JohnPaul
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2016
- Messages
- 423
- Reaction score
- 85
- Location
- northern California
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Conservative
I was stationed with the US Air Force near Tripoli in Libya in 1953. Is there anyone here who remembers Libya back then? Is there anyone here who remembers 1953?
I was a Radio Operator on the crew of a C-119 cargo plane with the 580th ARC Wing, stationed at Wheelus Field near Tripoli. The entire Wing moved from Idaho to our new base at Wheelus in Sep, 1952. There wasn't room for us all at Wheelus, so a couple of thousand of us lived in a "tent city" of 8-man tents for 14 months. It was fun and the best time of my life. I made frequent flights to many countries in Europe and North Africa. I liked the Libyans, distrusted the Egyptians and despised the Saudis. And of course Germany was our favorite. The German Frauleins were wonderful.
I remember a small Italian tavern near the gate of our tent-city compound, called "Al Oasi di Tagiura." Tagiura was a small Arab village near Tripoli. There was also a small Arab/Italian restaurant on the beach nearby where some of us often ate breakfast. A big plate of poached eggs and thinly sliced steak, with coffee and juice, cost about 70 cents. I wish I could go back to see it now, but of course it is all gone.
I was a Radio Operator on the crew of a C-119 cargo plane with the 580th ARC Wing, stationed at Wheelus Field near Tripoli. The entire Wing moved from Idaho to our new base at Wheelus in Sep, 1952. There wasn't room for us all at Wheelus, so a couple of thousand of us lived in a "tent city" of 8-man tents for 14 months. It was fun and the best time of my life. I made frequent flights to many countries in Europe and North Africa. I liked the Libyans, distrusted the Egyptians and despised the Saudis. And of course Germany was our favorite. The German Frauleins were wonderful.
I remember a small Italian tavern near the gate of our tent-city compound, called "Al Oasi di Tagiura." Tagiura was a small Arab village near Tripoli. There was also a small Arab/Italian restaurant on the beach nearby where some of us often ate breakfast. A big plate of poached eggs and thinly sliced steak, with coffee and juice, cost about 70 cents. I wish I could go back to see it now, but of course it is all gone.