U.S. Army TUSLOG Det 27, Manzaralı, Turkey

Rob Nearpass

© 2003-2011 by Author

A copy of the December, 1965 Manzaralı "Mauler" base newspaper, contributed by Rob Nearpass.

Several of the articles are printed more readably, below the images.

Click on the "halves" below to enlarge.



NEW DEPUTY
Manzaralı Station has a new Deputy Post Commander.

Pictured above is Lt. Col. Maurice L. Young shortly after his arrival from his last duty assignment at the Defense Intelligence Agency of the Pentagon.

The colonal is not new to Turkey, having been assigned outside the city of Istanbul during 1953-54 as an advisor to a Turkish armor division.

Colonel Young, a 24 year man, was accompanied to Site 23 by his wife, Ida, and three children:  James, 14; Barbara, 13, and Patricia, 12.

His service includes combat in both World War II and the Korean Conflict.  In 1963, his branch of service was changed from Infantry to AIS.  He is a much decorated soldier, having been awarded, among others:  The Silver Star for gallantry in action in 1950, the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat, the French Croix de guere, WWII Victory Medal, Army Occupation Medal for both Japan and Germany, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, UN Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, EAME Campaign Medal, and the American Campaign Medal.

Football

MAULERS MEDITERRANEAN MEDALISTS

The Manzaralı post flag football team - outweighed considerably but definitely not out-gutted -- hustled away with the Mediterranean Sports Conference Flag Football Championship conducted at Cigli AFB earlier this month.  Our mauling Maulers emerged from this double elimination tourney as the only undefeated squad, winning four games in all by pounding out 96 points to 576 for their opponents.

Our team was the only Army squad there. Other teams (all Air Force type) were from Adana, Izmir, Ankara (Det 30) Athens, and KARAMURSEL.

The high-spirited Maulers met the Izmir nine first.  On the very first series of downs Trenton Douglas (the playing couch) blocked an Izmir punt with his chin and Jim Hatmaker suddenly had the bounding ball under his arm on the Airmen's 1-yard line and quickly engineered an easy score to give the Maulers a 7-0 lead after a perfect conversion by the talented toe of Jim Cooper.  Izmir roared back on a perfect almost field-long toss/run to suddenly narrow the margin to 7-6; missing on their conversion attempt.  But BINGO - after the ensuing kick-off, Hatmaker retreated into his own end zone and uncorked a long pass to John Williams who wheeled it all the way for a touchdown; the play covering over 75 yards (that's not bad on an 80 yard field).  Cooper connected with his foot and the Maulers led 14-6.  After this, it was a rout; our boys leading 33-6 at the half.  The second half was fairly even, mostly defensive as out athletes romped home 40-20.  Cooper, besides his extra points, booted two lengthy field goals.

Next, there came a very hectic affair against Adana.  Outweighed some 30 pounds per man (they were every game) and plagued by an unbelievable 299 yard in penalties accessed against them (this maybe an all-times world's record), the marvelous mauling Maulers from Manzaralı never-the-less scored in every period to down the bigger bruisers 25-12.  Our side - to add to their discomfort - had to play most of the final three periods with but 12 men (injuries took out several and one was asked to leave by the officials because he supposedly called for unauthorized help from above).

The third game was even rougher, being marred by several pier 6 affairs, and unsportsmanlike actions such as clippings, kicking, and elbowings.  The word I got was that the motto of these opponents was ELBOWS, LOCK AND LOAD).  This clambake was against the KARAMURSEL kryiers, and they were tough.  A spectacular 60 yard punt return by Calvin (Pete) Gunn finally broke the biggies backs and the Maulers (again down to some 12 players due to missing ivories and stitch-worthy gashes, plus a few unauthorized words) went on to a 18-12 verdict.  Despite the roughness of the game, few penalties were called against either side; if the officials themselves weren't clobbered, the play usually stood.

Needing another win over KARAMURSEL to cop the title, our outweighed outsiders went after them.  We scored first after a grinding march and "Coop" booted the EP for a 7-0 lead.  The big (Wild Blue Yonder) guys came back with a sustained drive, however, to finally score and narrow the margin to 7-6.  It was evident the plane jockeys were out to get the little bitty Army guys, so instead of going for a one point via a place kick which would have tied up the thing, they went through the air in an attempt to pick up two points and the lead.  This backfired, however, as the pass had a flame out to fall short of it's intended receiver's fingers furiously fetching fingers and our boys retained their narrow margin, the score being still 7-6 as half-time rolled around.  After being sewn up, taped, slapped back to consciousness, our punchy pals went back to work.  The second half was a pro-type affair as both teams battled heroically.  Our Maulers managed to score via the air routes to run their lead to 13-6, but this was quite a shaky lead, especially when our extra point try was booted to the left of the H shaped goal.  In the fourth quarter, one of our passes strayed off course to be intercepted and the air guys went on to score and suddenly the tally was 13-12.  Again they deferred to go for the toe conversion and a tie score, but went for two and a win.  But, aha, our battlers batted the ball down in the end zone like Cassius did Sonny, took the ball after the kickoff and hung on to it like it was a case of booze until the clock ran out.

Suddenly our mighty midget were it!  They were the kings, the champs!  They'd battled bigger bruisers, bigger elbows, bigger muscles, and perhaps maybe just a wee bit or prejudice.  But they had one big thing going that couldn't be overcome by three teams they played... They had the intestinal fortitude, sometimes referred to as plain ole GUTS.

Congrats from all on the post to the 16 who accomplished this achievement, and it was an absolute achievement.  Listed below are these men, complete with their nicknames as dubbed by their own teammates:

2dLT. James (Sir) Crane
SP5 Barry (Red Eye) Sanders
PFC William (Animal) Gregg
PFC James (Golden Arm) Hatmaker
SP5 Steve (Savior) Brown
PFC Tony (Molt) Molton
SP6 Willie (Doc) White
Cpl Robert (The Shy) Nearpass
SP4 James (The Golden Toe) Cooper
PFC Thomas (The Surf)Murphy
SP4 Trenton (Easy) Douglas)
PFC Rober (Aki) Davis
SP4 Calvin (Pete) Gunn
PFC Mike (Awet) Higgins
SP4 Thomas (The Hulk) Boecher
PFC James (Legs) Williams

TORT FRAUD?

SFC Tortis J. Turtle, very casually mentioned in the last edition of the MAULER (first page three-column story, picture, etc.), has unexplainedly disappeared from his assigned duties as LWB NCOIC of Headquarters Company.  LWB NCOIC?

Well, if you're one of the 16 personnel in the command who didn't read the story, let me explain that LWB means:  lawn, weed, bug, and NCOIC means NCOIC.

Last month I thought this was a very simple story; an ordinary reenlistment feature about a veteran GI., but as the paper - 55 issues in English, 11 in Turkish, 13 Cherokee tongue; 1 each in Brooklynese, Texas-ese, and Hobokenese (S.C.)- went on it's not too smooth way, a horrible storm of protest suddenlyarose.

First all, some personnel of Company A, the unit to which ole Tort had belonged to for, forever actually - complained that he'd been turtlenapped, not re-upped, by Headquarters Company personnel, tossing up for evidence the fact that no DD Form 214 had been issued, no physical had been taken, etc.; brushing aside sarcastically the fact that there had been an order reenlisting him plus a promotion order.  Then - and this is a very serious accusation indeed - several personnel of A-Company stated, not while under oath, that Tort had actually been seen laying eggs; this something male GIs just don't do.  So suddenly, the possibility of a fraudulent reenlistment had reared it's ugly head.

A high official of Headquarters Company (I believed to be the assistant to the assistant to the assistant mail clerk) rebutted this accusation however, uttering that male turtles do indeed lay eggs on occasion (he didn't word out as to what these occasions are).  Now this really confused everybody and the last I heard on this issue of the situaiton, a Major General in the Army Medical Corps - a Surgical P. Forceps by name - was staying up nights while trying to find out what was what in regards to egg depositing among the turtle people.  Evidently though, the only thing he's accomplished worthwhile was to lose his temper under the strain and smash his overweight wife in the mouth - something he should've done years before apparently, and which he now realizes, since he's sent me the bowling trophy he popped her with, along with a nice note of appreciation for bringing up the problem in the first palce.  I didn't even know the general!

I've thought much about this thing.  I may make Corporal, or PFC, over it - though since I was just the reporter, I had nothing at all to do with any alledged turtle stealing.  But the best witness to this whole affair has vanished and until he's found - I understand most of these people running around the post looking like ahbies (Aga Beys) are really FBI agents - the solution will be hard to come by.

Both A-Company and Headquarters Company are looking for men, besides the CID lads and the FBI, both units offering a big reward I understand of something like 50 kurush (whatever that is) for info leading to his apprehension.

Please DO NOT contact this reporter if you've got poop to pop about this puzzling picture.

If Tort IS guilty of a fraud, he's still apt to get off lighter that I am.

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