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Memories of Istanbul - TUSLOG Det. 1

Al Akiona

© 2009-2011 by Author

I was assigned to Det 1, Tuslog, Istanbul, Turkey in Feb 1957 directly fromTechnical School in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

As a young airman, I was completely shocked about the assignment to Turkey, considering all my other buddies having received tours in Japan, Germany, Korea and France. Nevertheless, I worked on the second floor of an office building with a view of the Hilton Hotel directly around the corner. My stay in Istanbul was certainly brief as I was reassigned with 13 other personnel to set up operations in KARAMURSEL, Turkey.

I kept the generators operating to provide electric power to three buildings. Later, we installed a more modern switchboard in a prefrabricated administration building.

Of all my assignments in the Air Force, this was my most interesting and intriguing assignment after 24 years active duty. I retired in 1979 from the Pentagon.

Al Akiona SMsgt, USAF Ret