last reel, they had passed out on the table! (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide08)
5-11: A couple guys found this dead bird out in the field. The thing was huge! I don't
remember the wing span, but you can get an idea from this photo how big it was! (GSmith,
Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide15)
5-12: Near the end of our contract we weren't working the long hours that we had been
putting in earlier. This gave us time to tour around the area. Here our Chef is peering into
what I believe was a burial mound located a short distance from our site. (GSmith, Dev Date:
Mar 1962, Slide15)
5-13: Here's another view of the opening. We didn't venture in. And so...this was life on the
site, as exciting as it was. Our trusty Dodge Power Wagon took us to several interesting places
during our off hours! (GSmith, Dev Date: Mar 1962, Slide16)
PHOTOS - Page 5
PHOTOS - Page 5
More Life On Site
5-01: Our site's equivalent of the "Water
Cooler." Water tanks were brought in from
Çigli AFB as there was no water available
from any nearby springs, streams, etc.
(GSmith, Dev Date: Nov 1961, Slide18)
5-02: The hard support building which
we soon occupied was completed
around December 1961 or January of
1962. Nice to have a real cot to sleep on,
and a warm building to enjoy shelter
from the elements. We lived, partied,
and ate in this building until the site's
completion in February of 1962.
(GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide06)
5-03: Our Chef (middle) had a private
supply of booze, which he would share
with anyone so desiring a sample.
Celebrating the end of a long job. There
was the occasion when someone visited
the local village and obtained a couple
jugs of “Raki,” (Lion’s Milk) the Turkish
national drink, which they consumed
during a movie. By the end of the last
reel, they had passed out on the table!
(GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide08)
5-04: Seagram's 7? Not bad for the
boonies! Our English chaps (Collin?)
celebrating the end of the job. (GSmith,
Dev Date: Feb 1962 Slide10)
5-05: George Smith was designated as
the official bottle opener, which took him
some time to figure out how to use the
opener. Never did get it opened, and
never did taste the stuff! ( GSmith, Dev
Date: Feb 1962, Slide11)
5-06: An occasional card game would
erupt in somebody's room after hours,
which would help pass the time away.
Site Manager Sam Smith in the dark shirt.
I don't know how light the wallets were
after the game. (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb
1962, Slide12)
5-07: Our Chef Robert relaxing,
wondering what to conjure up for our
next day's meals. We would each
contribute $15 a week for chow, which he
would use to purchase food from the
local markets. One meal he prepared was
meatloaf made from old camel meat he
purchased at a local bizarre. It tasted like
rotten hamburger. I was designated to
accompanied him on his next trip to the
local market, and saw where the fly-
infested camel meat originated...on a
hook hanging from a tripod in the middle
of the local village’s dirt-paved market
place. We didn't purchase any more of
that! (GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962,
Slide14)
5-08: We had a USAF medic attached to
our team. Here he is (2nd from left)
swapping jokes with a member of our
crew. He would supply those in need
with cough syrup (Turpin Hydrate) when
we'd feel a little scratch in our throats.
We spent a number of crazy evenings
here. One day a storm let loose outside
while we were sitting in the break room
when our phone got zapped with a
lightning bolt. It was one of those old
crank field phones that was wired up to
the communications tower…the source
of the surge current to the phone.
(GSmith, Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide14)
5-09: That's me cracking up over a joke
that was just told, spread out on the
table too weak to get up! (GSmith, Dev
Date: Feb 1962, Slide15)
5-10: The second of our Technical Expediters
(left), and our Chef along with another chap
from England as I recall. (GSmith, Dev Date:
Mar 1962, Slide17)
5-11: A couple guys found this dead bird out
in the field. The thing was huge! I don't
remember the wing span, but you can get an
idea from this photo how big it was! (GSmith,
Dev Date: Feb 1962, Slide15)
5-12: Near the end of our contract we
weren't working the long hours that we had
been putting in earlier. This gave us time to
tour around the area. Here our Chef is
peering into what I believe was a burial
mound located a short distance from our
site. (GSmith, Dev Date: Mar 1962, Slide15)
5-13: Here's another view of the opening. We
didn't venture in. And so...this was life on the
site, as exciting as it was. Our trusty Dodge
Power Wagon took us to several interesting
places during our off hours! (GSmith, Dev
Date: Mar 1962, Slide16)
