USAFSS 136th CSS COMSEC
Veterans Biographical Website
Back to Bob
Spiwak’s USAFSS 136th CSS
COMSEC Home Page
List of Biographies:
Don Maddux
Virgil Ashford
Kendall Ropp
Dick Bergman
Bob Spiwak
Joseph C. Burns
Anthony Lemons
Bruce Case
Fredrick R. Wagner
Jacob Roskam
Dean B. Vallery
James F. Swain
Oliver A. Rickert
From Don Maddux, 08/015/05
I enjoyed your post on Nagoya and Korea. Can't seem to place you,
but remember a lot about the old country in the east. I got to Moriyama in July
1950 and was in Korea off and on for years. The last time I was there was in
l978. I went to K55 and one of our trucks we had, 059, was still there on the
hill---they called it skivy nine. The van was being used as a munitions
storeroom of some sort. K-55 was a hot COMINT site in those days and a lot of
good people went thru that site, as all the others. I left Japan in Oct 57 and
Fuchu and COMSEC. I went to March AFB in the COMINT business and went to printer
school and became an instructor before sgoing to Darmstadt Germany. Had a good
tour in Germany, took my young wife from Hawk Point, MO. and arrived on or
wedding anniversary---our first one. I was on shift work almost the whole 4
years and then we went to Misawa Japan for 5 years. I did a student tour in
Pensacola Florida and went to TUSLOG 94 in Karamusel, Turkey for 3 years and
then to Tiawan for 2 and a half years, then to Shemya Alaska---then back to
Misawa for 4 years and then to Good buddy to help run the school and
retirement. We came back to Missouri in April 79 and bought a car wash, small
engine shop and drove a school bus for 25 years. I sold the car wash and small
engine business in 90 and worked for the new owners and others and still do
---a half day a week. I missed the reunion in Colorado, but have made the
others. We have a Darmstadt group---a Misawa group and many others, but stick
to the Command reunion, COMSEC and Misawa mostly. We live in the Hills of the
Missouri river---near Herman. I-70 is five miles north and I-44 is 44 miles
south. I visit Scott field often just to keep in touch.
We have two kids close by. I fly model airplanes and work with the
handicap and the nursing and care center---life has been good and busy----Don
Maddux
don
maddux
redhead6_682@hotmail.com
From Virgil Ashford 9/18/2005
I was a professional student waiting to get old enough to join the
AF to fly, I finally got my draft notice in 51 so joined in March 51 went to
Lackland then to Keesler for Radar school, they riffed that project, stuck me
with Radio Op , ended up in Security Service in Brooks AFB, was frozen for
cadets at Det. 12, played all sorts of Sports there. I got My class date and
they washed me out on an eye which proved a snafu, so ended up going to Nagoya
in 1953. I drew high card three times in a row to stay out of K55, then married
men volunteered so they could shorten duty tour and I never went to Korea, Not
even when Cpt Bob Reckner wanted me to fly over with him.(I did make that
mistake once, with Sky King). Had a good tour, ended up an analyst with Boyle,
Fuchs, Anderson etc. Played a lot of sports with Cassutt, Dean et al, traveled
with sports to all the COMSEC tournaments. Graduated to civi, went to school
for awhile, ended up on the Phoenix Fire Dept. Retired from there, Went to
Nuclear Plant as Firefighter 10 more years, 31 in all, Had plumbing business on
side (lost to first wife) farmed for a few on the side (lost to the second).
Team Roped for years (lost my horse to the Third). Was good enough to win
buckles and saddles, three years to team roping finals. Had Cancer in 97, beat
that, had quad bypass in 01, beat that, still going strong, sold out in Phenox
with this building boom, moved to Blythe Ca, Am single now, take care of older
Uncle here, set around writing and reminiscing now. Still walk 3 miles a day
and weight train (Maintenance) 30 mins a day.Right now I am writing a book just
to do it.
Virgil
Ashford
vrgate@ispwest.com
From Kendall Ropp 9/19/05
I was born in Dowagiac, Michigan on January 15th, 1928, then moved
to Pokagon, Michigan where I attended a one room school house. The school had 6
rows of students, one row for each grade. My Father was a tool and die
designer. Due to the economic disaster of the depression, we moved to
Edwardsburg, Michigan and assumed the responsibility of farming a 240 acre farm
with 8 cows, 2 mules and 2 horses. My chores included milking 4 cows every
morning at 6:00 AM and again at 6:00PM. I attended school in Edwardsburg by
riding my bike to and from school. My Mother passed away at the age of 54 years
while we lived on the farm in Edwardsburg. I only finished the 8th grade when
WW2 came along and my Father had an opportunity to continue his trade with
Bendix Aviation in South Bend, Indiana. I lived in South Bend, Indiana until I
was 16years old and decided that I wanted to be in South Florida as opposed to
the winters in Indiana. I hitchhiked to Miami, Fl and resided there until the
Korean war came along in 1950 and on November 21st, I joined the USAF and took
my basic training at Lakland AFB in Texas. In 1951 I was transferred to Nagoya
AFB in Japan for a short period of time and then on to Korea where I was a
radio operator. I fulfilled my one year tenure in Korea and then back to Japan
for transfer to McDill AFB in Tampa, Fl where I became an analyst for the
balance of my tour of duty. During my tenure at McDill AFB, I obtained my
highschool GED and then attended Southern University to obtain my BA degree in
accounting.
I am still a practicing accountant working full time from my home
in Oakland Park, Florida. I am married to a wonderful lady named Darlene who
has stuck by me through 16 years of cancer. We own a 35 food travel trailer
fifth wheel and like to travel whenever the opportunity presents itself. We
also own a Historic home in Sebring, Fl and have been in the process of
restoring it to its original condition in 1925.
IN GOD WE TRUST
WELCOME TO AMERICA...
Kendall
Ropp
k.ropp@worldnet.att.net
From Dick Bergman 9/19/05
Enlisted in September 1952. Raio Intercept training at Keesler
until late August 1953 then to Det#2 at Brooks for one month. Received orders
for overseas deployment from Camp Kilmer on the Gen. Maurice Rose and debarked
at Bremerhaven Germany in early November.
I was assigned to Det#4 136th CSS at Camp Pieri (an Army base-5th
AAA) just outside Wiesbaden which remained my home base for the next three
years. Not much to talk about except that I was the ground monitor for the
first U2 flight over the former USSR in July of 1955. Now that was excitement!.
I took my discharge in Sept. 1956 , got a job, married and started
raising a family (1 boy, 1 girl) In 1967 I returned to school at night and
received my BS with honors in 1973. After that I went to work for National Can
Company as a Human Resource manager and progressed to Employee Services and
Industrial Safety Director for the glass division.
I am now retired for 10 years and enjoy many activities such as
antique restoration and repair, competative running, hunting and a local
ukulele band.
Neglected to mention; I was born in Chicago in 1933. Got my degree
in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin.
We have six grand children, 5 boys and one girl. The two oldest
grand sons are now at Fort Shelby awaiting deployment to Iraq.
Dick
Bergman
odin@mia.net
From Bob Spiwak 9/21/05
I was born on November 29th 1931 in a very small town in
Connecticut called Moodus. Moodus is an Indian name for noises, which are heard
frequently coming from the local caves. I quit high school at age 16 and
started working in a lampshade factory. After about three years, in April 1951,
I joined the Air Force took basic training at Samson AFB in New York, and went
to Scott AFB as a private first class to study radio repair. I was then
assigned to Brooks AFB as a corporal to await a clearance and assignment to a
radio security squadron. While waiting for my clearance I, like many others,
was "demoted", due to the change from the AAF to the USAF, from
corporal (NCO) to A2C and started taking turns at KP. I finally got assigned to
the 136th CSS Detachment 12. I worked for/with Major Krula, S/Sgt.
Bohac, S/Sgt. Pierce, S/Sgt. Lemons, Lt. Wilson, S/Sgt. Fletcher and T/Sgt.
Burns
For about the next six months I did radio repair and taught a
class in basic electronics. At the end of 1952 I was assigned to the 136th
CSS Det. 6 in Moriyama-cho, outside of Nagoya, Japan. I "shipped" (I
thought I had joined the Air Force) out of California at the end of January
1953. In Yokohama I met Ed Harrop (coming for his second tour). We left for
Nagoya but due to bad weather we flew to Taegue, Korea then Miho, Japan and
finally took a train to Nagoya.
By April 1 1953 I was at K55 Osan-ni, Korea replacing Irving Moody
at Det. 6 Section 1. We lived in tents and the radios were in huts on the backs
of 6Xs until our Quonset huts were built. T/Sgt. Hayes and later T/Sgt. Brown
was in command of Detachment 6 Section 1. We shared Hill 170 with C Battery of
the 398th AAA, which had 40mm and 50 cal. antiaircraft guns. We also
ate in their mess.
We had some great vehicles in Korea. Our personal carrier would
only go up our hill backwards due to a pinhole in the fuel line. The fuel tank
had to be above the carburetor. Our jeep lost a front left wheel so John Fox, Emil
Wilson and I took a bottle of booze to the motor pool sergeant and we swapped
hoods (they had the serial numbers) with a working jeep.
Who remembers the night that our fifty kilowatt diesel generator
ran away? We were playing cards when the lights started to get brighter and
brighter and then went out. We all ran outside to watch the generator run
faster and faster until the engine head began to glow red. The fuel injectors
failed. No one wanted to get close to it for fear it would blow up. Finally T/Sgt.
Hayes, using a long stick was able to pull the fuel hose from the diesel
barrel. A few minutes later the generator gave out a loud shriek and died. It
boiled out all 20 something gallons of water from the radiator.
During my stay in Korea word came that our billets had burned to
the ground. Lucky for me all of my civilian clothes and most of my dress
uniforms were in storage. I made A1/c and returned to Japan in November.
In December 1953 we flew to Yokoda Air Base on a mission to
monitor some Air Force nets. The plane was flown by "Rapid" Robert
Reckner our CO. Rapid was his MARS amateur radio handle. On our way we flew
past Mount Fugi in our C-47. Unfortunately we recorded everything using 60
cycle recorders not knowing the power at Yokoda, Japan was at 50 cycles. Upon
our return to Moriyama we found the tapes unreadable. But it was a fun trip.
My next job was to run the
Moriyama club, which served steak dinners, hamburgers, beer, free coffee etc. I
ran the club until I went stateside in late summer of 1954. A lot of beer was
consumed in that club. These were about the best nine months in my Air Force
career.
I spend my last six months in the Air Force at the 26th
Radio Squadron Mobile at March Air Force Base, California. I was discharged on
April 5th 1955.
Using the GI Bill I attended the Ward School of Electronics at the
University of Hartford. In 1957, after graduation I joined Bell Telephone
Laboratories in New Jersey as a technical aide. During my time at Bell Labs. I
worked on the Transatlantic Telephone System, Silicon Microwave Devices,
Ferromagnetic Memories, Gallium Arsenide Microwave Generators and Silicon
Intergrated Circuits. In September 1957 I married Carol Anderson and we began a
family, which after 48 years (as of today) consists of four children and eleven
grandchildren with another due December 31, 2005. I retired from Bell Labs in
1995 as a Member of the Technical Staff (Engineer). Since retirement we spend
our time in Basking Ridge, NJ. Carol is involved in the St. James choir and I am
a volunteer driver for the church. I play a little golf, fish and ski and like
going to watch the NJ Devils hockey team. We attend the NJ Symphony several
times a year. We bought a lake front lot in Maine about 30 years ago and in
1995 built a small cabin on it. So we try to spend as much time there as we
can.
Bob
Spiwak
bobspiwak@verizon.net
From Joseph C. Burns 10-16-2005
My name is Joseph C. Burns
(known as Joe for the past 20 or 30 years). I was born in Nashville, TN in May
1931, and grew up in and around Hohenwald in Lewis County, TN. Joined the Air
Force in August 1949, and took basic training at Lackland AFB, TX. Was in radio
operator and radio intercept operator school after basic training until August
1950. Spend about 3 months in the fall of 1950 at Brooks AFB, TX in the 136th
RSS (Det M and Det B). Departed Brooks in November 1950 en route to Nak Nek,
Alaska
Arrived Nak Nek (Det A, 136 RSS) in Feb 1951 after two months wait for a troop
ship at Camp Stoneman, California and a weeks stay at Ft Lawton, Seattle,
Washington. In October 1951 our Detachment moved to Ladd AFB, Fairbanks,
Alaska, and later became Det 1, 136 CSS. I departed Ladd in May 1952 en route
to Brooks AFB, TX and stayed there until April 1956. While there this Detachment
was redesignated Det. 2, 136 CSS, Flt A 36 CSS, and later Det 1, 6936 CSS.
I arrived at Shiroi AB, Japan in May 1956 and was assigned to 6924th RSM. Our
operation there was later re-designated Det 4, 6921st RSM and later as Det 2,
6920 Sec Wg. I departed Shiroi in November 1857 en route to an assignment in
ADC at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, and was never assigned back into the USAFSS
again. For the most part I was a radio intercept operator and a shift chief
throughout my USAFSS service.
While at Wright-Patterson I was a radio operations supervisor in the 58th ADiv
headquarters. In Sep 1958 this unit was deactivated and I was transferred to
Otis AFB, Mass where I was assigned to the 551 Aor Base Gp as NCOIC of the Base
Billeting Section. Departed Otis in August 1959, and served one year at Sidi
Slimane, Morocco in the 4th Radio Relay Sq as a Tech Control Operator. After
returning to the states in Sep 1959 I was assigned to the 651st Comm Sq and
llater the 507th Command and Control Gp (TAC) at Shaw AFB, SC. From May 1962
until May 1966 I was in the 1946th Comm Sq (AFCS) at Lajes AB, Azores where I
was a shift supervisor in the Airways Station for two years and later
transferred into Plans and Programs Mgt for two years.
From May 1966 until Jan 1968 I was assigned to 18th Comm Sq (SAC) at Westover
AFB, Mass. Then the next two years I was assigned to the 1861st Comm Gp (AFCS)
at Clark AFB, PI. Then from Feb 1970 until my retirement from the USAF in Feb
1972 I was at AFCS Hq at Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO. I was in Plans and Programs
Mgt from 1966 until my retirement.
Following my retirement from the USAF I worked at two temporary civilian jobs
there in Kansas City, and then moved back to TN in Mar 1973 where I was
employed as a sales engineer and inside sales manager with a company that
manufactures walk-in coolers. After 5 years there, I went into business for
myself installing walk-in coolers and refrigerated buildings. In 1991 I retired
completely.
I was married in 1952. This marriage ended in divorce in 1957, and I married
again, to my present wife in 1958. I have 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 5
great-grandchildren (plus another due next April). I have served as a member of
the local board of education for 25 years.
Joseph
C. Burns
jmburns@mlec.net
From Tony Lemons 10-20-2005
Anthony Pasquale LEMONS--strange last name for someone whose
bloodlines are 100% Italian, but then again, strange and funny things began to
happen to me from the day of my birth. That was early in the morning on Easter
Sunday in April 1931. None of the women in my town went to hospitals back then,
and either delivered themselves, or had help from a relative who had experience
in these matters, or a midwife assisted in the birthing process. The doctor was
not called unless there were complications, and most births took place in the
home. So when asked, "under which sign were you born?" I can honestly
answer under "GOD BLESS THIS HOME".
My grandfather was living with my parents at the time and gathered
me up and went into my sister's room and awakened her. She was 8 years old at
the time and Grandpop said. "Look what the Easter Bunny brought". She
was elated and very happy to have a new sibling. Then he went into my
4–year-old brother's room and said, "Look what the Easter Bunny
brought". I am told that my brother had a much different reaction than
that of my sister. He started to cry and mumbled, "I WANTED A
RABBIT".
As the years passed, I think he really thought his little brother
was OK, and we joked about "the rabbit" until the day he died.
I grew up in the small town of Winslow, New Jersey. The town had
been settled by Italian immigrants and most of the townspeople were farmers. My
parents had a couple of acres and we grew a lot of fruit and vegetables that we
shipped to market or preserved for the winter months. We raised chickens and
sold some of the eggs we collected. The effects of the Great Depression were
being felt and we were fortunate to have this source of food and income.
I helped my parents with their small farming efforts, but also
worked for my cousins who had a very large farming venture. The wide variety of
produce and fruit, coupled with a very short growing season, required long
hours in the fields. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to drive the tractors
and farm equipment (usually about 11 or 12 years of age).
I attended grammar school and then when the same school was just
starting a high school, I continued with them. I was the class Valedictorian,
but don't get too excited or impressed about this! When I graduated, we were
the largest class to have gone the full 4 years and we numbered 15 students. We
were able to field a basketball team and played flag football. However, when it
came to baseball, we needed help from the 8th graders to put 9 men on the
field. Another drawback from attending such a small school in the late forties
was the fact that there were no guidance counselors to speak of, and
information about colleges and scholarships were almost negative. Having doubts
about course offerings, and really not knowing what I wanted to do, I decided
to enlist in the military. After checking out all the service branches, I
thought the Air Force or the Navy had the most to offer. My brother (who wanted
a rabbit instead of me) had just been discharged from the Navy where he served
as a radio operator and gunner on a torpedo bomber (TBF) stationed on an
aircraft carrier in the Pacific during WWII and was in Tokyo Bay when the
Japanese surrender took place. He related some wonderful stories about the Navy,
but I didn't think I would be happy with a life at sea, so I chose the Air
Force. I have never regretted that decision.
I completed basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio and then
was chosen to attend Radio Operator Tech School at Scott AFB, Illinois. I went
to Scott, but never started classes there because the entire school program was
being moved to Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS. So I was in one of the first classes to
start and finish at Keesler. Next assignment was to the 136th Communications Security
Squadron at Brooks AFB, San Antonio. There I made a lot of good friends and a
large number of us shipped out together to Det F in Moriyama (Nagoya), Japan.
The powers to be must have known that something was brewing in the Far East,
because our group nearly doubled the ranks of Det F's personnel when we arrived
in early May, 1950.
The Korean War broke out on June 24, 1950, and we began to prepare
for deployment to that combat zone. A large contingent went by ship to Pusan,
Korea in early September and would set up operations in Taegu, Seoul, and all
over in the mountains depending on where the front lines were at the time. Our
name would also change from Detachment F to Det 6.
In 1951 President Truman issued an order that would extend all
troops in that area to one more year of service. For whatever reason, be it the
thoughts of a brash 20 year old, or the fact that I was not controlling my own
destiny, I revolted against this extension. HOW? I re-enlisted for 3 more
years. At least it was my own doing, and not something that was being forced
upon me. After alternating between Korea and Japan for a couple of deployments,
I left Japan/Korea in April, 1952. I was assigned to the Training Detachment at
Brooks as an instructor in high speed monitoring. It was here that I met Bob
Spiwak, by the way, before he shipped out to Japan. While at Brooks, I was
picked for a couple of special missions. One that was very interesting was a
mission to Stuart AFB in New York on the Hudson. Capt. George Ridler was in command
and had checked out a B-25 bomber to transport the team to Stuart AFB. My seat
was in the tail gunner's position, and during the flight I kept thinking about
the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. This was a rough flying aircraft and I admire the
men who performed their mission so gallantly. Once more I was proud I had
chosen to serve in the Air Force. Our mission at Stuart was to monitor
telephone communications between that base and NATO headquarters in Germany. We
accessed the main telephone frame, used recorders and then would later make a
hard copy from the record cylinders. WAS THIS A LEGAL WIRETAP???
As 1952 was drawing to a close, there was an opening in Det 5,
Hickam AFB, Honolulu, Hawaii for a Radio Operatioins Supervisor. Although I did
not have the "70"MOS at the time, Capt. Ridler and a couple of other
officers thought I could do the job and made the recommendation that I be sent
to Hawaii. I agreed to the transfer, but then was told I could not go. Hawaii
at the time was still a Territory and considered an overseas assignment. AF
regulations said "a person returning from a combat zone had the right to
remain Stateside for one year before being shiped overseas again". This
did not stop me because I had learned from our Det 6 chief clerk, Vic Schwartz,
that most if not all regulations have an exception. This one did too, and all
that was required was my signature waiving my right to a year in the States!
Orders were cut and I was given a 30 day leave plus travel time to get to Camp
Stoneman and eventual transport to Honolulu. That night I made a phone call
that would change my life completely.
Earlier in this writing I mentioned that I attend a very small
school. In the 6th grade, a young lady joined our class and I was fascinated by
her blonde hair and blue eyes. She was NOT Italian! She was only with us for
one year and then her family moved to Burlington, NJ. We had become good
friends and kept in touch with each other over the next few years. When I
finally was of legal age to get my driver's license (after driving for about 5
years on the farms), my brother of the "wanted a rabbit" fame would
lend me his car. I would drive to Burlington from time to time to see her. She
graduated from Burlington High and then the Presybterian-U of P School of
Nursing. We kept in touch by letter and some visits whenever I had leave. When
I made the trip to Stuart AFB, I thought we would have a weekend together, but
she was off in Indiana at the time. Those of you who remember the days before
the Salk Vaccine, our country was facing a Polio Epidemic of widespread
proportions and the Iron Lungs were the only means of survival for stricken
patients. Lylla had volunteered for disaster nursing with the Red Cross and was
sent to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where she worked long days for 6
months. Fortunately when I received my orders to Hawaii, she was back home in
New Jersey when she received that phone call. I proposed marraige and she
accepted. On January 17, 1953 Lylla Lorena Daneker became Lylla Daneker Lemons.
I reported to Camp Stoneman on Jan 29, was in Hawaii on Feb 8 and she joined me
there on February 12th, 1953. We lived off base because she worked in a local
hospital and it was a very easy commute for me to Hickam. We opened our home to
a lot of the enlisted men, and I am sure they enjoyed a home cooked meal and
time away from the barracks. A lot of the radio operators there had gone
through training at Brooks under my supervision.
I passed my "70" exam and was promoted to T/Sgt shortly
after arriving at Hickam AFB. I actually achieved that rank in just under 5
years of service. This was a great incentive to continue a military career that
had been my original intention. Now, however, I began to associate with people
in the medical profession and my feelings began to lead away from the Air Force
and I knew I wanted to be involved with medicine in some way. It was a very
difficult decision, because the Air Force was tempting me with another stripe
for a signature, or a chance at OCS for another hitch. After some deep soul
searching, Lylla and I decided to leave the military ranks and I was discharged
on December 1, 1954.
I applied to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and
was accepted with no problem, only to be told that since it was January, there
was no way I could catch up to the class that had started in September. The
curriculum was such that there were no semester breaks, but classes were the
entire yearlong. So I began to work--at about 13 different jobs--until the next
class would start in September. I did a little farming, tried my hand as an
insurance salesman, worked for a maintenance contractor who installed black tip
driveways, worked in a tomato cannery processing sauces and catsup, drove a
dump truck for a contractor, worked at Maguire AFB in their Radio repair as a
parts specialist, and other odd jobs. As September drew near, Lylla who could
not get pregnant before this time, suddenly found herself with our first child.
The news was great, but the GI bill at that time was not the greatest, and I
decided to wait another year. I continued to work at Maguire and spent my lunch
break in the MARS station where the GI's let me receive and transmit messages
for them. I am sorry I did not stick with Amateur Radio. On December 30, 1955,
Gail Lee Lemons arrived into this world. Those of you who attended the Colorado
Springs reunion in 1998 or the Biloxi Reunion in 2002 had the opportunity to
meet Gail.
Now it seemed that despite all earlier failed attempts to become
pregnant, now all we had to do was shake hands and it would happen. Joyce Carol
Lemons was born on August 7, 1957, and I began class work in September of that
year. So despite the fact that it was 9 years since I had left High School, I
discovered that being Valedictorian of that small high school class was no
fluke. I was elected class President for 4 years, President of the Student Body
for 3 years, graduated with honors and elected into the Rho Chi National
Honorary Pharmacy Society.
Our third daughter, Susan Kay, was born in March 1960 just before
graduation. The fourth girl, Donna Jean was born in March 1963, and Lylla and I
decided not to try for a boy--they would be around later as these 4 girls grew
up.
Lylla and I still kept in touch with a lot of nurses and some
doctors from Honolulu and one day I received a letter from one of the doctors
who had become a close and dear friend. He wanted me to come to Hawaii and work
in St.Frances Hospital there. He had laid out all the ground work, and we
jumped at the chance. It didn't take us long to pack up all four daughters and
fly United to Hawaii, arriving on a Saturday and starting to work on Monday. I
also did some "moonlighting" in retail Pharmacy and had the
opportunity to fill prescriptions for some celebrities while doing so. The list
included Sean Connery, James "Dano" Kennedy, Jack Lord, and Julie
Andrews while she was filming Hawaii, Don Ho, and Duke Kahanamouka. Had trouble
fitting his name on the prescription label. Also had to take a medication
history on Billy Graham while he was hospitalized with Pneumonia during one of
his evangelistic crusades. We spent 5 years in Hawaii before returning to the
mainland.
I then went to work for the West Jersey Hospital Systems, a
complex of 4 different hospitals. I worked my way up from staff pharmacist to
Chief of the largest (750 beds) of the group. Lylla was employed as a Neonatal
Natal Intensive Care Nurse for St.Christohper's and the University of
Pennsylvania Children's Hospitals in Philadelphia. Her job included some
helicopter and ambulance transfers of sick babies from small hospitals to the
Neonatal Center.
Lylla and I had both long ago determined that we were not
"cold weather" people. As a matter of fact, if the temperature drops
into the 60's, I nearly fold up. So I flew to Florida to take the Pharmacy
State Boards there. It was the 5th state in which I had written boards,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii (which were California Boards) and
now Florida. HAVE LICENSE WILL, TRAVEL! So we moved to the Ft. Lauderdale area
in 1979 and after spending 2 years there, relocated to the Clearwater-Tampa Bay
area where I presently reside.
Over the course of the years, I would often think about some of
the old buddies I had met during my military service, but never did anything
about it. Sometime in late 1952, I received a letter from George McMahan asking
if I was the same Tony Lemons who was in Japan and Korea while he was there.
Besides his own, he included the phone numbers for Don Maddux and Carl
Waterhouse. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY THAT WAS. I immediately called George and
assured him that I was the same person. Even though it had been 50 years, it
seemed that we had never been apart. After talking to George, I then called Don
and Carl. Same results and the many years between seemed to shrink away. I was
saddened to hear that close friends like Sam Sensenig, Dean Parrish, John
McMahon, John Render and others had been located, but were deceased at the
time. When they informed me that a Comsec Veterans Group was being formed and a
reunion planned for Branson, Missouri in June 1994, Lylla and I were very
interested and became actively involved.
We joined forces with Richard White, our founder, and Lylla
actually did all the planning for meals and tours in Branson. My daughter Gail
designed the program for the reunion. Nothing fancy, but adequate and a format
that has been used for every reunion since, and will be used again in 2006 for
the Nashville reunion. Those of you who attended the Brasnson and the San
Antonio reunions had the opportunity to meet Lylla and found that she was a
very out going person. At the San Antonio reunion in 1996, I was elected as the
reunion secretary, and with Lylla's help began to plan for the '98 reunion in
Colorado Springs. Unfortunately, however, the Lord called her home on September
1, 1997. I had just put in for retirement and we had planned to do some
traveling and other things, but those plans had to be canceled.
I finished the work on the reunion planning that she had started
and have been doing it by myself ever since. I miss her advice and
companionship, but have many good memories from the 45 years of a great
marriage. My daughter Gail accompanied me to the Colorado reunion, saying she
didn't want me to be alone. I tease her by telling her she just wanted to make
sure Dad wasn't chasing the widows. Gail and her husband Dave came to Biloxi
and provided special music entertainment one night.
I enjoyed the retired life for about 30 days, then went back to
work part time. I used to call a lot of my patients’ "elderly," but
now who is talking? Nevertheless, I can help a lot of them, who have become
confused about their medications, so I will work as long as I am able. I also
belong to the VFW and the American Legion, but not too active in those groups.
I do take an active part and hold office as Secretary and Quartermaster of our
local chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association and an active member of
the Forgotten Korean Veterans Association here. Combine these activities with
volunteer work I do at a Hospice pharmacy, church groups, and enjoying my
grandchildren; you can see that I have little time to sit at home.
I am blessed with 8 grandchildren; the oldest is 29 and a graduate
of Rutgers University currently the Marketing Director of the Metro Stars
professional soccer team in New Jersey. The youngest is a 5- year- old grandson
and I recently became a great grandfather last year.
I enjoy the close contact that I have with all the Comsec
veterans, many that I have not met personally. I will continue to offer my
services to them as long as I am able.
TONY
LEMONS
Hi
Bob,
While
looking thru my stuff I came across this traffic ticket I got in Seoul, Jan 2,
1952. I had just left K-16 Airfield with a load of VIP people.
Since all that stuff has been declassified, I can give you their names. I
had the Canadian Club, the Seagram Seven, Hiram Walker, Jack Daniels and Jim
Beam. They were all in a box marked TOP SECRET. Thought you would
enjoy. Please note height: 5'9" weight 145. Those numbers have
changed, nopw 5'6", 190. Oh well, it's better to be a has been than a
never was!!
Tony
Tony
I think I was with you that night---we were also running with the lights on in
a black out area. We had new PT 6 recorders with us----we were taken to a
police station and they finally let us go about midnight---Don fm Mo
Hello
Don from MO,
My
recollections of that night are kind of foggy. Yes, we were
"escorted" to the Provost Marshall's off ice and stockade in Seoul
and as I recall, the MP's wanted to check out our cargo. I also seem to
think that besides the equipment, we also picked up a couple of guys who were
making their first trip to Korea. Still foggy memory!
Gave
the citation to then Capt. Ridler and he laughed. Told me to keep it for
a souvenir and that was it. Interesting that I had a reply from one of
our members who served on Okinawa. He said I must have had a pretty good
truck, because the PC he drove couldn't go over 30 MPH. I told him it was
because we had Dick Sholts in charge of our vehicles and they were all in tip
top shape--even broken axles, leaking gas tanks and all were taken care
of.
I
left Korea shortly after that night and returned on the same ship with Dick
Sholts. I never got to use the recorders in Korea, but later from Brooks
went on a mission to Stuart AFB in New York and we taped into the telephone
circuits between Stuart and AF Headquarters in Europe, using the
recorders. Again, memory is bad and I don't know who went with me, except
that we flew from Kelly to Mitchell AFB in a B-25 that Capt. Ridler had
checked out for the mission. I think John McMahon was the analyst on the
trip. I remember that the bases in the NY area were closed because of
dense fog and we were re-routed to Westover in Mass. We were the only
ones billeted overnight in a 3 story brick building that was like a
refrigerator and then flew into Mitchell the next day.
Despite
some of the things I can't remember, I do have some great memories of my
service time.
Catch
you later,
Tony
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE! GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA
From Fredrick R. Wagner
11/14/2005
USAF Veteran of Korean
War and
Mechanical Engineer
Birth 18 March 1931, 1st
son of Daniel Ray Wagner and Edna Irene Price Wagner, Phoenix, Arizona
EDUCATION: Public School
1936 Started 1st grade in Tuscon, Arizona. It was a year before most of
classmates started school.
1942 Completed elementary
education in Sacramento, California.
Attended grade schools in
Tuscon, Arizona; Sparks, Nevada; Susanville, California; Medford, Oregon; and
Sacramento, California
Most memorial events of
this period of was a trip to San Francisco, California before and then after 7
December 1941. Was astonished by the defensive fortifications, which had been
erected after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Also witnessed the
injustices perpetrated against Americans of Japanese origin in Sacramento
valley.
1942-44 Attended 7th and
8th grades in Holladay, Utah
1944-48 Attended and
graduated from Murray High School, Murray,
Utah. Was one of the five
top scholars in a class of slightly less than 100 students.
WORK: 1948-50 Unable to
attend college for financial reasons, set out on a career in photography.
Worked in a photo finishing laboratory, portrait studio and photo supply house.
AIR FORCE: Enlisted 17
July 1950. Enlisted in USAF, hoping to further development as photographer
while in the service.
Basis Training
July-September 1950, Lackland AFB, Texas. Lived in tents. Was one of the top
students in the math-training course and received the highest grades in each of
the skill evaluation tests. The Air Force didn't know what to do with me and
wouldn't let me be a photographer. Rejected several suggestions for USAF
training courses and chose to transfer to USAFSS although none of the career
planning personnel knew what it was or what it did.
USAFSS Training October
1950- January 1951: Attended USAFSS's traffic analysis school at Brooks AFB.
Was one of the eleven students who completed the course of study out of the 30
students who started the course, Finished as the top student and received a
promotion to Cpl.
USAFSS Assignments
January-March Assigned to Headquarters, 136th Communications Security
\Squadron. Received additional training while waiting for a field assignment.
April 1951 November 1952
Assigned to Det. 6, 136th CSS. Completed a half-tour in Japan and a half-tour
in Korea.
January 1953 Assigned to
Hqtrs. Det, 136th CSS but almost immediately loaned to and then transferred to
Det 2, 136th CSS (which later became Flt. A, 36th CSS, Brooks AFB, Texas.
Served as analysis NCOIC and
assisted in mobile
missions to (1) Love Field, Dallas, Texas; (2) 9th AF bases in North and South
Carolina; and (3) Eglin AFB, Florida.
Honorable discharged on
25 June 1954 at Brooks AFB, Texas. Served 3 years, 11 months and 9 days of a
4-year enlistment.
POST AIR FORCE
ACTIVITIES:
University Studies 1954-1958:
Attended University of Utah, granted a BS degree in Mechanical
Engineering, elected to
four honorary societies, graduated at the top of the class. Schooling financed
by
Veterans benefits,
part-time employment, and a small scholarship.
Significant part-time
employment: Draftsman/designer with a heavy-equipment manufacturer. Major
accomplishment was redesign of a tractor's throttle and brake system resulting
in a reduction of over twenty machined parts.
University Graduate Studies
1958-60. Attended University of Southern California while working part time for
Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, California. Schooling financed by Hughes
fellowship, veteran benefits (covered one semester), and part time employment.
Received MS degree in mechanical engineering. Graduated top of the class.
While at Hughes Aircraft,
worked on (1) Gar-9 missile for a Mach-3 fighter aircraft which got canceled
before it was completed; and (2) the first Hughes synchronous communications
satellite.
Professional Employment
1960-1965: Worked for three aerospace manufacturers, namely, Thiokol Chemical
Company, Brigham City, Utah; Utah Research and Development Company, Salt Lake
City, Utah; and Martin-Maretta Corp, Orlando, Florida. Worked on the 1st stage
booster for the Minuteman ICBM, and the Sprint anti-missile missile. At
Thiokol, worked on a conceptual design team for a solid-propellant rocket motor
for space applications. Championed a new type of grain design for the booster
that won out over the objections of several senior members of the team. This is
basically the design used for the Space Shuttle boosters.
1965-1980: Was a member
of the faculty at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. The only member of
the faculty with industrial experience but without a PHD. Developed a new
course in engineering experimentation, which was considered one of the most
practical courses in the curriculum. Course was dropped when I left because
there was no other professor who cared to teach such a practical course.
Faculty members are
allowed and encouraged to provide consulting services to local business. As a
part of this, I assisted several local manufacturers in matters of machine
design and was qualified to testify as an expert witness in legal proceedings
concerning accident reconstruction, product liability, patents disputes and
injury causation. Testified in district, state and federal courts in several
states.
Made numerous
presentations in technical society meetings and published several journal
articles. One paper appears in the proceedings of two different international
meetings.
1980-1988: Worked at Utah
Research and Development Co., and MPI Corp, manufacturer of a dot-matrix
printer for personal computers. Helped develop battery-charger systems for the F/A-18,
A-10, and B 1-B military aircraft.
Left employment for
health problems. I was sick of working.
1988-92: Taught course in
automatic control technology and mathematics at the Salt Lake Community
College on a part-time
basis.
FAMILY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Married his wife, Elaine, on 12 June 1953, while still in the USAF. She passed
away in 2001, two years before we got to celebrate our 50th wedding
anniversary. Elaine always told me if I didn't live until our 50th, she would
kill me. It didn't work out that way. She left first.
Together with his wife
raised 5 children, all of whom attend post-high school educational
institutions. Three received university degree s. One boy in electrical
engineering, a boy in mechanical engineering and a girl in accounting.
As of 2003, the Wagner
posterity consisted of five children, 24 grandchildren, and five great
grandchildren. That’s more than a crowd when they all get together.
Fred Wagner
fredwagner@comcast.net
Jacob Roskam (Jay) 1/26/2006
1150 W. Marshall Phone: 248-545-6852
Ferndale, Michigan e-mail mjdjkj35@aol.com
48220
I was
born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Yes folks, there really is a
Kalamazoo). I graduated from Kalamazoo Central High in January 1949. I was a
member of the Navy Reserve for 1 year before enlisting in the Air Force in May
1949. I spent basic training (13 weeks) at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.I
applied for A.T.C. and was told the school was full and was assigned to Keesler
AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi for radio training. When that was finished, I
received orders to go to Okinawa. While at the train station, I heard my name
called and was told I was being reassigned. My new orders were to Brooks AFB to
do CSS training. From there the group was assigned as Detachment 10 and given
orders to set up a new station at Pepperrell AFB in St.Johns, Newfoundland,
Canada. We built it from the ground up. I spent 2 years there. While there, I
married my first wife and my son was born there. Also while there the Korean
War started and my enlistment was automatically extended by 1 year. (Oh well!)
I only served 7 months of the extension and was discharged in Texas in December
1952. My son, who now lives in South Carolina is a citizen of both countries.
He likes it that way. About a year and a half after we returned to Michigan, we
had a daughter. That marriage lasted 10 years. The following July, I was
married a second time. This wonderful woman. Mary Louise, had two children. I
wound up having 4 wonderful kids. 2 boys and 2 girls. All are still going strong.
My oldest is now 54 (my stepson) then my next son is 53, my daughter is 51 and
my youngest daughter is 45. (my step daughter) I have 5 grand kids and 3
great-grand kids. Mary pass away in May 1997 from cancer. I miss her. We were
married for 35 years. Since my discharge I've had quite a few jobs. I spent 6
months driving a front-loader for a cement company, 2 years working at
Shakespere (rod and reel mfgrs.), 1 year at a corrugated box company, 10-1/2
years for a paper company finishing my career there as Inventory Control
Manager for the company.
Feeling the need for
higher education, I quit to go to college. I wound up in Detroit at the Detroit
Institute of Technology. I was there for 1 semester. I found a job with Ford
Motor Company. I had to be in the area for one year in order to be able to
purchase a house for my family. I moved the family here in 1967 during the
famous riots. 7 years at Ford then went to be warehouse manager for Sunshine
Biscuit. They closed the warehouse and I then went to aork for Cunningham Drugs
as shipping and receiving supervisor. They went out of business and I spent 14
months out of work. Then I went to work as a suburban bus driver. I retired
after 18 years. I've been retired since 1992. I travel a lot and don't miss the
driving but I do miss all the friends I made during the 18 years. I have been
retired for over 13 years. WOW! Time sure does fly..
I sure was glad to hear
from COMSEC. I've made a lot of nice friends then and it is really great to be
a part of the organization. I've been to 4 reunions. Colorado Springs in 1998,
Branson in 2000, St.Louis in 2002, and Biloxi in 2004. At the Biloxi reunion, I
was voted in as President of the organization. Quite an honor. This year the
reunion will be in Nashville, Tennessee. I am hoping you make many more new
friends at that time. Be the good Lord willing, I will be around for many more
reunions. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE- GOD BLESS YOU ALL- GOD BLESS AMERICA
ODYSSEY OF AN
ENLISTED PILOT
From Tony Lemons as related
by MSgt Louis Tougas
What do an Army infantryman, a
combat veteran enlisted bomber pilot, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel
Communications Officer, Squadron Commander, and a GS-12 Technical Writer have
in common? In the case of DEAN B, VALLERY, they are all one and the same
person. Mr. Vallery, a civil servant with the 6966th Engineering Systems
Flight (aka "THE LAB"), Electronic Security Command, Kelly AFB,
Texas, recently recounted his long and distinguished military career.
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
In December 1940, a young Dean Vallery having
graduated from high school, enlisted in the Army as an Infantryman. In
May 1941, he was sent to a field artillery unit in Panama. While there,
he decided to request a transfer to the Army Air Corps. He had always
been fascinated by planes and saw this as a way to fulfill his dream of
flying. Little did he realize what awaited him in the Army Air Corps.
After spending some time as an airborne radio
operator aboard B-18 bombers, he volunteered to become an enlisted
pilot in February 1942. The United States was now fully involved in the
Second World War, and the Army Air Corps was in dire need of pilots. He
was accepted for enlisted pilot training and reported to Preflight School at Kelly
Field, San Antonio, Texas. Upon completion he went to Primary Flying
School at Cuero, Texas. Here he piloted his first plane, a PT-19
trainer. This school was taught by civilian flight instructors under
contract with the U.S. Government, as were most flying schools during the early
days of the war. From Cure he went to Brady, Texas, where he attended
Basic Flying School and flew the BT-13 trainer. In July he was back at
Kelly Field for advanced flight training, where he flew the BC-1, AT-6 and the
AT-10.
On 6 September 1942, Staff Sergeant Vallery earned
his wings as an enlisted pilot. What next, he wondered? What
airframe would he be assigned to fly and fight?
The answer was both quick and ominous: he was
to report to Columbia, SC for B-25 overseas combat flight training. Dean
knew that the B-25 Mitchell bomber was the newest and quickest bomber in the
Air Corps inventory, but it was unproven in combat. Also, it had less
payload capacity, armament, and range than the venerable B-17 "Flying
Fortress." Its success would hinge upon its speed, maneuverability,
and maintainability in the field-close to the forward edge of the battle
area. This would be the ultimate test of both a new war machine and a
young Staff Sergeant bomber pilot who would later become a charter member of
the Enlisted Pilots Association.
Upon completion of his training at Columbia in
December 1942, he was commissioned as a flight officer (equivalent to a Warrant
Officer) and was sent to Eglin Field, Florida, where he received advanced
training in aerial torpedo bombing, low altitude skip bombing and 75 mm nose
cannon strafing. He then returned to Columbia to pick up his new B-25
aircraft and aircrew. He would make several bomber ferrying runs between Columbia
and Roberts Field on the West coast of Africa over the next few months.
In August 1943, he was assigned to the 121st Bomb
Group of the 57th Bomb Wing at Telegma in central Africa. From there he
would fly five bombing raids against armored columns of Rommel's feared Panzer
division that were locked in mortal combat with Patton's famed 4th Armored
Division tank units on the plains of North Africa. These successful
interdiction bombing runs helped turn the tide of the war in that region.
In late October his unit was relocated to Gretaglia
in southern Italy. From there he would fly several combat bombing raids
against targets in Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Albania, and Bulgaria. His
most famous raid was against the Abbey of Monte Casino, Italy. His successful
bombing mission against one of the last fortified German strongholds in the
country spelled the end of the Nazi occupation of Italy. Flight Officer
Vallery received a battlefield commission to Second Lieutenant on 6 February
1944.
That year was one of upheaval for
Lt. Vallery. His unit relocated three times, first to Fogia in central
Italy, then to Salerno beach in northern Italy and finally to the Island of
Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. From these bases he flew many missions
against targets in north Italy, and enemy naval installations on the southern
coast of France.
On 10 April 1944, the ex-enlisted pilot would fly
his last combat mission. Now a proven, decorated combat veteran of over
50 bombing missions, he returned to the United States, where he was assigned as
an instructor pilot for the B-25 Advanced Flying School at LaJunta, Colorado.
A BRIEF PEACE
In the fall of 1946, he attended the Communications
Electronic Officers School at Scott AFB, Illinois. After graduation-and
now a First Lieutenant--he was assigned to McChord AFB, Washington. It
was here that he started flying C-82 and C-54 cargo aircraft.
In early 1950, he reported to Brooks AFB, San
Antonio, thus beginning his long association with the USAF Security Service
(USAFSS).
THE KOREAN CONFLICT
In May 1950 he shipped overseas to
Nagoya, Japan, where he was chief of intercept operations. When the
Korean war erupted the next month, he found himself in a battle zone once
again, this time as an Intercept Officer and Detachment Chief of a small mobile
USAFSS intelligence gathering unit. After a four month TDY to Korea, he
returned to Japan. A month later he was back in Korea, flying cargo
missions in a C-47: Gooney Bird".
Returning to Brooks AFB in May 1952, he held various
posts in USAFSS including Crypto (secure communications) Center Inspection Team
Chief and Communications Security Analyst. He continued to maintain his
flying proficiency and remained on active flight status.
THE COLD WAR ERA
In July 1957 he became chief of
maintenance for the 6981st Radio Group at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. He also
flew C-123 "Provider" cargo flights supporting the Alaskan Air
Command, resupplying remote air stations throughout the "topcoat"
region.
Three years later he returned to HQs USAFSS, now at
Kelly, becoming the chief of maintenance for the Air Force Cryptologic
Depot. In 1962 he was promoted to the rank of Major and flew cargo
missions bringing in cryptologic equipment to support intelligence intercept
operations during the Cuban missile crisis.
A VIETNAM ERA VETERAN
In February 1965 he transferred to Thule AFB,
Greenland, where he was Operations Officer for the 1983rd Communications
Squadron. By now he was flying the C-130 "Hercules."
A year later he was back at Security Service HQ
filling various positions, such as Chief of Plans and Programs, Chief of
Maintenance, and HQ Squadron Commander for the Cryptologic Depot.
In mid 1968 he began his last overseas tour with the
6921st Security Group at Clark AFB, Philippines, serving as the Chief of
Communications Division. He also flew C-130 cargo missions into Saigon.
On January 1970, he was promoted to
the rank of Lt. Colonel. A month later he returned to San Antonio where
he retired from active duty at Kelly AFB on 31 March. After a few years
of civilian employment, he returned to government service as a civil service
technical writer for the Air Force Cryptologic Depot's engineering lab.
The lab was redesignated the 6966th Engineering Systems Flight in April
1987. Mr. Vallery continued to work there until his death in 2001.
During his long and illustrious career spanning 29
years and three wars, Lt. Col. Vallery earned many decorations, including the
Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air
Force Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the European
Mediterranean Combat Medal, with 3 battle stars, the Korean Service Medal
with 5 battle stars, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the
VietNam Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Dean B. Vallery was a true American hero whose
proud legacy of valor in combat and self-sacrificing service to his country is
an inspiration to us all.
Hi Bob,
I received this from Jim Swain and he has given us permission to
use it on your COMSEC website. Interesting article.
Tony
HAPPIER YOUNG MEN
(A Memoir by James F.
Swain 4/18/06)
I was a product of
growing up in the 1940s and 50s. Radio programs were a major medium in those
days and neighborhood movie theatres provided the ultimate escape from reality
with their olio of black and white films. The movies of the 40s had a great
deal to do with shaping my views of action and adventure. Film stories about
the desert always intrigued me. Neighborhood theatres, unlike the movie houses
of the large cities, were not owned by the major Hollywood studios, profit and
economy factors often dictated the showing of reruns, films that were anywhere
from 2 to 10years old. I worked as an usher at a local theatre after school
during the week and full time during the weekends. The theatre owners would
schedule genre marathons during certain weeks that would include horror
classics, action/adventure flicks, war movies and so forth. For example, one
could view “Gunga Din”, “Lives of the Bengal Lancers”, “Beau Gueste” and “Four
Feathers” all in one week. All of these classic films had war or the military
as their general theme. This prelude is mentioned, for some years later, I
would be stationed near a desert and be part and parcel of a special military
mission.
I enlisted in the
United States Air Force in 1955. After basic training, appropriate aptitude
testing, and technical school I was to be assigned world-wide as a Morse
Intercept Radio Operator. The Cold War was in its’ prime time, and later I
would work with analysts, linguists and other specially trained personnel in
satisfying the mission requirements of the United States Air Force Security
Service. The USAF Security Service was America’s post war answer to Blechley
Park in Britain. We were communication spies, code breakers, all very young and
very talented. The command had appropriate airborne missions as well, daring
and dangerous, and deserve special mention under a separate cover. Security
Service units were in some cases geographically remote and if located on a
major air base, detached from the main base and self contained.
It was early spring
in 1957 and I was stationed in Tripoli, Libya. This was Wheelus Air Base and at
that time, the Americans were guests of the King of Libya. Wheelus was one of several post-world war 2
bases located in North Africa. Moammar Gadafi was a very young Libyan then
whom, in later years, would expel the American Forces in Libya after deposing
the King. Tripoli was one of two
capital cities in Libya, the other being Benghazi, south of Tripoli. Within a
fifty-mile radius of Tripoli, there did exist the ruins of several ancient
Roman cities and they still remain today. The cities of Leptus Magna and
Sabratha are two of the ancient ruins and are notably famous primarily due
their magnificent condition and defiance of the sands of time.
Tripoli hosted a
very special breed of Italian. Tripolatania, as the city was referred to in
Roman days was the home of Italians whose genealogy spanned back to the days of
Roman Conquerors. Picture a middle-eastern capital city with a cadre of
Italians who practiced western culture, including Catholicism, smack in the
middle of Tripoli, a city predominately Arab and Mosques towering everywhere.
They were a proud, not large in numbers, and fostered western style living
within the confines of a third world Arab nation. These Italians, in time,
would be forced to leave their ancestral homeland pursuant to Gadhafi’s orders
to make Libya a pure Arab State.
What a history lesson
for me! I would occasionally visit the downtown Tripoli area, via horse and
carriage no less and wind away some afternoons at a café, movie house or simply
wander around town. The coffee shops, movie theatres and restaurants were
primarily operated by Italians however, one could barter with an Arab at a
local bazaar featuring clothing, antique goods and the like. I managed to
complete some conversational Italian courses at the base and those classes came
to my linguistic aid on several occasions.
The British had several Army posts in and around Tripoli. The Brits,
like us, bartered for military posts with various North African countries
immediately following the war.
The British leased a
cinema house located in the center of Tripoli. The theatre offered MWR for the
soldiers and Americans were welcome. Being a movie buff, I attended several
movies, mostly European with English sub-titles. One afternoon I viewed an
Italian film entitled “Scandal in Sorrento”. I was most impressed with the
fiery young actress who had the lead and was superbly gorgeous. After the film,
I studied the credits carefully and determined her name to be: “Sophia Loren”.
After seeing her, Cyd Charise, Rhonda Flemming and Jeannie Crain moved down one
notch on my all time “Beauty List”. During barracks conversations I would
mention her name but no one knew who she was. Every GI had a Pin Up Girl and
make no mistake about mine it was “Sophia”!!!! She had made some Hollywood
films at the time, but not being in the States, I had missed them.
I have always managed
to be in the right place at the right time and Tripoli, Libya was no exception.
Providence was about to bestow exciting news for this nineteen-year-old code
breaker. Rumors flourished around Wheelus Field that John Wayne, Rossano Brazzi
and Sophia Loren were in Libya and filming a picture. The very mention of
Sophia Loren was like receiving a hormone shot. My God was it true and if so, where
were they filming. My investigative prowess took command, and after many
inquiries, I learned that portions of the picture were being filmed at Leptus
Magna. Leptus Magna was less than thirty miles from the Air Base. Through
further curiosity, I learned the film’s title “Legend of the Lost”. Getting to
the shooting location would be a difficult task and there was no schedule for
the cast to visit the Air Base. Curiously enough, the Base Commander was
married to Ella Raines who was the feminine interest in the film “Tall in the
Saddle” with John Wayne. Perhaps they all got together at the Officers Club at
one point.
I met with and
conversed with one of my fellow GIs soon after learning about the film. After
some fifty years I cannot recall his name. He was an interesting fellow, who
attended a university in the Midwest and had ventured to receive a degree in
Zoology. He was an analyst and had received permission to build and staff a
small zoo near our communications compound during his off time. I will refer to
him as “Jack” to compensate for my memory loss. Jack made frequent trips to the
perimeter of the Libyan Desert. He had trapped a gazelle, desert falcon and
other critters and displayed them in his small zoo. During one conversation I
told him I was a movie enthusiast and further related the filming of “Legend of
the Lost” at Leptus Magna. Jack told me that he made frequent visits to check
on his traps on the desert outskirts near Leptus Magna, and that I was welcome
to join him on his next trip.
Some days later, Jack
and I headed out of the Air Base toward the desert. He had commandeered a jeep
from the Base motor pool with proper authorization due to his zoo keeping which
benefited morale and recreation. As we drove southwest along the Libyan Desert
we talked of his creature interest and efforts and of my obsession to meet
Sophia Loren. Around noontime we approached the outskirts of Leptus Magna. We
parked the jeep and followed on foot a cadre of men to the ancient ruins. A
couple of vehicles with motion picture cameras and boom microphones could be
seen in the distance.
As we continued to
walk on, we came to a staging area that housed props and about twenty or thirty
men. It was then that I spotted a grotto like ruin and low and behold, there
was Sophia lunching with Rossano Brazzi. Before being asked to leave, I cocked
the shutter of my Agfa camera, aimed at the lunch area and snapped a black and
white still. Jack and I were politely asked to leave again and we honored that
request. Jack said: “Did you get her picture” and I replied: “ I sure as hell
did!” I had Sophia’s photograph safely locked in the chamber of my camera! I
was elated and can only liken the experience to having your first ice cream!
Jack had traps to
check on the way back to the base and he talked of his love of animals and in
my young foolish prime, spoke of Sophia. I had the still photo developed and
the beautiful Miss Loren with her pristine smile, imaged out perfectly. The
photo is a great conversation piece and who is to say that I didn’t lunch with
Sophia Loren!
To Jack Lemon and
Walter Mathau, bless their souls, I send a message of competitive spirit and
can honestly state: “We saw her first!”
A delightful afternoon that we were privileged to view Sophia Loren made
us “Happier Young Men!”.
Copyright 2006 James
F. Swain
( Jack Lemon and Walter Mathau made a movie with Sophia
in the late 90's and it was entitled "Grumpier Old Men", thus the
reason for my title: "Happier Young Men" If you haven't seen the
movie, you will love it and Sophia still looks great!)