More places, and this time some faces, continuing our tour and journey through 1965-1968 in the ASA compound and sights around West Berlin. I have purposefully not included Berlin touristy shots on these pages. You can get those at any Berlin web site.

Holiday season, 1965, in the 78th ASA mess hall, which was located in the
Company A building underneath S-2 and headquarters offices. This was a cozy and
comfortable mess compared to where it moved at the end of 1967 to Company B
building. I believe there were under 200 people in the 78th during this time. Can you
identify anyone here?

"Spiderman" was a former policeman from Boston, MA. He and Larry Helke were my roommates for the last year in Berlin, and I'm so sorry Spiderman, but I forgot your name. Too many brews and schnapps!

Speaking of too many brews and schnapps! I believe former roommate, Pete Demeule, and I both had quite enough at this Christmas party at a friend's house in 1965 before Pete got married and moved off post.I crashed there for the night. Pete crashed also, but I know not where!

Prosit, Beck's!

Ralph Vitale, a.k.a. Buffalo Head, pulls tough duty at Site 3, Teufelsberg.
He came to Berlin via Phu Bai, Vietnam in late 1966. Sorry Blackie, but the
original Buffalo Head was an MP. We took B.H. to the Stuttgarter Platz
for his introduction into the ASA in Berlin, and what happened that night
only a few people know about. Even Buffalo Head doesn't like to speak of it.

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Here's my last year roommate again. Damn, why can't
I think of his name? Golfing in Berlin was great at the
Berlin Country Club, but in the snow when you found
the flag, you could not find the hole! I was a golf fanatic,
so whenever the sun appeared I headed for the lynx, snow
or not. Not a smart move, but remember, a lot of schnapps
and ale does strange things to a person. Besides, the sun
was out on this wintry day!






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Actually, golf was great in Berlin. Everytime we could get out of the bars
this fearsome foursome of myself, Danny Tarbutton, Frank Tiriolo, and
Tommy Rogers hit the lynx whenever money and weather would permit.
The green fees then I believe were $2.00 for unlimited play. Green fees
now at a comparable golf course, $60.00!



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"Fang," Tony Falanga, at left, and the "Mule," Pete Demeule during summer of 1965 in the old 78th barracks. The original "Fang" did not last long as an M.P. He shot the Teufelsberg guard shack while clearing his .45 pistol one day as tricks were changing from days to eves. The noise reverberated inside the tiny guard shack, scaring the hell of out of everyone, and "Fang" just stood there, in shock. I grabbed the pistol from him and sent him packing off The Hill forever. The bullet went through the side of the guard shack richocheting off concrete outside and somewhere into the new bubble. No one was injured.


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George Debuchananne, then, 1967, and last year, 2000.
George was in 05K Teletype & Communications. He sent
me these photos and the other three black and whites
that appear below. Thanks George, you're a brave man.

What the hell's going on here guys? Don't you know you
can crawl underneath to inspect? George and John Zetty
turned their VW on its side because there wasn't enough
room to do what they had to do if they crawled under it.
This and the two photos below were also contributed by
George. How did you guys get this VW uprighted?

Don Cooper, a.k.a. Blackie, former ASA German linguist, 1966-69, wrote a recent book titled "C TRICK, Sort of a Memoir," all about his three years in Berlin. It is an insightful and humorous book about the compound, The Hill's "Pit", "Violet", and virtually every aspect of his life during his stay in West Berlin. If you haven't read it, read it! If you don't know how to obtain a copy of it e-mail him at <cooper@herefordbrand.com>. I hope these photographs are bringing back some memories for all visiting here. Coop's book will for sure! "C TRICK" and digging out my old photos inspired me to build this web site. Continue on to page five for a further stroll down memory lane.

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