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© 2014 by Author
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I have pages of memories and I really do not know where to start. Here are a few thoughts; hope to fill in the details later.
The arrival at Yeşilköy Airport where I signed transportation documents at the bottom of the staircase. The Turkish officials telling me that we were leaving Turkey and not arriving!
The Detachment liaison representatives named Gengis and Cesar that handled all problems at the airport.
PanAm Flight 1, the only way into the country, and Flight PanAm Flight 2, the only way out.
Having to fill out a Beyanname (Customs Declaration) for bringing in a Turkish Brass table top and having to bring it back out thru the airport 2 1/2 years later to clear the customs document.
Support of USArmy sites at Cakmakli and Corlu that trained Turkish troops on the Nike Ajax and Hercules anti-aircraft missiles.
The support to the US Coast Guard LORAN station.
The two chill/freeze ships that supported unnamed sites on the Black Sea and the 70 ton capacity LCM Landing craft with USAF painted on the stack that accompanied them to deliver cargo to people we never saw on the beaches.
The support to the 486L listening sites.
Yes, I do remember Istanbul and Det 29 very well. Hate to ramble but those were very trying and exciting times.
Bill Toornburg, 1st Lt./Capt.
(Follow-up:)
I was the Transportation Officer (lst Lt.)(6051)and had 19 Additional Duties.
About the Brass Table and my entry through Yeşilköy. My Father-in-Law was stationed at Karamursel as an Oral Surgeon. He arrived back in the States just a few days before we left. He brought us a Turkish brass table top with the fold-up base as a gift. Everything we had was long gone in our HHG/Hold Baggage. The only way to bring it with us to Turkey was to wrap it up like a suitcase and take it with us. When Turkish Customs saw it, they immediately apologized to us and said we were in the wrong part of the Airport. When I asked why, they said it was because people did not IMPORT Turkish brass, they EXPORTED it, and therefore we must be leaving the country. A time consuming goat rope, but we put the table top on a Bayanname and therefore had to take it back through the airport when we left 2 1/2 years later.
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