Chapter Nine 1971 to 1973
Assignment to Libya – Then to Iceland
Well after the assignment to Tyndall, the events that happened there and a life full of surprises both in and out of the military, I was pretty much prepared for anything in the future.
It wasn't very long before I found out. The radar slot was still my official on the books job, no matter what I was really doing. I was at Public Affairs full time, but could have been called back to the flightline if needed. It was never necessary. Then all of us got the word that the F-102, Delta Dagger was to be retired and that presented yet another opportunity to once again apply for cross training officially into, the American Forces Radio and Television Service. So that's exactly what I did. I passed the required audition for the third time it was OK'd all the way up the chain to the Air Force level. and returned with bad news yet again. Sure the plane was to be retired but we were all being considered for jobs fixing radars on the F-106 fighter.
The word was, this was a basic all transistor system and much more "worker friendly." I was approaching my 8th year in the Air Force, I had filled all the "squares" of the rewarded re-enlistment bonus back then and I figured it's now or never.
So I made my move when I heard the story from several sources that this MA-1 system was, should we say, less than perfect. The word was that when any F-106 left the ground on any mission, a radar technician was going to work when it returned.
October 1971 the call came that I had a set of orders at the processing center and "come on down" to see where they were to.
It was an assignment in the radar career field to of all places Lybia in northern Africa. Well, it looked like luck had passed me over this time for sure. I was to report there in January 1972. In December I left Tyndall, orders in hand and went home for a
30 day leave and to spend Christmas with the family. On December 18th, 1971 I got an early Christmas present of sorts. The call came from the processing center at Randolph AFB in Texas that my orders to Libya had been cancelled so when my leave was up, return to Tyndall and await further orders.
Talk about a Christmas present. I went back to Florida early January and in like 15 days the orders came. You are going to Iceland for a 12 - month remote tour the telex said.
Iceland I thought, what next?
I asked around but not many knew too much about the assignment other than there was still a small squadron of 12, F-102's there and I was being assigned to the 57th Fighter interceptor Squadron.
I felt like my whole life in the Air Force was becoming a replay of the assignment before it. Well, they had a real American Forces Radio AND Television station there so that was a huge plus.
Early March and I am at McGuire AFB in New Jersey, which was where we were to board our flight to Iceland. McGuire was also a major Military Airlift Command station for many reassignment flights to Europe.
Naturally, all GI's, no matter what service have a tendency to become temporary fast friends when sd are all gathered in one terminal ready to depart to wherever. All of us, although we'd never admit it, are nervous perhaps on what awaits at whatever assignment and we are definitely all curious.
On this particular night we learned that the Air Force had begun hiring commercial aircraft to fly us to our next assignments, meaning airplanes with seats that faced forward for one thing and perhaps an edible meal on board rather than the boxed lunch of two sandwiches, an apple, a candy bar and some sort of fruit drink, so that was a huge plus.
A rather large, black Army sergeant all dressed up in his perfectly tailored dress uniorm approached me. Hey buddy, (we were all instant buddies as I mentioned) where are you headin' out to in Germany.
That's where he was going, and there were three flights to Germany that night so he assumed the best. I said well I'm not going to Germany. Hmmm! He mused looking at the flight board. Well, what's this other flight here to AZR. I said that's probably the Azores but I'm not going there either.
Then he said, well, what's this one that says KEF.
I said that's Keflavik, Iceland and that is where I am headed. I have repeated his next statements verbaitum probably a hundred times because I've never forgotten a single word of it.
"Holy (expletive) man, "who did you piss off ?" Oh man, Keflavik, Iceland, you know it's a little tiny island in the far North Altlantic Ocean." Man, the wind blows almost 100 miles and hour nearly every day. it's completely dark from October to March, I mean like no daylight at all. It rains constantly and snows every month of the year. Not only that but the average Icelandic man is nearly seven foot tall and they are mean nasty people that hate GI's.…..good luck my man, you're gonna need it."
He wasn't done. "But there's good news. There is a beautiful blond behind every tree. Problem is there ain't no trees."
So I guess if I wanted to know all about where I was headed I had just gotten the briefing.
I don't know why but I did have the presence of mind to ask him, well as we all know we don't have a choice in where they send us, but thanks, when were you there?
Then the surprise. Oh, I was never there but I have a good friend that was and he told me all about it. I had to laugh but I also had to wonder was all of it, some of it or none of it true. As it turned out, pretty much none of it was.
We boarded the plane, a 727, and were told that en route we'd have to stop in Gander Newfoundland to refuel so we could make the ocean crossing. Well, we are in the air about three hours.
I couldn't help but wonder if we are not near that first stop when the pilot announces, "folks, we've been in the Gander area for about 30 minutes now and they are having a "snow event" (his exact words) there so we are going to go on over to Torbay, Newfoundland to refuel. We landed at Torbay about 20 minutes later and as we slowed down on the runway and moved to the taxiway I noticed freshly plowed snow pretty much everywhere that was in places higher than the wings on our plane. Good Lord, I thought, I still have 1200 miles further northeast to go. The Army sargeants words were ringing in my ears.
We landed in Keflavik at about 9:00 AM, and then the next surprise, a pleasant one occurred. It was March and there was daylight. The skies were partly cloudy, the wind was light, it looked like there had been a rainshower during the night. It was about 45 degrees, not bad I thought for March, anywhere. I looked around as we stepped off the plane and oops, there were no trees. But I remember saying to myself, Hey, I can handle this for a year, no problem.
We are met by our sponsor, got our quarters, a briefing on the station a tour of the 57th Fighter Squadron, then sleep. The official processing in takes a couple of days.
One rather humorous thing I remember about the full day series of briefings at the Andrews Theatre is that one of the briefers who started his briefing this way. He told us that we should remember that Iceland has a population of approximately 30% communist party members or communist's members and we should be very careful. When we are out and about in Reykjavik, the capital city, we could be contacted or approached for information on the base, it's activities or the like. Simply walk awaty, say nothing was the best thing to do he said.
Then he puts up a slide with a photo of where in Reykjavik most of these folks were living saying this area of the city should be avoided.
Of course young, single, curious men, are certainly going to see if they can find the area in the photo as there was a graphic that pretty much laid it all out as to exactly how to get there.
There were no real restrictions on travel anywhere in the city or the country for that matter just an advice to not go there. I could not help but think, wow, that was brilliant.
I visited the American Forces station, met the chief in charge and inquired about a part time, of course unpaid position and that I planned to apply yet again for a change in my field to AFRTS.
After speaking with my direct supervisor at the radar shop and knowing that these planes were to be retired shortly, I was told to apply for the cross training, he'd approve it and hopefully the fourth time would be the charm.
I was coming up for another re-enlisment and though that might work. I put it on the application saying I WOULD NOT re-enlist this time if my request to change careers was not approved. I was at what I would consider a critical stage in the Air Force. I would soon have eight years down and twelve to go before full retirement. The statement was porobably a bluff, but I decided to go for it.
I could always say "only kidding" later on and retention was a big deal in every job.
About six weeks later, I got the word, change approved.
It worked.
The station was right next door to the main exchane in Keflavik and right across the street from the Exchange clothing store. Everything was in quonset huts in this area. The main exchange was well stocked and maintained. I met one of my first real Icelandic friends there a very nice lady named Anna Magga who said whatever was on her mind to anyone at anytime. If you didn't like it, you'd just have to get over it.
Then one other day, I just happened in to the clothing store, (military and civilian) across the street, and fell in love, yet again, with one of the sales girls working there. I remembered what Army sergeant had said about a beautiful blond behind every tree and laughed. There were no trees in the vicinity, but were the women ever beautiful, certainly this one. Her name was Kamilla.
No, it never worked out, but up until a couple of years ago after years of no contact, we actually got together for a few very nice lunches. She had actually moved to the USA, but had returned to Iceland. I wanted to "blend in" with all the "locals" and the activities available as much as possible.
I learned that there were no restrictions, meaning a curfew on Wednesday nights, basically because nothing, was open. There was NO TV on Thursday nights.
Beer was outlawed in Iceland until 1986 except any you might purchase in duty free when you returned to the country from leave or a TDY (temporary duty) from the US or Europe. But that was for one case only so it never lasted long.
Vodka was the drink of choice in 1972. If you got to know the right people back then you could purchase it from a crew mmber on a cargo ship that used to sail to and from Murmansk, Russia. A liter was like two or three dollars and buying it in the official liquor stores was more than ten times that. Suffice it to say, you learned the ropes if you were smart.
In 1972, men were required to wear a coat and tie with dress slacks on the week-ends when visiting any of the hotel night clubs downtown. There were no pubs only clubs and hotels where a quartet or a full band would play on Friday and Saturday's. Well, payday comes and two of my friends and I decide to explore Reykjavik. We ended up at the then ballroom of Iceland's oldest hotel, the Hotel Borg, still very much there.
As we sat at our table, the three of us noticed three beautiful blondes sitting at another table, all by themselves, about 15 feet away. We decided we should ask them to dance which we did and they said sure. After a couple of dances, we asked them to join us at our table. The said why not join us. We accepted of course and since we had just been paid naturally as American GI's trying to impress the ladies, we said we'll get this next round. The girls said and I will never forget this statement either.
Look we asked you to join us, you are here at our table, we will buy the next round. All I can remember thinking at that instant was "Gee there is a God!"
About 11:30 PM the Navy shore patrol comes around then to check ID's as we had a midnight curfew to honor. As long as you were on your way back to the NATO Base in a taxi, (about a 40 - minute trip) you were OK.
So it was. The only other option you had was that you could stay after midnight IF you were a registered guest at the hotel. I honestly cannot remember how but I got to know the lady at the desk in the lobby who was on duty most weekend nights. In my future visits to the hotel, she would give me a key to the janitor's supply room which looked exactly like a room key. In future visits to the hotel, there were no further problems with the shore patrol. We danced and partied until two and then there was always an after party at someones house to go to. I have to tell you, I attended some legendary parties. This so called "remote" tour was turning out to be the blessing of the century.
Back on the base, I finally got my own show. I took the time to listen to Icelandic music mainly what one would call back then Top-40.
I became a big fan. Some of the local groups would actually play at one of the base clubs on Friday and Saturday and I got to know them quite well. One such person was a young, G Runar Juluisson who lived in Keflavik whom I later dubbed as the godfather of Icelandic rock and roll.
Peter Kristiansson who played with many bands (all starting with "P") and became very good friends as well.
Unfortunately, both have passed , but were mainstays and made my tour there both pleasant and memorable.
In the last days of June 1972, a fellow named Bobby Fischer, arrived in Iceland to play against the Russian master chess player Boris Spassky. For all the chess enthusiasts, both Icelandic, USA and European players, these were perhaps the best two chess players in the world.
This series of matches between them in Iceland would be known as the World Chess Championships. To say the least, chess is game of strategy, psyche, you name it. Fischer was a master at both. On July 1st, 1972, the championship series started. Spassky was always there, on time and Fischer never was other than once or twice as I recall.
He came to the water's edge of forfeiting a match or two. He was a bit "strange" would be the word I'd use. This was not only in his play and strategy in the game, but even when he wasn't playing.
I was in the little 7-11 type store on the base one evening. This was a building that held quite a few shops and stores as well as the local bowling alley and the base tour office. It was about 8:00 PM and there he was walking in to the main snack store. As I approached him with perhaps two or three others to just say hello, maybe get an autograph, ask a question or two, he took off running down the hall of the building, into the bowling alley in the same building and out the side door into the night.
We never saw him again except in the nightly coverage of the tournament going on in Reykjavik about 38 miles away. Fischer won the championship of course and left the island almost immediately.
He is back here now actually, having passed away in Iceland and buried in a small cemetary outside of the town of Selfoss in Iceland, about 70 kilometers, 42 miles, east of Reykjavik.
I started dating a young lady named Stephanie, again an absolute gem. She was actually the best friend of that one woman I was convinced I had fallen in love with in the base clothing store.
So while we had a great relationship actually living together nights and week-ends, it never really became completely serious.
That was dumb move number one on my part, but I would soon make dumb move number two. There are many times in my story when I was quite proficient at doing dumb things. Just being honest.
I went back to the USA to attend my younger sisters wedding. About three weeks before that, and to this day I do not know how,
I got a postcard in the mail from that Youth Center director I had met in Okinawa. She said her father, the commissary officer was being transferred back to the USA, and an Army base in Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg and I could visit if I wanted to. The drive to the airport was only 25 miles and she could meet me at the airport if I agreed to come. I was essentially dumbfounded. I flew back to the USA and took a taxi to LaGuardia Airport in New York. When I got there, I had missed the last flight of the day to New Bedford, Massachusetts, just a few miles from where my family lived. So it looked like a bus trip or an overnight in New York. Then I heard an announcement over the public address system that there was a gate change and a delay in a flight to of all places Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the flight would now depart at 7:55 PM.
I called the number I had for this girl in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and she asked if I'd be coming to see her. I said without much thought, I could and I was at the New York airport and could be there in about two hours or less.
She said she'd be at the airport. I didn't even know if there were seats available on this flight, but I went to the airline counter and asked. There were.
I went, we met, I asked her to marry me like three days later and she said NO.
So I flew back to Massachusetts, my home, dejected, and every other adjective you can think of to attend my sisters wedding.
Later the next night, I got a phone call. She had changed her mind. So I flew back to Pennsylvania after my sisters wedding and I ended up getting married. It lasted a little over 11 years and it is best we leave it there.
It was just anotherf one of those "Kodak moments" I guess without the use of a camera.
When it came time to "choose" another assignment, I told the Air Force that I would prefer to stay at least another year in Iceland. Back then, nobody in active service seemed to want to be assigned to Iceland because of the horrible rumors about the assignment floating around. They were all false and completely untrue. I was having the time of my life but all that was about to change.
I became very insistent telling them I loved it in Iceland and since they literally had to almost force people, certainly Air Force people to go there, (you never get a real choice) I would be saving the Air Force a ton of money and some person an assignment they didn't want to begin with.
Sometimes, certainly back then, reason and common sense or what we believed was common sense, was not a big deal in the military. They decided, you follow orders, end of story.
They were NOT impressed at assignment headquarters with what I thought was my great reasoning. In fact, I later learned that people sent to these dire remote assignments, certainly, on solo unaccompanied tours, that a relocation back to the USA was absolutely necessary to bring us back to earth.
So I get a notice to report to the NAVY hospital for an interview with the Navy "shrink." I had to laugh. When I went to his office I heard "OK, what are you here for?" I said, "well apparently they think I'm going crazy." The young doctor said, "well are you? " What do you think?" I answered back. Well, I don't think so but hey you're the doctor you tell me." So he picks up the check in memo and said," it says you want to stay in Iceland. Hell, nobody wants to stay here, you must be losing it." But he added, OK, I'll ask, WHY? So I told him.
Well, I have a military job I absolutely love, I have so many Icelandic friends, I am the head bartender at the chief's club and make a good salary and tips in addition to my Air Force salary.
Oh yes, just one other thing. I am living with the most beautiful blond woman I have ever met. Other than that, no reason at all." He laughed, You're fine now get out of my office.
But they would NOT let me stay. That was in November 1972, In January 1973 I was again right in the middle of another big story, nobody ever expected. January 23rd, 1973, (8:00 PM)
I was going to do the midnight show on the radio. Sitting at my desk I felt the ground shaking, just enough to get your attention. I get with others and said did we just feel an earthquake. We decided, probably. We returned to what we were doing and about 10 PM local time all the bells on the teletype machines started going off all at once. FLASH: former President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson has passed away. Fire up the cameras we have to go live to let the people know. It had been quite an evening already but it was about to get better or worse depending on your perspective on things.
1:50 AM, in the middle of an all night live show, the ground opens up on the island of Heimaey, about 50 flight miles from the base. A volcano was starting on the ONLY inhabited island in the chain. There were some 5,600 residents and a major evacuation was about to get under way there.
What a night and many days to follow. In March true to their word I have orders to a new tech school for broadcasting and then to Osan, Korea. I said to the processing office, it's not allowed to do two overseas tours or remote tours back to back. If they wouldn't let me stay here in Iceland, I surely didn't want to go there.
It took about a week to amend the assignment.
Korea was out but they would not let me stay in Iceland either.
I was going to the middle of the Pacific to a 26-mile long island called Guam, where they say "America's Day Begins" It was to be an accompanied tour so all was now legal and locked in stone.