Those were the days

John Sabato · 04-19-2009, 11:37 PM

In 1972, I had been on active duty (U.S. Army) for 6 years, and was serving my country as a shift supervisor in a communications relay located in on a plateau in the city of Asmara, in what was then the northern most province of Ethiopia...ruled by Emperor Haile Sallassie... Today that province is properly the nation of Eritrea. They fought a long and bloody civil war to win their independence. I was a witness to some of the insurgency, but they didn't bother the U.S. base (Kagnew Station), because the American presence brought millions of dollars of revenue into the local area... Seems like a hundred years ago now.

BTW, Kagnew Station was the ONLY U.S. Army military installation on the African Continent. It was built right after WW2 and the last American military forces left there in the 1974-1975 time frame. Civilian contractors operated the base until 1977, when the American presence was ended.

End of the history lesson for today...

wdavid431 · 04-20-2009, 08:05 AM

In 1959, with my Army re-enlistment bonus in my pocket, I walked downtown in Little Rock, AR looking for a Luger pistol. First pawn shop I entered had 5 or 6 nice Luger for $50.00 each. Picked out a nice one, paid, and with no other paper work walked out.
Man, those were the days.

04-19-2009, 11:37 PM	#1
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,309 Times in 1,098 Posts	In 1972, I had been on active duty (U.S. Army) for 6 years, and was serving my country as a shift supervisor in a communications relay located in on a plateau in the city of Asmara, in what was then the northern most province of Ethiopia...ruled by Emperor Haile Sallassie... Today that province is properly the nation of Eritrea. They fought a long and bloody civil war to win their independence. I was a witness to some of the insurgency, but they didn't bother the U.S. base (Kagnew Station), because the American presence brought millions of dollars of revenue into the local area... Seems like a hundred years ago now. BTW, Kagnew Station was the ONLY U.S. Army military installation on the African Continent. It was built right after WW2 and the last American military forces left there in the 1974-1975 time frame. Civilian contractors operated the base until 1977, when the American presence was ended. End of the history lesson for today... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

04-20-2009, 08:05 AM	#2
wdavid431 User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 135 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	In 1959, with my Army re-enlistment bonus in my pocket, I walked downtown in Little Rock, AR looking for a Luger pistol. First pawn shop I entered had 5 or 6 nice Luger for $50.00 each. Picked out a nice one, paid, and with no other paper work walked out. Man, those were the days. __________________ W David

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