Colonel Wagasky at the Gate
(USAF TUSLOG Det. 3-1, Trabzon, Turkey)

Mike Chapman

© 2003-2011 by Author

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Sometime in 1963 - as best as I can remember it - a young Turkish girl had a thing going with one of our people and had entered the station to see him.

Shortly thereafter three Turkish soldiers showed up at the main gate demanding that the girl be turned over to them.  The Air Policeman at the gate wasn't going to let that happen without proper authority, so he contacted the Base Commander, Colonel Sylvester J. Wagasky.

Colonel Wagasky was out on a little nine hole putting course at the station and still had his putter in hand when he showed up at the main gate.  He informed the solders that they would not be allowed on the station and the girl would not be turned over to them.  At sometime during the exchange, one of the soldiers apparently grabbed the Colonel by the arm, at which time the Colonel came upside his head with the putter!

About this time a Turkish officer walked up to the scene, had a conversation with the Colonel and then put his men at attention.  He beat the offending enlisted man with a riding crop, dismissed his soldiers and apologized to the Colonel, assuring him that there would be no repeats of this type.

I don't know what happened to the girl or the soldier.
Mike

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Mike, please CONTACT US.


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