Photos of Karamursel, Turkey
May,1959-October,1960

Dave Bergstrom

© 2003-2011 by Author


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Five of us standing outside the barracks prior to an inspection. circa May 1959-October 1960. (left to right) Dave Barrow - Dave Shrewbridge - Dave Bergstrom (me) - Jerry DeVries - Butch Simmons (Wayne Simmons). I was stationed at KARAMURSEL and then at RAF Chicksands 6950th RGM with Butch Simmons (1960-61) and then at Langley AFB USAFSS Det 4 with Jerry DeVries (1961-62).

Inside a quonset hut (I think the quonset huts were across from the gym). They were temporary quarters for newly arrived personnel. The airman laying on the bunk is George W Davis from Tuscumbia Alabama. The airman sitting on the edge of the bunk is James K Belviy from New Albany Indiana. I took this picture soon after we arrived at KARAMURSEL which would have been on or about May 1st 1959. We were assigned to the quonset hut for about 2-3 weeks and then moved into a dayroom/lounge in one of the barracks. My recollection is that there were a lot of personnel and not many rooms available for assignment during that time period. While we lived in the quonset hut, we shared shower facilities with some of the Turkish soldiers assigned to KARAMURSEL.

 

Photo was taken from between two of the barracks. The buildings in the background are the Post Office, Post Exchange (PX) and Snack Bar.

Front of the barracks. I think the buildings in the background include the base hospital but I am not sure. I can't believe that after spending 18 months there that I can't presently recall what the building is!

 

U.S. Navy on parade in the street that separated the Air Force barracks and the Navy barracks. You can see the gymnasium and quonset huts (where I called home when I arrived) in the background.  The vehicle to the right belongs to the navy - one of two on base.

A photo (l to r) of Ken Harrison from Tiger Georgia (also a 292x1), me, and Jim (last name unknown - a 202x.)

 

A cigarette lighter from the Mainsite NCO Open Mess. The lighter has the inscription "Mainsite NCO Open Mess" on the top of the lighter and "KARAMURSEL Turkey" on the bottom. To the right is a picture of the USAF Security Service patch.


Left, above: Midnight Mess Pass" that was utilized by personnel working shifts.

Below left, a cartoon (author unknown) of an apparently stressed out Morse Intercept Operator (292X1)

 

The gymnasium, which also doubled as the movie theater back in 1959-1960 (and possibly longer). I recall that there was a four lane bowling alley attached to the gym but it would have been on the other side of the building and is not visible in this picture".

Instructions concerning the exchange of U.S. Currency for Turkish Lira. Currency restrictions information sheet and the certificate portion on the back of the form

To Turn the ticket (below) over and view the reverse side just move your mouse cursor over the image. Do it again to turn the image back over. This Istanbul trolley ticket translates to english as: "This non-transferrable ticket can only be used on the route and wagon it was issued on. It must be shown when asked by an inspector."


 

This piece below is the header portion of letter stationary which was available to us.