Wheelus Miscellaneous Stuff

No making fun of what I have held onto all these years, but it is interesting and hopefully you will still enjoy seeing them.

(Single left click on each photo to enlarge. To go to the next photo, click on the photo itself or the small photos at the bottom; but if you do that you won't get my commentary for each photo. To go back to the post click anywhere in the black space to the left or right of the photo or the 'X' in the upper right corner of the black box. [Google changed something and made a mess; plus the photos do not get as big as they used to].

(To the right of the map is the blog archives. Click on Wheelus Photos, Wheelus Photos Part 2 & Wheelus Photos Part 3 for additional photos). 

I borrowed this from the Flight Surgeons office.  The small red line about a 1/4 of the way from the middle left is my barracks - S702. It's hard to see, but just to the right of the hospital (Medical Facilities on the map) is AFRTS (S803). I used to walk by it every time I went to work. They are hard to read, but the 4 areas listed at the top, from R to L are: fuel storage, recreation (it points to an area just above supply), airmen housing & family housing.

The Libyan flag used from 1951 to 1969

The customs form we had to fill out.

As you can see, I was rolling in cash !

My orders for the 36 bed Air Transportable Hospital

All those 'invited' to attend. Recognize anyone ?

Military Payment Certificate or MPC (back)

MPC (front)

Libyan pound (front). If you believe what you read on the internet, it was worth about $2.80 in 1967.

Libyan pound (back).

Libyan coins.  If I did my math correctly, that would make the 100 milliemes about $.28, the 50 about $.14, the 20 about $.06, the 10 about $.03 and the 5 about a penny.

I don't remember going to this.

The back.

Haven't broken it yet.

Actually bottled in Tripoli.

This was for the hospital.

A note from the hospital commander.

Looks pretty good.  The question is - was it...??

In the post 'Wheelus Photos Part 3,' there is a photo of a sidewalk cafe (4th from bottom). That is where I 'borrowed' this glass from. It is 5" tall.

Wheelus Photos Part 3

Several of us would occasionally rent bicycles and go downtown. Except for photos, I would have no recollection of when we did or how often.

The Al-Mellaha Highway.  If I remember correctly, it was about 5 or 6 miles to Tripoli. This trip, there was at least 3 of us. According to Google Maps, it is not called that anymore. 

From what I have seen and heard, they still use these a lot.

Rush hour traffic !

This must be on the way back.  The road does not curve to the left on the way in.

Home grown tomatoes.

Not sure what this is; almost looks like a well.

Camel market (and next 3 photos).

I believe this is a junk yard.

Remember ESSO ?

Again, must be on the way back.

This one is going in.

Walkway along the harbor.

The Black Prince's palace.  I think he was the nephew of the King.  Anybody know any different ?

The 'Old City.'

The only photo I have inside.  I don't remember if it was too creepy or felt funny about taking their picture.

A cathedral.

Every 'tourist' town has a buggy ride you can take.

I guess this is where they bottled it.

A round-about.

A closer view.

The building where the American Embassy was located.

Sidewalk cafe.

The Casino Uaddan.

The King's Palace.

Another view.

Wheelus photos Part 2

Here is the rest of my on-base photos (plus a few fun things). In case you are wondering, I did not remember what is in all the photos that I have captioned. When I had them developed (don't hear that word anymore !!), I wrote a little something on the back before I mailed them home.  Otherwise, like most of us, I would have long forgotten what is on each photo.  If there are any places or things that I was not specific with, let me know.

Taken from the roof of my barracks right after I arrived.  Those are F-4's.

Another view taken the same day.

The Airman's Club (3rd Ave.).

Taken from my barracks.  The tall building to the left is a church & the long building on the right is part of the NCO Club.

Another view from my barracks.

And another...

And another...

Not sure where this is.

From my barracks.

The 'Rock.'  It was maybe a 100' from shore. That's yours truly standing on it.

One of my favorite sunsets.  Yes, that is the 'Rock' to the right.

Beach head somewhere on base.

Same here.

Flight line.

B-47 ?

F-100's.

Remember these Libyan garbage trucks roaming the base ?

The Mirage (snack bar).

Softball field.

All I have on this is the fact that the fountain under the trees had goldfish.

There were 2 Libyans driving this truck.  They had just stopped and asked me if I wanted to sell my camera to them.

The golf course.

3 months after I arrived, I was assigned to participate in setting up a 36 bed Air Transportable Hospital.  This is the site.

After it was set up and ready to go (go - go where ??)

Our very own cracker box.

We got 2 tents.

Some of our gear.

Yours truly.  I was hot stuff - I just got my 2nd stripe !

The Dining Hall.

Didn't know if you remembered what the barrack rooms looked like. My room.  1st class accommodations, I must say ! My mother sent thisphoto back to me and asked if I ever made my bed.  Still being a mother (may she rest in peace) over 3,000 miles away.

I was proud of the tapestry I had just bought off base (I still have it).

Storage space everywhere !!

Paint can art !!  There was a Ward E in the hospital that was never used, but we still had to maintain it. During a lull in the action on my ward, I was lucky enough to be assigned to paint it again.  One of the paint cans had that hard crust on it.  It thought, this would makegood art, so... 

Ah ! Christmas at Wheelus. Four of us decided not to go home for Christmas; we saved our pennies and went to Europe for a month the following April.

Our Christmas tree candle.