Subj: 737 th AC&W Sq Saidia Site Y2 Morocco
Date: 9/10/2003 2:46:54 PM Central Daylight Time
From: brrke@cox.net

Hi John :

I suppose the older we become the more we think back to some of our younger days romping in the North African desert.

Just ran across your web site as I was trying to see if any recent pictures were made around Saidia and could not believe that the 737 th AC&W Sq Site Y2 was listed.

I was on a ship from New York in a very bad North Atlantic storm in Jan 1955. My duty was from Jan 1955 to Dec 1955. We took the long train ride from the Casablanca area to Oujda, then a 6 by to Site Y2.

From Jim Peterson's E Mail we were at this site for 8 mo. simultaneously. Must have seen you many times---however do not recall name.

I was in radar maint. and during my last few months was NCOIC of our section. Do recall having a hard time getting supplies for the radar. Remember burying radio active tubes out past our diesel shack when we could not get new tubes and retrieving them to use as they did reactivate.

As I think back to those days we all as rag tag kids did our best to keep that radar site operating at times with lack of supplies that were needed.

Your comment about K-rations--yes I remember that, and staying at the old beach house, and shooting pool in the room that I believe had a remnant battle map of North Africa used by General Patton, and the old German air strip. Sometimes there were Gooneys that would land there.

Some of the events that occurred while there---were seeing the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Spain on a very clear day and with binoculars they were snow caped. The mountains were tall enough to see at 130 miles across the Mediterranean Sea.

Second was the French boy that drown in the Med. Sea and some had a 6 by out in the water to look for him. do not recall if found or not.

Third was the weapons carrier returning from Oujda at night was shot several times by Arabs thinking it was French. No one was hurt.

I remember spinning records for the guys on a small radio transmitter to probably----June Christy's Midnight Sun!!!

Did manage to get 25 da. leave in Sept. to travel through Europe, was a very nice trip.

Your work on this web site is very good. Good luck and take care.

Sincerely, Bill Runyon