from the mid '50s to the early '60s. I read about big schools, dorms and more. In the mid '50s there was a one house school building in Kavakladere (about the 5th grade through 12). For school year '55-'56 the school was moved to a house just outside the wall from JAMMAT (thats right, thats what it was called then). Also the school was called The Ankara American Education Association, AAEA, (couldn't have a foreign school in Turkey then). Had like 10 seniors, 11 juniors, 14 sophs, and 20 frosh. The yearbooks were called the The Turkish Towel. We had a basketball team (Ankara Arabs with a long A in Arabs)that played the local turkish college and the miltary teams. We used to take an annual school trip, one year to Izmir/Ephisus by train. One year to the Isle of Rhodes by plane. There was an american kids summer camp on the Bosphorus which many of us served as counsulors for part of the summer. There was a couple of Holy Land tours a year organized by JAMMAT. One year about 10 of the high school kids went (Jordan, Egypt, Lebenon, Syria). I read here somewhere about movies at the JAMMAT center. We used to have movies shown at the ambassador's residence since we didn't have a theater. Our big times were held at Luna Park, the big (seemed big then) amusement park between Yenisheir and Eskisheir (Ulos or popularly called 'The Horses Tail'). Some of us used to also go out to the turkish army's calvery stables and ride their horses. They were great jumpers and very strong. When you first arrived you stayed at the guest house on the main drag (name forgotten) from Yenisheir to Kavakladere. Also had a snack bar there. People lived all over the city (no apartments). The center of JAMMAT was surrounded by unfinished stone buildings (usually just the BIG stone foundations). The hills around Ataturk's Tomb were still bare and had sheep herds grazing them. I haven't seen anyone else here from my time so you will just have to take my word for this until someone comes along. If you know any, tell them about this place, I would like to see some entries under the purple pit. Its seems to come to mind that the new school house outside the wall was purple, maybe thats where the forum name came from. There're lots more memories but I won't take the time here. Like I said, seems like lots of changes from the mid-fifties to the late fifties - early sixties.

George

George--that was really interesting. All of this reminiscing is bringing more of my time there into focus, but it does sound different then. Funny, I had absolutely no sense of (or interest in) history then, even history of my own school. EG, for all I knew our school had been there forever. When you were there in the'50's were most of the families Air Force or other foreign service or what?

As near as I can recall it was about 50/50 Army and Air Force.

George

I found your story fantastic. When I arrived in "66" Balgat was the main scene. I read about all the visits to the normal Turkish areas and realize I missed a lot. I really never lived off the local economy. I never tried any of the local foods.

You mention you have many more stories. When you get a moment or two type them up. I really enjoy reading them.

George:
I was there 54-56. I confirm everything that you said. I remember watching movies at JAMMAT. Some were outside and other were inside at the Chapel, I think. They would keep a large door cracked at the back of JAMMAT so we could get in without going all of the way to the front. JAMMAT was surrounded by a large rock wall like a castle. In fact, as I remember, all of JAMMAT looked like a castle. One night we went to the 6:00 movie. They had dug a six foot ditch on the outside of the wall and gate. It was still light and we jumped over the ditch to go in. Two hours later in the dark, I was following someone through the gate and did not remember the ditch. I went through the gate and the next thing I remember is on my back looking up at the stars from the bottom of the ditch. They got me out somehow and an Oskar(sp, Turlish soldier) took me to the American Hospital and they sowed up the back of my head or put some kind of clip on it. I have had my head banged up so many times that I can not remember. My brother was born in Ankara during a riot at night with a dusk to dawn curfew. The way the Turks enforced it was to shoot you. Maybe more about that later

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pat Palmer '58,

Pat -

Nice to know that there is another 'old fart' around from the early days.

George

George:
Were you in the same class as Deb Peake, John Webb, Don Nix, Tommy Kaleor(sp)et al?
Patrick

Deb and Tommy - yes

There was a Don Nixon in the class ahead of me (don't remember a Don Nix)

I noticed your response in the notice of John Webb's death but I don't remember a John Webb. There was a John Webster in my class, that might be who you are thinking of.

George

George:
You are correct on John Webster and Don Nixon. I worked for a guy named Nix in 1967.

We were there at the same time but I can not put a face on you. Patsy Gibbons was a grade above you I think. Her sister Betty(Betsy) was in my grade.

Patrick

Pat -

More than once I have had to refer to the annuals for the two years I was there. I go over to the Cumbrland Gap (Tenn side but across the gap from Middlesboro, KY) about three times a year for some R&R. It appears to be about 120 miles from you. Perhaps one of these times we could arrange to meet somewhere along the line.

George

George:
Good idea. We will do that. I can not get there from here, I have to go somewhere else first.

Patrick

Hi, George!!

Long, looong time!! Have seen your name on the Ankara lists, along with Mick Cooper, Deb Peake, Rusty Rutherford, Amanda Rice, Sharon Ray, AISTR, and others. You may recall I went off to Wiesbaden for my senior year (1957), along with Jim Cowles, Sandy Sammons (sp?)and several others.

Why do I remember JUSMMAT as opposed to JAMMAT? Or did it change later. Interstingly, in 1964, as an Army 1st Lt., my first OS assignment was in Izmit, not too far from Istanbul; ditto Adapazari, on the Istanbul-Ankara highway--which by then was a decent highway. Drove to Ankara a couple of times during that assignment and the city was much changed. Izmit, many will recall was pretty well wiped out by the terrible earthquake in the 90's.

The good thing was I went from Turkey to an assignment to the US Army School, Europe (USASCHEUR), Oberammergau, Germany where I was head of the 8-inch nuc weapons branch for almost 4 years before VN caught up with me.

I certainly recall summer camp on the Sea of Marmara. I know we both counseled that year. Do you remember an incident several of us were accused of and got in a lot of trouble for (as did our dads) before it was learned it was a bunch of airmen--and not us?

Also, along with Mick Cooper and several others, do you remember motorcycles? I'm sure you were part of that group.

The folks initially lived in Bachlieverli (ISTR it translated as "place of gardens) (sp???), and later moved to a nice home in Kavakladera (again sp??) just below the president's palace, which meant we had power/water/gas when the rest of the city was out. Do you know that to this day when I smell coal smoke I think of Ankara? DO you remember trhe terrible air pollution in winter?

In response to an earlier question in this thread, in addition to Army/AF kids, there was at least some Navy (Rusty's dad, you'll recall, was Naval Attache). Mickey's dad was as I recall the AF chief there as a BG--and wasn't Amanda's dad the JAMMAT (JUSMMAT) chief as a MG?

So many years ago! I'm soon 66 and really messed up with arthritis. Health good otherwise. Went on through a post doc from various schools just to say I "did it!" Have lived in the UK now for soon 25 years, and retired in rural Norfolk from London in 1999. Both folks long gone.

Lots of memories!!

Regards to you and all others,
Bob Genung

So many memories brought back by this group, and I'm grateful for it, and sincerely appreciate the work put into into it by all concerned.

Hi George,
Arrived in Ankara in Sept. '57. Remember the movies at that time in a small auditorium at JUSMATT, 16MM, sitting on folding chairs. The American Embassy was bombed (The metal garage) two weeks after I arrived and was in front of the Russian Embassy with Joe Nichols when it happened.

The riding you referred to; They were U.S. Cavalry mounts on loan to the Turkish govt. which they rented to Special Services. Still had U.S. brands on them and the saddles were old McClellands.

Chris

Hi Folks,
My time there was 1955-57(and that's why I erroneously signed on as a '57 grad -- it should be '58). Ankara was kind of raw then. We lived up the hill from Kavaklidere on Ataturk Bulvari. I remember the JAMMAT PX as a haven in the wilderness! Even as a concrete fortress. One odd memory is of the time a Turkish asker waved me over just outside the door of the PX and held up a dollar bill and a "Doublemint" gum wrapper; and I went in and bought him a big package of the gum packets, which cost exactly one dollar, Did I somehow get into the black market there?

My wife and I visited Ankara in 1998. The roads are the same, and the traffic is even more horrifying, but practically every building I knew is gone, including our old house. Can't really go back, I guess.

Rusty:
Wasn't it you that hypnotized people in our class? for Example, Sharron Ray.
Patrick