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© 2009 by Author
It’s 1981, it’s fall and I’ve just been promoted to TSgt. I know I’m extremely vulnerable to an assignment as a recent promotee. The call comes more quickly than I actually thought it might and I’m told I have that anticipated assignment; I’ve been ordered to Ankara Air Station in Ankara, Turkey! My immediate reaction is one of shock; what have I done to deserve an assignment to the ‘end-of-the-earth’? (That’s not exactly how I expressed it but I’ll save you the more derogatory thoughts.) All I could envision was sand dunes and camels and living in a tent with a goat; I had NO clue what Turkey was as a country nor was I at all interested in finding out!
At the same time I was extremely practical. I hung up the phone and called my new friend – Carol – and I said, “We’re getting married tomorrow!” She said, “You have an assignment, where are we going?” Notice she said – we. I immediately said, “Nowhere, I have to do this alone.” She repeated her question and I told her “Turkey” and she immediately said, “Let’s go!” I was certain she didn’t hear me so I repeated “Turkey”. I tried to convince her I would have to go alone but she wouldn’t hear of it and wanted to know when the leave date was. And again she asked, “When do we go?” I was verging on devastation, very apprehensive and Carol was nearly ecstatic. We were married eleven days later and began the casual transition that comes with every re-assignment. We got Carol all the military and civilian documents necessary to leave the country. Carol’s son Greg was just graduating from high school and we made plans for his future as we made plans for our own.
We quickly discovered that at the local university (Texas Tech) there were two professors, Warren & Barbara Walker, who had lived in Turkey. Warren was a Rhodes Scholar sent to Turkey some years before and Barbara was curator of Texas Tech’s Turkish Oral Archives. We made plans to visit with them and had a wonderful time. They gave us insights into many things Turkey. I came away a little more comfortable but still plenty skeptical of what I was about to walk into. Carol and I spent the next six months learning about Turkey with a few more visits to the Walker’s home. They were two very wonderful people and we will never forget their helpful introduction to our new home. (If you have an opportunity, find a copy of Barbara’s Turkish fairy tale translations; they are wonderful.)
Six months evaporated and Carol and I were on our way across the pond--that’s the Atlantic Ocean for those of you who are uninitiated in military slang. After a very long (11 - 12 hours) flight we landed in Istanbul, Turkey at what is now Ataturk International Airport. We descended the stairs leaving the plane and we’re directed into what appeared to be a huge warehouse. There was a mass of humanity milling about in the building but all I could see were these young men standing around the periphery holding very large guns! You see, the year before our arrival, Turkey had had a military coup. The entire country was under martial law and the Turkish Military was fully engaged in security across the country, not to mention running the country.
Pat and Russ Wilber (who became fast friends) and their two young boys were also on the plane that day. Pat quickly directly our attention away from the guns when she said “Look at the people – they are beautiful!” That statement has proved true over and over again – the Turks truly are beautiful people inside and out!
We finally made it through customs and were escorted to the domestic area for our final flight to Ankara. On arrival in Ankara, we were met by our American sponsors and bused to the leased housing facility (the Merhaba Palas in Kucukesat) for newly arriving Americans. The drive from the airport was about 45 minutes and we got to see some of the outskirts and city of Ankara. It was quite sparse at the time, now there’s far more city out that way.
Once at lodging, our bags were taken to the elevator by a Turkish gentleman. We’re asked to wait; it seemed the elevator could not take our bags and us. When the elevator returned for us, we got in and fully realized why we waited. You step into this tiny box and the weight on the floor activates the lighting. We made a very cozy group in the little box with no personal space what-so-ever!
Once up above we’re led to our room and it’s huge; 4 bedrooms with two bathrooms, a large living room, dining room, a small kitchen and a balcony. We’re in the middle of this major city and the sights and sounds keep us up for a short time, (the cooing doves will always remind us of Ankara!) but not long because the wear and tear of the long trip finally sets in and we retire for the night.
The next day we were collected by our sponsor and taken to the air station, also known then as Balgat. It was about a fifteen minute drive from the lodging facility to the air station. The station was small (one could not run the mile and half around the perimeter road, it wasn’t that large) and was very green. I dubbed it, the park.
We were gradually indoctrinated in all things relating to Turkey and the air station; everything from ‘must know’ Turkish language phrases, to the culture and of course the mission. We were in TURKEY!! It wasn’t long before we were captivated by the people and the culture; the rest, as they say, is history!
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