Chapter SIXTEEN: Late 1982 - 1983-1988
Iceland Interupted The Azores & Return
Being back in Iceland was perfect for me on several fronts.
It had not changed much, certainly to the naked eye, but when you are as into the place as I was, you can feel the difference even if you don't actually see it. It was kind of like a sixth sense I would say.
Instead of one radio AM station we now also had an automated FM station that pretty much ran itself save changing reels of tape which was the responsibility of the announcer on duty. Instead of one black and white television station, we now had two color stations, channels 4 and 6. The chief engineer, Siggi and his staff of other Icelandic station engineers, were just as before, but it was clear he was becoming the "go to guy" of the Naval Broadcasting Service in Washington D.C.
We had a theory that whatever Siggi needed or better yet wanted, he got.
Siggi was quite a character to say the least. We also believed I think that he was the first person to occupy this space on the baseand the place where the radio and TV station would be at the then airport and they built the station around him in 1950.
He had a sign on his desk that said "Work is for people that don't know how to play golf." There was no doubt that he was an avid and pretty good golfer. Many of the Icelandic folks I knew in the 70's, But, there was one other person on the base, still working there, I will never ever forget.
That was Asbjorn Magnusson, the now director of the Morale Welfare and Recreation, Tour office division. He smoked a pipe and had this Sherlock Holmes Hat he wore almost every day.
The first few days were renewing acquaintences. We had several commanders both on the Navy and the NATO side of things. I was Air Force, Keflavik was a NATO Base but run by the Navy in the 80's.
AFRTS as it was known, was the responsibility of the Department of Defense, (DOD).
There were I would guess about 1,800 Air Force personnel maybe 2,200 Navy personnel and their families, and many Icelandic civuilians and American GS workers. So it was quite a diverse group. We all got along, 95% of the time anyway.
I went off base to renew acquaintences with as many Icelandic musicians as I could and always wanted to meet new ones of course and I did. I really liked a lot of their music. I thought, as radio station manager, why not feature their music to the American residents.
We's started doing it in the 1970's and now with a lot of new friends from the music business in town, I thought why not continue it.
Long story short, the Navy was not completely thrilled by the idea but with a little back and forth they gave us the official go ahead.
I got a job tending bar, sort of a traveling bartender if you will, between the enlisted, chief's and officer's clubs on base. The salary at the time was like $6.00 and hour and the tips, especially closer to and just after paydays were great.
The only actual downside that was becoming a reality almost every single day of the tour was that divorce was inevitable in my life in the days to come. She was in San Antonio and I was in Iceland. I don't think it necessary to go into details. It finally came to pass in November of 1984.
I made a vow to myself that I would NEVER EVER get married again. I am sure that sounds familiar to many men everywhere and no doubt, a lot of women too.
I kept that promise, for almost two years.
The first years of my second Icelandic adventure went fairly smoothly. I was working with the director of MWR in whatever spare time I could come up with, trying to make more standard interesting tours for the three branches of the military assigned there and their families.
Asbjorn, whom I spoke of earlier, was teaching me to be a tour guide with planned tours to all parts of the country. Since it was a base facility, we could promote it on the radio and TV which ALL base personnel watched.
In the early 80's as in the 70's there were still way too many people, especially single and unaccompanied men, who arrived at the airport, already depressed and angry that they had been sent to this terrible place (according to them).
They had bought into these rumors and stories about how bad an assignment of any length was going to be in Iceland.
It was all nonsense of course, but I had heard the stories if you remember, first hand, when I was being assigned there the first time in the 70's myself.
The first thing they would make and post in most rooms were these things called a shortimers calendar that started at 365 and most kept it updated religiously. I was determined to convert that attitude in as many people as I possibly could.
Some arrived with a pre-ordained attitude about what their next year was going to like and that was that. We did manage to convert some, indeed I would now say, quite a few. But as you know there is always the hard core element who can't see the forest for the trees.
Two of the tours we modified were a visit to two waterfalls in the western area of Iceland. Now it was normally a bus or coach tour depending on numbers, usually on a Saturday morning which often made getting participants harder, but we were determined. So rather than the standard bus to driving the entire distance, we decided to take the then ferry "Akraborg" from Reykjavik to the town of Akranes.
Instead of a one - hour bus ride, it became a one hour ferry ride and on a nice summer day it was a perfect trip. We decided to take this tour one step further. The second stop on this tour was in the beautiful town of Borganes.
We made arrangements with the local hotel there to have a lunch on the tour which had never been tried before and would feature Icelandic fish. It was voluntary but we had to charge $5.00 more if they wanted the lunch.
We were thinking perhaps we'd at least get a bus of 25 to 30 people which I would have considered a success. We promoted it heavily almost daring people to go to be honest. It worked.
We didn't get 30.
We got 117 persons on that first Saturday departure. Then we decided, let's try an overnight tour to the north of Iceland, totally different as to the scenery, just about everywhere.
As it turned out 23 people signed up for that tour which included a flight to Akureyri, Iceland and a tour from there to a waterfall and to what I believe to this day is the most beautiful and peaceful place on earth, Lake Myvatn, about 60 miles from the town of Akureyri.
We were supposed to take our bus to the domestic airport in Reykjavik to board the flight, but Mr. Magnusson, always mindful of everyone and everything got the local airline to fly to the base to pick our group up. It was two wonderful days leaving on the holiday that would be the American Labor Day in the USA. One of the stops on the tour was the volcanic fields of a place called Krafla. This area had been the site of many mini eruptions of lava sometimes oozing from the fissures all over the field. But most were short lived and the area had been quiet for months.
We saw where steam was still rising from a few of the fissures. We wanted to journey out on the field if it were possible.
To be absolutely sure it was safe to do so, Mr. Magnusson through the folks in the area, arranged for a geologist to go out and take readings, examine the area througholy.
The report was that it was safe and likely would remain so for another 6 months at least, maybe more. We were actually stepping over the smaller cracks in the earth and could smell the odor of sulfur close to them.
We visited the lake of course, so incredibly beautiful, took a walk in a place called Dimmurborgi where castles of dark lava formed hundreds of years before stood majestically. This tour was a photo tour one could not possibly forget.
On the way back, about halfway to be exact, we stopped at the waterfall, Godafoss, translation, the "Falls of the gods" This waterfall besides being stunning is extremely accessible. It got its name as a result of an Icelandic lawspeaker "Thorgeir" (Prime minister in todays terms) who was the one that declared in the year 1000 that Iceland would adopt Christianity nationwide as it's religion.
As the lawspeaker, when he returned to his farm in the area, he decided he should set the example for his fellow countrymen. Thorgier, was baptized in the waters of the waterfall. He took all of his Pagan idols and tossed them into the falls. That is how it got its name.
Then it happened, I got what I believe was a by name request assignment to Teceria Island in the Azores. I can't prove it to this day but it happened rather suddenly and it was a very fast required rotation. In the 80's, and with a unit so small, that sometimes could be done. It was a case of not what you know but who you knew. I was well known in some AFRTS circles by the right folks. That's what they'd say anyway. Sometimes it could be a good thing, even a great thing but it could also be a curse.
I had no choice but to go, but I will tell you that I was looking for every possible way to leave even before
I arrived. I also had an "ace" in the hole. It took just over 6 months of the 15 - month assignment. But I got it done. The position I held was an E'5 position that was reduced to an
E-4. As an E-6 rank at the time that gave me the opening I needed.
Back then at least, there was what they determined in the Air Force was a one up – one down rule. This meant that your assigned "slot" had to be within three actual grades to fill a certain position. Two grades difference was a no-no. That was the advantage. When I found out there was no position for my grade is when I made the move. So I contacted the base commander at Keflavik with whom I had developed a good relationship, told him my story, what the rules were and asked if he could help. Well apparently, help he did.
About 2 months later I got called into the station managers office. He was grinning because he knew my desires and he said "Who the hell do you know?"
I said well nobody that I know of, why? One thing I also learned and you heard it a lot . Never reveal your sources or methods.
Then he said you just got orders, not from the assignments section in Texas, although they agree, but from Washington D.C. Orders from pretty much anywhere were extremely rare. So when I said that the assignment center agreed, I still have to smile.
At the change of the fiscal year you will be going to Keflavik, Iceland. Needless to say, I was thrilled.
September 30th, the last day of the fiscal year I was all set to board a flight to McGuire AFB New Jersey, like first plane out, and from there to Iceland, I really didn't care when. The interesting part of all of this was that my flight due to arrive and leave on October 2nd was postponed, I have no idea why, to October 5th.
Talk about everything falling into place however. There was to be a flight leaving the Azores for the states but it was to leave on September 30th about 8 PM. I would still be in the same fiscal year so I could not take it. This flight was coming from Spain. For whatever reason it needed minor maintenance at the base at Spain and now would arrive in the Azores about 2:00 AM on October 1st. 1983. Bingo, I was elegible, got an assigned seat and 3 hours after the change of the fiscal year, I was on my way.
I arrived in Iceland like 5 days later and everything almost settled back to normal.
I received a letter from a lawyer in Texas concerning my upcoming divorce making basic d for everything I owned and more, or so it seemed.
From what I later found out, he reasoned that I would NEVER fly from Iceland to Texas to contest it and of course it would have become the agreement for not showing up.
He was wrong. This former Lackland AFB base lawyer, was now in private practice, had gone too far. I told him, see you in court. That was on November 9th, 1984 in San Antonio.
I picked up my car which I had left there, a few things and was going to drive from there back to Massachusetts where my family still lived.
Then, once again, early in 1985, I heard yet again from the assignments section in Texas for my field. They said that I would receive another assignment for October that year, did I have any preferences. Most of the time they always would ask that. I believe that if you listed your preferences, (you could choose up to 5,) that literally guaranteed you would not get any of them. But this time, I was in the driver's seat so to speak.
Sure enough, in August of that year I got an assignment to Fairchild AFB in Spokanne, Washington. To be honest, it was a bit tempting but when it came right down to it, I wanted to stay in Iceland.
In fact, as the winter season approached, that was where I met the woman that would become my second wife. That in itself is an interesting story and we'll get to that briefly, in a moment.
At any rate, I called them in Texas and said, I assume that you want me to stay in the Air Force awile longer at least. They responded, of course. Then I said, well I have just over 20 years now, I can retire as you know so if you insist I leave here, I WILL RETIRE.
About two weeks later I got a telex that said the assignment to Washinton State had been cancelled. It was getting darker everyday and somewhat colder so I asked the Navy about some winter gear like a parka and boots in case of snow.
They came back and said that we would have to depend on the Air Force to supply us since we were Air Force. So I went to equipment issue and that's where I met her.
We didn't hit it off right then at all because in filling out the paperwork I'd have to sign, one question was how long will you have this gear? I said forever. I could tell she was not amused. She said one or two years, which is it. I said I plan on staying here forever. Now she is really not happy and basically told me in no uncertain terms she didn't have time to fool around with a smart ---. I'll mark two years, bring it back then and we'll deal with it. I was impressed.
I didn't see her again until just before Christmas, 1985 at the chief's club.
Things started to get better. In the first part of 1986 we moved in together and on April 19th, 1986 we got married.
Then came the big event of the 80's for me and the entire country of Iceland. That was the cold war summit between the then President of the United States, Ronald Reagan and Mikahil Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. Iceland was chosen, we can only guess because it was about exactly halfway between Moscow and Washinton D.C. But chosen it was and the official announcement was made on October 1st, 1986. Iceland had TEN DAYS to get it all together for these two world leaders who were really not that fond of each other.
It was expected that nearly 2,000 journalists and security divisions from around the world would also attend.
What a task for certainly a very small independent country. But I learned that Icelanders can do anything they put their minds to in whatever time is allotted to do it. It was amazing to watch, be involved in, and a part of, to be sure. But they pulled it off with class and style.
On October 2ND we got word at the station, that myself as the senior Air Force person and the senior chief petty officer of the Navy at the station, were to attend a briefing the next day.
It was from the FBI who basically laid out the ground rules of the upcoming summit, the plans of President Reagan that could be released, and the security we would all need to be mindful of. The briefing took about 90 minutes.
The day after, we got a notice that another briefing would commence the following day, October 4th from the CIA.
So off we went to that one who basically told us that no matter what we had heard, they were running the show and we should consider this the ultimate word. Funny, but the two briefings were strikingly similar.
Well, not to be outdone a third call for a briefing on
October 8th a briefin for final preparations for the arrival of the Presidents in two day's time. This briefing sounded remarkably familiar to the other two. I thought, oh my, this might not go well and that we were somehow caught up in the Department of Redundancy Department everybody's in charge here situation.
At the time, I was securing entertainment acts for the base clubs along with the club managers. They had the need for fresh entertainment and I had the contacts. I had a group from England, a duo actually that I had seen a few times in the Azores. This duo, known as Paul and Julie, I knew to be excellent entertainers. As luck had it, they would be in Iceland performing during the summit.
We were told that at the conclusion of the summit, President Reagan would visit the base personnel in a hangar briefly before heading back to Washington that's where the 707, Air Force One was kept during the summit.
Of course everyone was thrilled by that plan. I don't know why, but I thought, whiile we all waited patiently for the President on that day, wouldn't it be nice to have them entertain the folks while they waited. Paul, the consummate promoter agreed almost instantly, He told a couple of newspapers in England that they were in Iceland performing and the newspaper ran with it. Two days later we see a headline in one of the papers. "English duo to perform at the Iceland summit for Reagan." Amazing and almost true. They actually performed that day at that hangar where he was to visit.
All the major media showed up of course a few days before. Air Force One, the 707 arrived and was hangered on base. Gorbachev arrived very late at night the day before the start of the summit.
Reagan stayed at the American Embassy in Reykjavik and Gorbachev on a cruise ship in Reykjavik harbor. Of course the first meeting, held at the city owned Hofdi House in Reykjavik with Reagan in a shirt and tie only, greeting
Mr. Gorbachev in an overcoat was in every news story I saw and still is. The meetings they say were politically pleasant but overall didn't go that well.
The major sticking point was that President Reagan would not abandon his "Star Wars" initiative that Gorbachev had demanded to move forward.
Both men decided to give it one more try on the last morning of the summit. The two men left at odds, but with smiles for the cameras. That made Reagan's departure about 4 hours later than planned. People started arriving at the hangar where Reagan was to speak about 8:00 AM. There were three metal detectors to pass through, I'll just bet you know who owned each one. Reagan was supposed to arrive at 11 AM. That was moved to 1 PM then 2 PM then to 3 PM. It actually happened just after three.
The very first thing the President said and did was to apologize to the people for keeping them waiting but that the two leaders felt they should give it one last try. Then he said, "well" his oft used start to any speech, I can't stay long now however because I just talked to Nancy a few minutes ago and she told me I'd better not be late for dinner.
The crowd loved him. About 40 minutes later, Air Force one was wheels up and headed back to Washinton and we'd guess dinner.
We now know, that the Summit in Reykjavik was actually the beginning of the end of the cold war. It was right in Iceland where it all began. Not only that, over the years that followed, the two men became much closer friends.
In fact, when President Reagan passed away, Gorbachev was at the funeral. He was also in lceland in 2006, on the 20th anniversaty of the summit to mark the occassion.
The tour was pretty standard fare after that. I mean what else coul there possibly be. There was a taxi driver on the base who I had become good friends with. When I needed a ride home at night, he was there. The best part was that the ride was free more than it was not or at an 80% or so discount for everything when it was not.
Iceland to me, has always been a very special place. Everybody knew everybody, you always had coffee ready for the neighbors that might drop by just to say hello and how were things going.
Today, while still a very special place, this no longer always the case, especially in the main cities and towns. Everybody is too busy being busy, pretty much like everywhere else.
I miss that. It was the one thing that made the place, no matter where it was located, very special and a joy to be a part of.
Once our old car overheated on the way back from Reykjavik, about halfway to Keflavik where we lived.
It took a total stranger and his wife about two minutes to stop and lend assistance. That is how it was. In this case, he towed us all the way back to our house.
A thank you was all he wanted or would accept.
In that first winter with about a 7' inch night snowfall, the old car would not start. I thought getting a garage here to start this could be hours, maybe longer. My wife said, just call the police.
I couldn't believe it but I did and in 15 minutes they were there and got me started. Again, only a thank you was expected. You tell me this wasn't the nicest place on the planet.
Things were going so well, I found I had time to get involved with booking acts from Europe to Iceland.
I contacted this same agency I had known from England found a local club in Keflavik that was interested and over the next six or seven months we had the group Paper Lace, Herman's Hermits (the two originals still left) and
Paul DaVinci, the singer of the wildly popular "Sugar Baby Love" with the group called the Rubettes.
I traveled to Germany where my headquarters was for two annual meetings. One was in Berchesgarden where out the window of our military hotel we could see Hitler's Eagles Nest high atop the mountain just a mile or so away.
We also visited Austria, in fact Salsburg, rich in history, beautiful but still a quaint European style to everything.
We walked the cobblestone streets, and visited the shops, saw the homes of many great musicians. But the best part of this two - day trip was to the actual sites ohere the movie SOUND OF MUSIC was filmed.
We went to and inside the church where the magnificent wedding (in the movie) of Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer took place in the film. We visited the convent where the actors (nuns) were living in the film.
You could almost hear the musical score as you walked through these places. I was a feeling I had never had before, nor since to be honest.
But all good things must come to an end. We got a commander, a Lieutenant Colonel at the headquarters whom was all about self promotion more than anything else.
Then I got a set of orders, yet again from Texas. I decided that it was time to go. On April 1st, 1988, after 24 good years in the Air Force I retired.