Posted on 05/22/2004 6:57:22 PM PDT by Bobby777
Only the Arab League could criticize a dictator for renouncing weapons of mass destruction programs...
yep, they want everybody on board for their determined purpose ... the eradication of the Zionist state of Israel ...
AH and I were both in Libya; I was there from summer 1968 to May 1970, and lived through Gadhaffi's revolution. AH was there a bit earlier. I was a military brat. There are a bunch of people who get together every other year in Houston for what is called "Tripoli Reunion" where they Tell the Tales.
Thank you, kindred spirits. I was at Wheelus Air Base from July, 1956 until February, 1958, with a two month break in Adana, Turkey.
I, too, was a military brat whose father was stationed at Wheelus Air Base. I spent two years there; it was quite an experience, especially when the natives grew restless.
Wheelus brats all here then. One thing I will never miss, nor forget, were those summertime "Ghiblis." Especially when they would cause the power to fail. Also camel heads hanging upside down after slaughter at the East Gate.
That and the unique aroma of Suk-il-Juma. Camel meat, donkey dung and prickly pear cactuses all rolled into one. Truly an unforgettable experience!
Don't know about you guys, but we didn't have air conditioning when I was there, so those wretched Ghiblis that caused us to close all doors and windows in a vain effort to keep the sand out, had the effect of cooking us. I was one of the lucky ones because being a radar operator, we had air conditioning at work. It was necessary to cool the old cathode ray tubes used in radars of that era. Indeed, I watched the British, French and Israeli armada fly across the Mediterranean on their way enroute to bomb the Suez Canal in 1956.
We got an ice cream parlor on base while I was there, and reconstituted milk.
A couple of years ago I stumbled across this web page about Tripoli and Wheelus that was maintained by a military dependent who was there during the time that I was. I have enjoyed the site. Hope you do as well.
http://www.dougmcguinn.com/Libya/index.htm
Had the Base Chapel been built when you were there, with the stain-gless windows of "Lady Be Good" ?
They were removed when the base was shut down in 1970, and were sent back to the states somewhere.
Did either of you ever see the monument in Tripoli to the US Marines who were killed during the war with the Barbary Pirates during Jefferson's term ? I hope Gadhaffi didn't destroy it.
P.S. billhilly
That radar station was no longer in official use by the time I was there. It was put to "unofficial" use by the base teenagers - we had some parties there. I went up on the roof and made out with some guy, ha ha.....that made for some funny stories about radar.
The base (old) chapel was there when I was there. In fact, It was just diagionally across the street from my barracks.
I have one interesting story to share with you. One of my closest friends, and a fellow radar operator, later became well known as an actor. He started out in the role of Julio in Sanford and sons, then later was a part of the Barney Miller cast. Gregory Sierra is his real name, as well as his screen name. He was from Spanish Harlem in New York, and a stand out kind of guy. Greg had lots of movie roles, including the bartender in Towering Inferno.
I guess I'll never be able to think of that old radar site again without the mental picture of you on the roof. The nearest I ever came to reaching those heights was when I walked guard duty along the top of the wall.
Finally, my memory does not serve me well regarding the tribute to the Marines, but I did spend one Christmas at the hotel in Garian that has the famous murial, "The Lady of Garian." The building was not originally a hotel, but had been converted to that use . It was a very nice hotel, and a memorable christmas.
Finally, Sabratha and Liptus Magna (sp) each bring back memories. When you are as young as I was, and most GIs are when they go abroad, everything stands out in vivid relief, including those awful camel rides.
I saw it during a class field trip. That, however, was in '62.
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