tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post4130874691576401840..comments2024-03-28T22:08:48.577-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: Thanksgiving with the JuvatsOldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-65827240300887809852014-11-25T17:17:00.944-08:002014-11-25T17:17:00.944-08:00My most sincere apologies, Buck, as I forgot the S...My most sincere apologies, Buck, as I forgot the Sinop lore about the USAF Det stationed there "back in the day." I think the AF also had a site at Samsun for some number of years. By the time I got around to a Sinop rotation (sold my soul to my Detailer in order to get back to Randolph AFB) it had become quite civilized. And yes, they were Beech U-21As back in the day; unpressurized Queen Airs with King Air wings and turbines (the AF didn't want the Army to have pressurized aircraft for the longest time). Sorry for the juxtiposition of Branches, regards, AlemasterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-25148908302858613492014-11-25T09:03:36.818-08:002014-11-25T09:03:36.818-08:00Rumor had it that there was one of the Belly Tanks...Rumor had it that there was one of the Belly Tanks that had been converted to a baggage pod at the Kun. Said tank was built specifically for the import of Honda 90s from Kadena to the ROK. If you took off the wheels and handlebars, you could get two into the pod. Importing motorcycles was specifically forbidden, which of course made it required for fighter pilots.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-87189063337474825882014-11-25T08:35:01.331-08:002014-11-25T08:35:01.331-08:00Oh, and speaking of baggage pods, we had the stand...Oh, and speaking of baggage pods, we had the standard ones like you pictured alright, but as Germany was just a short hop across the channel we modified two wing tanks as "baggage pods." One could get 144 cases of good German hock, icewine, etc back in one trip. Give a case to the crew-chief for silence and you were golden. The Brits didn't even inspect us, we just signed a declaration card and went on our merry way, lol.virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-72417566375916413862014-11-25T08:28:06.710-08:002014-11-25T08:28:06.710-08:00juvat/
In the UK where cooler temps were the norm...juvat/<br /><br />In the UK where cooler temps were the norm everyone wore a light-weight mock turtle-neck in Squadron colors..virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-3531524620737954092014-11-25T05:49:54.561-08:002014-11-25T05:49:54.561-08:00Ahem. I wasn't in the Squidly Det, Alemaster....Ahem. I wasn't in the Squidly Det, Alemaster. I was AIR FORCE, thank ya very much, and we were officially known as Det. 204, Sinop CDI. You were at Sinop a full 15 years after I was (me: '71 - '72), so things might have changed a bit and hopefully for the better. I had the opportunity to fly with your predecessors a few times in some sort of twin engined liaison aircraft (Beech? Cessna?) to Sinop from Samsun. My best memories about the Army aviation det were the low passes they would make over the site when returning from Samsun, which meant they were carrying mail. And, apropos o' not much, you are the VERY FIRST person I've ever known who didn't say "Hunh?" when I mentioned Sinop.<br /><br />As far as Sinop war stories go... you can search <a href="http://exileinportales.blogspot.com/search/label/Sinop" rel="nofollow">Sinop</a> at EIP and find a few.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-78600061683289279802014-11-25T05:26:34.986-08:002014-11-25T05:26:34.986-08:00The scarves didn't bother me much, added a lit...The scarves didn't bother me much, added a little squadron identity to the flight suit. When McPeak took over PACAF, he instituted a policy that everyone wore v-neck tee shirts and solid white socks, no stripes. C'mon WHOGAS about stripes. Rumor was he went to a squadron and had everyone raise the legs on their flight suits so he could check for stripes. So Friday nite at the squadron bar started with a "sock check". Remember the flight suit zipper starts at the top and goes down. <br />Tony, Never issue an order unless you're prepared for the ramifications of that order.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-4744756449446455732014-11-25T04:43:18.246-08:002014-11-25T04:43:18.246-08:00juvat/
Looking at that squadron photo I'll ju...juvat/<br /><br />Looking at that squadron photo I'll just say I'm glad I got out before those punk-ass scarves :) came in vogue and HQ USAF forced everyone to wear the TAC weenie patch on the front and exiled the Sq patch to the left shoulder..<br /><br />One a more serious note I can remember toward the end of my stint they reduced our flying hours to 30/mo and everyone wondered how we were <i>possibly</i> going to remain competent in the aircraft, Today achieving what we thought as unacceptable is now to dream the impossible...Amazing.. virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-32836812342673649712014-11-24T20:07:08.663-08:002014-11-24T20:07:08.663-08:00One or the other, or both,I think a follow up is r...One or the other, or both,I think a follow up is required. It's the Holiday Season, so war stories are authorized. juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-66260509613075616452014-11-24T20:04:21.565-08:002014-11-24T20:04:21.565-08:00Buck has the honors as the Navy Intel Det was a &q...Buck has the honors as the Navy Intel Det was a "guest" of the Army Intel Field Station at Sinop. There was also a Brit intel op out on the very end of the peninsula jutting out into the Kara Deniz (Black Sea). You're up, Buck. regards, AlemasterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-15283182701170461712014-11-24T19:14:17.429-08:002014-11-24T19:14:17.429-08:00Ok, unless that's Swahili, that's a story....Ok, unless that's Swahili, that's a story. Stop tormenting us!juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-2849227322775625082014-11-24T17:28:15.731-08:002014-11-24T17:28:15.731-08:00Comeon Buck, except for the fact that it was a MI ...Comeon Buck, except for the fact that it was a MI field station, my Sinop tour ('87-'88) wasn't too shabby. Three runs a week to Instanbul to pick up the mail and one to Incirlik AB in our brand new "F" models. Off of "The Hill" every day at Sinop AAF. Field Station Commander was a former combat infantry officer who liked his aviators so he was pretty darn good for a MI type. Thanksgiving and Christmas in "Blues" at the mess hall wasn't too bad, either. regards, AlemasterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-14267300841293699132014-11-24T16:44:09.403-08:002014-11-24T16:44:09.403-08:00Yeah, I was pretty peeved at Jimmah when I left K...Yeah, I was pretty peeved at Jimmah when I left Kunsan. Been there a year and had 103.8 hours of operational time in the jet. At one point, I hadn't been on the schedule in so long that I lost landing currency. Not sick, not weathered out, not maintenance aborted, just not scheduled. There wasn't enough hours to keep everybody current, so they kept the experienced people up to speed. Not that I can blame them, but it worried the heck out of me every time the horn went off. By the end of Reagan's first year in office, I had 300 hours and change, by the end of Reagan's third year I had over 1000. So, to call Jimmah second worst means I REALLY don't like First Worst.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-45715528735784473442014-11-24T16:30:38.952-08:002014-11-24T16:30:38.952-08:00Great story! Thanksgiving in the mess hall was gen...Great story! Thanksgiving in the mess hall was generally a pretty good experience. Somehow or other good mess sergeants found a way to put on a pleasing repast. And I love your characterization of the second worst president. You can bet the the happiest peanut farmer in Georgia is giving thanks that history will concur in your judgment and that he has finally lost the distinction of being number one!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15482185271178889753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-11301125438293590692014-11-24T14:32:34.286-08:002014-11-24T14:32:34.286-08:00Yeah, Got to share my Son with my Daughter-in-Law&...Yeah, Got to share my Son with my Daughter-in-Law's family this year so "Thanksgiving" this year will be Friday. At least I have an excuse not to go to stores that day, there are victuals to prepare!juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-84339095251900452512014-11-24T14:14:00.386-08:002014-11-24T14:14:00.386-08:00That is probably the funniest of the WKRP episodes...That is probably the funniest of the WKRP episodes, or at least the most memorable.<br /><br />Somehow bother years I was on the tin can, I ended up with duty on Thanksgiving.<br />The upside of that is I had the long weekend with Friday, Saturday and Sunday off.<br />Both of those weekends were spent with shipmate's families celebrating in a proper manner.(not necessarily your) Uncle Skiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705753220273516841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-22407259706897494022014-11-24T08:18:32.110-08:002014-11-24T08:18:32.110-08:00Thanks Buck,
I think you're probably right. T...Thanks Buck,<br />I think you're probably right. There must have been some crappy meals at some point, but I don't really remember them. Sitting alert at Osan on Christmas with cold turkey sandwiches does come to mind though. I think someone, high up in the food chain, decided too much turkey might dull the senses if scrambled. They had obviously never sat alert. The horn is specifically designed to focus all within earshot.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-13876698089504065432014-11-24T08:11:06.910-08:002014-11-24T08:11:06.910-08:00Thanks,
As I was putting the final touches to the ...Thanks,<br />As I was putting the final touches to the post, I clicked the video and was laughing so hard, my wife came in to see what was going on. She ended up ROFLMAO also.<br />Re: Vietnam Era. Batman, the two guys to his left and the first guy in a flight suit in the third row, had more than 12000 hours in the F-4. It was a great squadron to earn my spurs in. juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-46972583060134225272014-11-24T06:55:10.098-08:002014-11-24T06:55:10.098-08:00Great story, Juvat... as always.
I had a few &quo...Great story, Juvat... as always.<br /><br />I had a few "unaccompanied" Thanksgivings and Christmases during my 22 years and ate nearly all of those holiday meals in the chow hall. My memory MAY have become selective over the years but, as I recall, all those meals were pretty damned decent. The worst was prolly when I was stationed with the Army as a tenant unit in Beautiful Sinop By the (Black) Sea but even that one wasn't too shabby.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-42445751769420721762014-11-24T06:49:29.338-08:002014-11-24T06:49:29.338-08:00Another great one, juvat. You've now set off a...Another great one, juvat. You've now set off a series of navy Thanksgiving memories that I can play with all day. Thanks!<br /><br />There's a certain charm in being experienced enough to remember the WKRP Thanksgiving episode. Almost makes up for the aches and pains.<br /><br />Those Vietnam-era guys who stuck it out during the awful years went well above and beyond in their service to the Republic.PrairieAdventurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06466447251827774900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-56035088848640156492014-11-24T06:49:04.636-08:002014-11-24T06:49:04.636-08:00The only thing more dangerous than an 18 year old ...The only thing more dangerous than an 18 year old with a gun is an 18 year old with a gun, a badge and a beanie! Just sayin'juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-55615098171806549742014-11-24T06:47:30.532-08:002014-11-24T06:47:30.532-08:00 Thanks.
I am in the picture, albeit with hair. B... Thanks.<br />I am in the picture, albeit with hair. Batman is 2nd row, 2nd from the left.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-70408176869952554402014-11-24T05:45:25.906-08:002014-11-24T05:45:25.906-08:00Heh... I think we 'all' had fun with the A...Heh... I think we 'all' had fun with the APs, regardless of what service we were in... Reminds me of a story about Eielson... :-)Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-53932652623481990902014-11-24T05:32:19.424-08:002014-11-24T05:32:19.424-08:00Great post.
I suggest a game of "spot the Ju...Great post.<br /><br />I suggest a game of "spot the Juvat," oh wait, they're all Juvats!<br /><br />Damn shame about Batman. RIP, Sir.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.com