Bill McKay's KAS Memories and Life After

    I joined the Air Force on Friday March 13th, 1959 at age 18. After basic, was assigned to 202 (analyst) tech school at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, the 6941st. As with most of us, based on class standing I was given the choice between going to Kelly AFB in San Antonio or Wheelus AFB in Libya.
    I selected Libya but was later advised that the base at Wheelus was to be closed due to political considerations. Departed from Charleston AFB in April 1960 on a C-121, the same trip that most of us made. We did land in Bermuda though and then the Azores and finally Wheelus.
    It seemed odd sitting in that MATS aircraft with the seats facing in the wrong direction. I remember the pilot advising that in order to gain additional altitude they had to stop/feather the engines back in order to change the pitch of the props or something to that effect. Anyhow, the silence was deafening.
    Had a great time at the airmen's club (in Wheelus) for several days, 20 cents for a CC and ginger. Unfortunately the transit barracks was at the end of the runway and the 24 hour a day flights taking off made it difficult to sleep.   It was a huge base with five different bus routes I believe. There was a dog who continually rode the various bus routes around the base all day. I remember the driver stopping for the dog and then asking the person sitting opposite him to move down to allow the dog to occupy his usual seat at the very front.
    Several of us traveling together did make the trip downtown to Tripoli together, one of whom was a staff. After leaving the bus downtown, several souvenir "salesmen" congregated around us and began sort of "patting us down" in an attempt to steal anything they could grab. I watched as one of the guys had his pen quickly removed from his shirt pocket as we were surrounded by a great number of the Tripoli Posse. One of the troops was somehow separated from the rest of us and had money taken. So much for not heeding the advice of the airmen who were stationed at Wheelus about going into town.
    Remembering, they all had one infected eye with flies gathering in the wound of the bad eye. I forget the name of that eye disease but at the time all the Libyans had it.  Then, after several days we were bussed from Wheelus as the sun was coming up thru the desert to the airport. We passed by a hanger painted in camouflage with bullet holes still in the hanger doors and remember thinking it must have happened "a long time ago" in WW2.
    The bus going through the desert struck a goat or cow or something and had to stop. Suddenly from all sides out of nowhere came numerous natives and I wondered where they had come from out there.  Libya smelled much worse than anything ever did in Turkey because of those foul smelling camels all around, remember?
    It was good to get on the French Caravelle flight with all those great liquor samples and caviar and a pit stop in Athens. Then to Ankara where upon approach we were advised of an extensive air pocket which was a frequent concern of the pilots landing at Ankara, sure enough.
    At Istanbul we spent the night at the Tuslog Building, much better toilets than the bomb sites without paper in Ankara. A great spot near the Hilton and Taxim Square and not far from Fenabache Stadium. I don't remember how we were transported to Mainsite the next day. But small world, after reliving the events and checking our travel orders etc, it turns out Pete Johnson was one of those guys who made the whole trip with me from Charleston, I still have the dated
orders and French flight ticket stubs.
    It was a long couple of cool months in those Quonset huts until assignment on Dog Flight. When they advised me to move into the Dog Flight barracks, they didn't assign any room as they were mostly full. Luckily Rudy Ruediger put me up until more rooms became available and was able to move down the hall to the Yalova suites. Ken Johnson ended up moving in too shortly thereafter.
    The houseboy was great at keeping everything clean and shining the brogans for "ici pachuk" weekly. Now why couldn't my ex wife do that? There are many more stories that all you guys were a part of over there.
    It sticks in my mind that when Capt Card, day commander, advised me I was being assigned to Captain Norman and Dog Flight, He also told me I was a very lucky as the troops on that flight were the most productive and had a great comradeship with positive work ethic. And thats gospel.
    Reached my DEROS in September 61 and requested Kelly AFB so naturally I got Fort Meade at NSA. Boy, that was a great ride. Discharged March 12, 1963. Took the police exams, worked in my home town, Saugus, Mass for a couple of years. Then went to work for General Electric jet engine business. Boring, took police exams again and went state working alternating night shifts similar to our tour at Karamursel.
    Was in Field Services most of my career in the Metro Boston area. Got caught up in all those anti-war demonstrations in 60's and 70's and Boston Desegregation 1975-76, two years
assigned to Boston schools.
    Retired over a year ago from the Massachusetts State Police, another great ride. The government provided the GI bill for an education and now provides an adequate retirement. Have two grown boys and a great wife, we spend weekends at a condo in Laconia New Hampshire.
    Have been running for 36 years, obsessive compulsive behavior so have never stopped. Do a couple of law enforcement half marathons annually and 5 milers and 10 K's every couple of weeks. It keeps me out of the old Airmen's Club.  But one of the best investments I ever made was getting on line and running into Rudy, Pete, Ronnie, Van, Gene, Johnny, Ken, and all you others. Had a great time at the reunion with Rudy and Ron, a great experience being able to meet up with Pete near NSA. We're doing it again when there is more time available.
So lets keep in touch once in a while and keep marching