The Dogs of Det. 4
This page is dedicated to the loyal canines who kept us company and warmed some of our beds during our lonely 12 month tours of the Hill.
You are invited to send along your recollections of Hill canines that were around during your tour. Click HERE to send Email.
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From: "Wayne & Toni Dyer" diatribe@charter.net
Subject: Fw: Dogs of Sinop
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:21:47 -0500
The aviation section had a female dog show up when I was the clerk there in 1969. We called her "The Bitch".
One morning we got to work and she had pulled a bunch of stuff out and had a big mess in the hanger. SFC Oscar Fleshman was the aviation maintenance supervisor. He had let her stay inside as I recall because she was pregnant. He got upset and had our Turkish driver take The Bitch way down the road in our vehicle and let her out.The next morning she was back with one puppy in her mouth and dropping some more. His heart melted at that sight and we quickly made a place for her and her litter. Everytime a puppy was born Sergeant Fleshman and one of the Turkish fireman, Hasan Aksan, would be cheering and slapping each other on the back.
We found homes for all the puppies but kept one beige colored one we called Budweiser. He had a funny walk. He would be walking in a straight line but his back feet would usually be offset a couple inches like a vehicle with a bent frame. Budweiser was still there at the flight line when I left in December 1969.
Wayne Dyer
Groton, Vermont
. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . Picture of Budweiser . . . . . . . Picture of Puppies
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From: "Drew Swearingen" drewswea@swbell.net
Subject: dogs of det 4
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 05:43:01 -0600
I was a 33S out at Hippy 1978 - 79. Circe was named by Linda Rodriguez from LA. The other dog at the time was Brutus. He was there when I reported and Circi was brought out as a pup in the spring of 79. I would guess that he was Marcus's father. We would find him and Circe stuck together, waiting for the swelling to go down. Brutus had more than one run in with the local sheepdog's. It's when he had an encounter with a land rover, we almost lost him. But doc put him back together, and one of the op's took him under wing. They were supposed to have taken shower's togther. He talked of taking him back to the state's. I have a picture of Circe, but I'll have to get my scanner back up, befor I can send it.
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From: "erbrown" erbryanashing@nii.net
Subject: point site dogs
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 17:06:29 -0500
I was an 056 at the Point Site from June 1962 until May 1963. We had Mark (glad to see that he lived so long!), big yellow lab-type; his brother, named Mike, somewhat smaller, a bit less mellow, and the female corgi-type, Ufuk, who showed up unexpectedly one day -- apparently one of the guys brought her out from the main post area. I think Don Barnett may have named her.They were great company, and good watchdogs, too. Whoever was working the swing shift would get a can of chow at the mess hall for the dogs -- there never was any "official" trouble over this, and I can't remember an officer ever coming out to the point while our trick was working. Ufuk had a litter while I was there but the pups all died, which was probably a good thing -- from the look of the pups we believed the father was a Turkish sheep dog. One shepherd used to bring his flock by now and then -- not too close! I'm delighted to see a page devoted to our "old friends," and that so many remember Mark.
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Fom: "Vernon Spencer" <vwspencer@earthlink.net>
Subject: Master Sergeant Mark (the Dog)
I spent the entire year of 1975 at Sinop as 33D (Recorder Mech). Mark the dog was kept in the Mech's shop at Hippodrome. He was well cared for but the relentless march of years had taken a toll on old Mark.
He eventually became so arthritic that when he wanted to go out, he could only whimper and howl. We would load him up in a wheelbarrow and take him outside to do his business. Even the kindest of us could see that it would be more merciful to put him down.
The base doctor was called out and he administered the injections that finally gave Mark the permanent relief of the pain he had been suffering for months. He was buried within the fence at Hippy. He was sorely missed and fondly remembered.
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From: GeraldGlaser@aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 02:59:38 EST
..... snip .....
Don't know where this puppy came from but I fell in love with him or she immediately and though it would make a great Point Site Dog.
I have always thought this was one of the best pictures I have ever taken. Maybe it is because we both loved Kellogg's Sugar Smacks.
I took this puppy out to the point site, she or he is in the picture with Rowdy, Fluff and me which I have sent you. I left about a month later, I hope the pup made it. Never gave he or she a name.
Pup and Kellogs Sugar Smacks - Point site wannabeSpike the Great.............Spike on guard
Point site dogs - Fluff, Roudy, new pup and Glaser
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From: "Pedersen Michael A PORT" <PedersenMA@mail.ports.navy.mil>
Subject: Dogs of Det 4
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 12:00:51 -0500
I was in Sinop during '67 and '68. I worked as an 05D at Point Site. While I was there we had a big yellow lab named "Mark." He hung around the site usually, but occasionally he would take the bus to the Hill for a visit.
While I was there, he was always well fed. Figure - he had three shifts of guys each day bringing him food. Mids was the best. Midnight chow always had leftovers, and at times we would bring him buckets of mystery meat steaks. He tried his best to eat everything we brought him, even if his belly was dragging.
We used to play food tricks on him. We would toss him Cheetos and watch him snap them out of the air. Occasionally, we would toss a cigarette butt instead of a Cheeto. He never seemed to know the difference.
I was told when I first got there that Mark used to have a brother, "Space," but that he fell off the cliff.
Mike Pedersen
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From: "Eugene Serl" gene.laurie@verizon.net
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002
Subject: The death of Gimp
I heard that the S.O.B. that took over the command at Sinope had all the dogs poisoned. I left before this happened. However, Gimp was not among that bunch, as he had been killed by a Turkish heavy equipment operator, who it is rumored actually went out of his way to hit him.
This was during construction of the barracks, which was not completed before I left. I remember every one always felt honored when Gimp would come to their hooch, for a pat or a treat.
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From: "Russell Fuchs" <fuchsa@bellatlantic.net>
Subject: TheHill & its dogs
Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 12:53:03 -0400 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE HILL AND ITS DOGS
I arrived on the Hill mid to late February 1962 and the thing that amazed me the most besides the kerosene encrusted Quonset huts I would be living in, was the number of dogs on the Hill.You could not take a few steps without finding a new 4 legged friend.
As the story is told, ATATURK was believed by the Turkish people to be reincarnated as a cat and dogs being dogs were not tolerated well by the Turks. They were not fed, mistreated and abused by the Turks until they found the American GI.
Besides your buddies whom you roomed, showered, ate and worked beside the only comfort appreciated by us was the companionship and trust of the dogs. We fed them from the food on our mess hall trays, food or candy from the PX or E M Club and shared our E M Club beer with them.
There came a time in the Spring or Summer of 1962 when the presence and number of dogs apparently created a security risk in someone*s mind. Consequently the dogs were fed poisoned food and thereby destroyed.
As I write this story I see in my mind as clearly as the day I walked past Abbees tossing the dogs into the back of deuce and a half and the 25 to 50 remains piled therein.
While I recognize the importance of our work on the Hill I believe the powers that were could have erred more on the side of compassion than caution.
The only thing these dogs were guilty of and for which they suffered was the trust and companionship they gave to the American GI.
Russell M. Fuchs
Operations, 982.10-traffic analyst
fuchsa@bellatlantic.net
(609) 497-1466(days) (609) 683-4616(evenings)
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From: "Mike Downs" Jmdatchfl@aol.com
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 09:17:55 EST
Subject: Mark-- Mike Downs l969-l970I was out at Point Site in '69-'70 when Mark lived out there with us. He was a big, yellow Lab looking dog that was best friends with everyone he met.
He was adept at catching starlings when they would come across and would leave them in a neat little pile at the door to the hut. Once, with a fellow from Texas who was good at that sort of thing, we cleaned and cooked several over a fire in back of the hut. They didn't taste too bad though there wasn't much to them. Thanks Mark!
Before I arrived, so the story goes, a new Col. was making his inital inspection, all flossied up in his best greens and when he arrived out on the point Mark joyfully greeted him with his muddy paws smearing the Col.'s blouse. The Col., obviously a cat man, ordered Mark shot but instead he was put on the next truck to Samsun, where he was dumped. A couple of weeks later, a scratch was heard at the door of the hut, and there stood Mark, dirty and skinny and home. I guess that the Col. never knew of his return as, during my tour, the Col. would come out when he first got there after which he seemed content to forget about us. Just fine with us!
Point Site was shut down a couple of months before I left in March '70. Mark was given to the AF guys at the Hippo who were far too kind to him. There were few of us at the site so he didn't get alot of mess hall chow and he spent alot of his time running around the point chasing birds, sheep and the ashack from post, so he was a pretty fit dog. At Hippo his chasing days ended and with all the more people bringing him chow he put on alot of pounds and became the hippo dog from Hippo. Last I saw him he was a fat and happy fellow.
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From: "Camille Fraering Jr." <scientifictools@msn.com>
Subject: Jim at Det 4
Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2001 22:15:14 -0700
We had a few dogs there in 57/58. One was a short dog named Jim. He was a white and brown dog but needed help mounting a fine brown dog that was in heat. He was helped by a couple of fried Ops.
Anyhow, SFC Jack Dunlap, under orders from the Major, shot them in a fear of rabies. Seemed to always be the excuse.
Of course people in Turkey have died of rabies but none in the Sinop area. Mostly from wolves.
C.M. Fraering Sp4 57/58
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From: Eugene Beadle <EBeadle@miamiair.com>
Subject: Sinop(91-92) Dogs.
Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2001 14:28:34 -0400From Gene Beadle, (March 91-May 92),>beadle96@bellsouth.net
During my tour at Hippy, we had two dogs. Petey was one, a golden retriever. He had a dark brown collar and someone made a Confederate Flag bandana for him. He apparently had been there a couple of years, however, about September '91, Turkish sheperds in the area claimed he had left the compound and cause the 'spontaneous abortion' of several pregnant ewes. Even though operators swore he'd been inside the building during the times in question, he was put down by the Turks to appease the shepards. He was buried near the System 1 antenna site overlooking the ocean.
Fisdi was also there, a grayish-white german shepard-mix, she was about two years old and pretty smart. She was trained to bark during certain events. If I remember correctly, Petey had gotten her pregnant and after Petey was put down, one of our warrant officers made arrangements for her to leave with him back to the states.
These dogs made the tour bearable. They won't be forgotten!
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Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 22:04:34 -0600
From: "A. Lawrence Kiefer" <lawrencek@qwest.net>
Subject: Sinop (80-81) Dogs.
I remember that when I first arrived in April of 80, I was shown the headstone of the Hippy mascot which was inside the fence next to the building (outside of the 'furnace'). Can't remember his name, but I do remember the inscription in part was 'he built bridges instead of walls'.
Take care...
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From: dock@va.prestige.net
Subject: The Dogs of Det. 4
Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 18:28:25 -0400
Don't forget the two Hippy dogs of 1978 - 1980. Circe was once thought to be a pretty brown dog . . . until she was washed and all the red dirt came off, revealing her beautiful white coat. She was given the name Circe (the daughter of the sun god Helios and the sea nymph Perse) because a Greek name would certainly tick-off the Turks. Circe's pup - Marcus was nearly as bright as a rock. We think that one of the MPs had given a little beynami to him and caused a little dain bramage. These dogs were wonderful company both at Hippy and in the country side.
Dock Hoilman
33S '79 - '80
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From: "John Barbara" <John.Barbara@ind.alcatel.com>
Subject: The Dogs of Sinop
Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 12:47:54 -0500
I remember Bob Dog as I used to run from the main base out past Hippy to the point. From the extreme edge of the point you could see the rock of Sinop offshore half a mile or so below the Turkish lighthouse below the summit of the point.
I remember running and Bob Dog would follow us from Hippy back to the main gate. He wasn't stupid, he refused to run to the point with us. The Turks though did not like him and he didn't like them either. Once a Turkish askeri tried to stop Bob Dog from coming in the gate and Bob Dog let him know in no uncertain terms that he would attack and bite if the Turk didn't get outa the way.
That damn mutt Mops used to go outside the mess hall and wait for us GI's to sneak hamburgers out.
I saw one of the sailors mention that goat of theirs. I was in the Signal Corps and our barracks was next to theirs. One night we kidnapped that goat and took a roll of duct tape and taped his head to a tree by his horns. I seem to remember them having a dog too cause one night we stole their dog and threw him in the beer cooler (that was not plugged in) at that shelter/patio next to our barracks.
A lot of funny things went on at Sinop, some of which I can even tell my wife and kids about now! LOL
John Barbara
Army Signal Corps
32D
Black Tech Control / Red Tech Control
USAFS Sinop
jemsd@bellsouth.net
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From: "Pat Callahan (Mizelle) Taylor" <TenZingMoMo@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001
Subject: Dog Page
... But the dog page... what a great thing. I often think about the critters. The MPs had a dog when I was there, and for the life of me I cannot remember the dog's name. I remember the cat more vividly, as Wookie was anywhere and everywhere. One of the MPs found a litter of pups not too long before we left in June of '80 - we had to euthanize one of them because of the birth defects, but I was able to secret one away, and named him Seiko (watch dog - bad pun I know). We kept him in the dispensary until he was old enough to go live at the MP station......
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From: "Harlan Crist" <BarHCrist@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 18:09:37 EST
Subject: Dogs at Sinop
I was there in 1959-1960 and remember Spike, Gimp, an Irish Setter owned by the guy who ran the EM club, Buster a large brown dog, and a small spaniel type dog that was kicked by someone (not sure we really knew who), and taken to sickbay. The medic said there was nothing that could be done for him, so three of us took him out to the point and ended his misery with one bullet from a carbine. It was rather a sad experience.
On the happier side, these dogs would line up next to the walk at the postoffice or wherever there was a line formed. If you squatted down next to them and began to howl softly, they would join in with a chorus or two. They were more like children to us, and Spike spent more than one afternoon sleeping on his back on my bunk.
The dogs liked to ride in the vehicles. Whenever I went somewhere, if I didn't get off the post without being spotted by Spike, he would come running and jump into the vehicle. For an icibachuk, he would hit the running board and run up the door to get in. Once I was taking a jeep from operation to the motor pool, and about five, including Spike, decided to jump in. As I approached the motorpool, I passed the CO, who looked at the jeep the dogs and me, then just walked on shaking his head.
Harlan Crist
barhcrist@aol.co
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1955-'56 Male dog "Gimp"
1959-'60 "Gimp", Female "Studly", puppy "Kismet" and a black dog "Spike"
1960-'61 White female named "George", Jim Bailey remembers a dog named "Igor".
1963-'64 A large yellow lab named "Mark", a male yellow lab named "Mike", female Welsh Corgi named "Ufuk(?)" that had a litter of puppies.1968 - '69 White female named "Mildred" had a litter on base.
1970 - A dog named KRUT whose name was on the entrance list at COMMCEN.
1971-'72 Old yellow lab named "Mark" same as mentioned below in '72-'73.
1972-'73 An old dog that rode the bus from the main post out to Hippodrome.
1978-80 "Half-Watt", male dog, terrier(?), lived inside the fence at Main Ops, Circe a white female and her pup Marcus.
1984-'85 Female Black Lab named "Gypsy", Kangal hound named "Bob dog", there was a grave marker at Hippodrome for a dog named "Mark".1985 - The MPs adopted a black lab which they named "Badge"that was badly mauled by a pack of wild dogs but survived.
1986-'87 "Petey", "Hippy"and "Bob Dog" lived out at Hippodrome,"Mops" (Main Ops), a small and shaggy female mutt but loveable
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Date:Sun, 13 Feb 2000 15:40:15 -0500
Subject:dogs and goats
FROM:"Tom Bowen" <tbowen@coastalnet.com>
I was in Sinop from Jan 86-Jan 87, Navy. I remember Bob Dog and Hippy used to live out at Hippodrome. Once in a while they would wonder up to the main part of the base and Bob Dog was so big and lazy he would be too tired to walk back. Someone would have to put the two of them in a truck and take them back to Hippodrome. I also remember a small dog we called Mops, which was short for Main Ops where she lived most of the time. She was small and shaggy. Kind of a mutt but very loveable. Let's don't forget the goat that the Navy acquired in 1986 either. He was cute as a small billy but when he got older he could be a pain. The chow hall would call sometimes and ask us to come get him out of their trash. Funny times.Tom Bowen
CTISN, Jan 86-87
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From: "Brian Mitchell" <brian.mitchell@ibd.investors.com>
Subject: Dogs of Sinop
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999I was the provost marshal at Sinop in '85. That year the MP's adopted a black lab they named "Badge." Badge was badly mauled by a pack of wild dogs that year, but he was still alive when I left.
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From: "Jim Phillips" jimp@vitrex.net
Subject: The Dogs of Sinop
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999
I was stationed at Sinop in the NAVDET 1968-69. During that time we found a little white mutt giving birth to about 12-14 puppies under one of the culverts near the mess hall. We moved her inside one of the dorm buildings on the quadrangle and she lived like a queen for the rest of our tour. We named her Mildred. I know several of the puppies were adopted out to other dormitories. Probably some of her pups are listed in these pages as well.
Jim Phillips
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From: "David Neeley" dneeley@clinton.net
To: <DMACKONE@aol.com>, <billsimons@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Sinop Dog '71-'72
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 19:10:11 -0500
Don,
The dog you are asking about that rode the bus from the main post to Hippy,
was named Mark. I was stationed at Sinop Oct. '71 til June '72.
I have fond memories of that old yellow lab lying on the floor of the maintenance shop all day. Then when we would walk back to post he would run along checking things out. I do remember though when I left he was suffering pretty bad from old
age, but was always up for a fetch or two.Nice to see the pictures and remember the "Hill"
Dave
================================================================From: Bob Hill <RHill20191@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 19:37:58 EDT
Subject: Dogs on the "Hill"
I was there from 11/60 to 10/61 and was adopted by a little white ball of fur that I named George, turned out she should have been named Georgette. She grew into a huge white ball of fur, hated the first shirt, SGM Boyd, and dumped daily at the door of his Jamesway hut. My last vision of her was her following the deuce and a half to the gate when I finally took my ride to the world.
I'd love to hear of any updates on George.
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Date: Sun, 08 Aug 1999 23:32:34 -0400
From: Wayne Rupp <wrupp@ezonline.com>
Subject: dogs of the hill
Was an 056 on the hill 63/64...worked at the "point site"..we had three dogs at the site during that time..Mark (probably the grave mentioned at the hippy) a large yellow lab..and another dog (female) welsh corgi..name was ufuk or something like that...any way we also got a litter of puppies from her...looked mostly like lab puppies..dont remember what ever happened to the pups.. and another male yellow lab whose name was mike I think...wish I could be more certain of this but suffer from CRS (can't remember s...}..
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From: "Thomas Brunetti" bruno@netcarrier.com
Subject: Dogs of Sinop
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 23:09:32 GMT
.....
As to the Dogs, when I was there we had a female Black Lab at Hippy named Gypsy. She got out of the fenced area and ran off one day. As it was relayed to me one of the MP's found her dead, killed possibly by a shepherd.
Only reason that would make sense to me.Then one day someone brought in this pup. I would have sworn he was a mutt. One of the guys had come back from his EL and had a AKC book with him, and the dog was a Kangal hound. I believe the AKC stated they are indigenous to Turkey and are very good sheep dogs. One of the Brits on base there told me they are very desirable in Scotland and very hard to get outside of Turkey.
He was a pretty cool dog, energetic and play full. Then one day someone pulled up some reg that said in order for us to be able to keep him he would have to be neutered. Well they actually put him on the plane, and I think took him to Germany to have him fixed. This really blew my mind. When push came to shove they never let common sense get in the way of obscure regulations. After he was De-Nutted he never seemed the same to me. Someone named him "Bob Dog" and that's what we called him when I was there.
I also remember at Hippy out in the yard at least one grave marker.
There may have been more. The one I remember clearly was for a dog named "Mark" or "Mark Dog". It had a date on it but I cannot remember.I was at Sinop from Jun 84-85, 33S.
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KANGAL DOG: A national treasure in its native Turkey (it even has the honor of a postage stamp), the Kangal has worked for ages as a working dog, guarding livestock. Rarely found outside of its native region of Sivas-Kengal in eastern Turkey, they are even rarer as purebreds even there and are considered by many fanciers to be an endangered species. A large, Mastiff-type dog, the Kengal is very strong, an excellent watchdog, fond of children and easily trainable.
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From: "phil hotton" photton@hotmail.com
Subject: Gimpy
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 09:29:00 PDT..... During the period April '55/March '56 Det 4 had a few dogs. One animal was named Gimpy (or Gimp). He was primarily white, when clean, with black and grey splatters here and there. If you saw him you would remember him for his pronounced limp caused by an injury to one of his hind legs that had healed badly. This did not seem to slow him down much, as he could outrun any female dog he took a liking to.
Gimp made great company when we were running one or two guys to a shift in our rickety ops shack. In winter we had a wood fired stove sitting in a sand box. Old Gimp really liked to curl up as near to the stove as he could without actually catching fire.......
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At 12:57 PM 6/7/97, Peter Lydon wrote:
..... I was at Sinop from '59-'60...... As I recall, there was a post dog mascot called "Gimp", and his "girlfriend" "Studly". She had her litter in my barracks. I adopted one of the litter, and named him "Kismet".
Peter Lydon - Plydon@webspan.net
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April 1959-April 1960
by Harry Lance SP4, MOS 058.................. I remember Gimp. Gimp was the post mascot. ..... He virtually ruled on the "Hill" I was told my first day that you don’t screw around with Gimp.
Picture - Gimp the mascot.
I also had a black dog named Spike. Unfortunately, I was told that about a month after I left all the animals (including Gimp) were put to sleep. ......................
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Bill Simons notes: My tour overlapped with Harry's. I was there from Dec 1959-Dec 1960 and the Gimp was still around during my time as well as a female dog whose name I don't recall. There was also a friendly gray and white cat that hung around inside the EM club so the rumor about all the animals being put to sleep in about May/June 1960 was probably false. Here's my picture of the Gimp from the Summer of 1960. I wonder if he washed his paws when he was finished in the 4-holer!!
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BAGNALL, ALLAN (SINOP - 1961-1962) allancccc@aol.comI arrived in about December 1961 and stayed until June 1962. ...... I was an 058 and was there when we moved from the quanset huts to the buildings. I was also there when they removed (destroyed) most of the dogs.......
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Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 18:41:33 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Sinop Det 4
From: Web Anderson - <rwa@aug.com>
..... Ahhh the Hill 1963-1965, WHERE..... those umungus dogs at the point could tell the difference between ASA's & non-ASA's (THANK GOD!!)........................
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From: Don MacKinnon DMACKONE@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 23:18:31 EDT.....what was the name of the old dog that used to ride the bus from main post out to Hippodrome?...He was so lame and suffered so during the winter that we had it all set to ship him to the unit at a site in Florida.
I'll always remember the day I was at my desk and sensed someone was watching me. No one was in the office and I just knew I was being watched. I finally got up, walked around my desk and there he was, sitting in front of the desk......
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Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1998 10:49:59 -0000
From: "Eric and Patty Frandsen" ericnpat@erols.com
Subject: SINOP ('86-'87)..... While I was there the navy had a dog at the barracks called Petey. Petey was a rake. Hippy had their own mascot and I believe that is what they called him. I was told someone actually brought Hippy home with them.....
Patty Mathieson Frandsen nee Gilmore
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