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Summers 1964 - 1965 - 1966.
Summers 1964 - 1965 - 1966. |
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For my first trip to Greenland in March of 1964 the company took busses to Andrews AFB and we boarded commercial charter planes that even had stewardesses. They would be the last women we would see for six months. I remember being in dress greens with dress shoes and when you stepped out of the plane your nose turned into a frozen lump. So that is what minus 40 is like.
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Camp Tuto,West to East, July 1964...... |
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Upon arrival at TUTO I instantly learned to hate the up and down path you had to take to get to your living quarters. The snow piled up at the end of each hut to a height of 10-12' and blew through between the huts. This created the wave effect between huts. One of my first jobs was to cut steps into those snow mounds so it was easier to get around. Before we could work in the lab we had to dig out all of the snow that had blown into the back part of the photo lab and the trailer that was attached to it.
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Tuto barracks area snow drifts after a storm. "phase"...... |
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1964 was a busy year for everyone. The 46th. Engineers from Ft. Polk were there to rebuild the road between TUTO & Thule, remove the portable nuclear reactor from Camp Century and most importantly redo the Camp TUTO enlisted man's club. SP5 Thomas Bodey was the photographer assigned to Camp Century and would cover the removal of the reactor from that end.
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Digging out a 1964 swing after a storm in Blue Ice Valley...... |
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In June I rode with a heavy swing out to Century to pick up the reactor parts and tow them to TUTO and then on to Thule by truck. We were gone about two weeks and on our return trip near mile 20 in Blue Ice Valley we were caught in a phase 2 or 3 storm that snowed us in for three days. Because of this web site I have been corresponding with Harry Webber of the 46th Engineers and we found that he is in one of the plows that are shown digging us out. Top Brass was not too happy that we were forced to leave the reactor and another swing would have to return for it.
In July of 1964 I was assigned to record the activities of scientists from the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain in their efforts to determine the depth of the ice cap. When not taking pictures I worked with Dr. Garry Clarke of Canada. We had a tandem Weasel vehicle loaded with instruments that we drove all over.
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Heavy swing, 1964, headed for Camp Century...... |
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We would hand drill holes several feet deep into the packed snow, then lower charges of C-4 explosive into them. We would then set out geophones that would record the echo from the explosion. We took that swing into the North East corner of Greenland following a route once taken by Admiral Byrd. At our furthest point of travel we were only 400 miles from the N. Pole. I turned 19 that summer and I still have the wallet that Dr. Clarke gave me as a present.
When we hit Blue Ice Valley on our return we opened up a crevice that they knew about and we got to explore it. They hooked a rope ladder to a Personnel Carrier and then hooked a cable to a winch and a parachute harness to the end of the cable. You were supposed to climb down a few steps and then step off the ladder and be lowered by the winch 125 feet to the bottom.
When I stepped off there was about four or five feet of slack in the line and I thought I was going to die. It was truly a beautiful sight, giant ice icicles that we were told not to touch and blue ice everywhere.
February of 1965 started a new adventure. Not sure whom we ticked off but three of us from the photo lab were assigned to a detail to paint the inside of the sleeping quarters. So Tats Oshiro, Jimmy Mize, and I headed to McGuire AFB in New Jersey.
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Photo Lab Crew 1964, L to R, Starkey, Higgs, Fresch, Oshiro, Becker, McHugh...... |
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I should have known what this tour was going to be like considering the way that it started. I made a comment in the dining hall about how the Air Force had it made, having civilians to do the dirty work like KP. A large group of airman took offense to my comment offered to escort us outside and kick our butts. Considering the odds it didn't seem worth fighting over.
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Bunny Boot Club Grand Reopening June 1964...... |
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We started painting as soon as we got to TUTO, black 4" up, green to 36" and everything else white. Now remember that it is -40 outside so you can't open the door for ventilation. After several days of this we all started acting strange and not feeling well. We were taken to Thule to the hospital for blood tests and they found out that we had lead poisoning. The 1st. Sgt. gave us a couple of days off and then buy us a bunch of booze.
We all got drunk, felt bad for a few days and then went back to work. Not sure which was worse, the lead poisoning or the hangover. We painted everything indoors black, green and white during February and March.
Spring has come and the snow and ice are melting in the camp so it is time for a Police Call. After a short time three of us find a 6' to 8' piece of lead water pipe and decide to have some fun. We put one of us at each end and one in the middle and proceed to start walking from one end of the camp to the other. We want to see how long we can go until someone says something. We must have strolled around for an hour or more passing the same officer several times.
On the fourth or fifth pass he final caught on. I think he had a good laugh about it as he only told us to get rid of it and get back to work. We also experimented with a new way of saluting. When we came upon a junior officer or any officer that wasn't a lifer or with a lot of rank we would play our game. Instead of raising our hand to our cap in a proper salute we would just shrug our right shoulder up as high as we could get it and the tilt our head to the right and just continue walking.
They weren't sure what they had seen and would often stop, turn around and just wonder. One day it was a balmy 32 degrees above zero and several of us were playing football on the main street. An officer told us that what we were doing was unhealthy and that since we were government property and might hurt ourselves we had to stop. Apparently this officer had not seen a large portion of the camp falling down drunk coming home from the club.
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Tuto 1965, barracks area. Snow depth Approx 10 feet...... |
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When all of the snow had melted several of us took our jeep to a facility somewhere along the coast parked it and climbed down the rocky slope to the waters edge. Our goal was to walk to one of the DEW line sites that we could see in the distance. We walked, stumbled, and swore for at least five hours hoping that we were getting closer. The lack of reference points like trees and buildings did not allow us to figure how far we had come or how far we had to go. Our objective seemed to never get any closer so we finally gave up and headed back. Thank goodness that it didn't get dark for another 5 months.
Sgt. Becker had been our NCO in 1964 and when he left his E6 slot was eliminated. So for our 1965 tour E5 Thomas Bodey was our lead guy. Lt Robertson was the PIO officer and had no responsibility for the photo lab. Well, one of several USO shows that we saw came to camp and Bodey assigned me as the photographer.
I told him no, that I had done too many shows and he should send someone else. We were at a stand off in front of everyone in the lab including the Lieutenant. Bodey finally backed down and took the pictures himself. Lt. Robertson was really ticked at Bodey for not making me go and for me for not going. He told me that I would never make E5 if he had anything to do with it.
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Tuto Ice Chapel Alter...... |
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At some time in your tour either for work or to kill time you spent time in the ice tunnel and ice chapel, tobogganed down the side of the glacier on a banana boat only to crash onto the frozen lake, poked around in the permafrost tunnel, watched a movie (Believe it, I saw 179 different movies the summer of 65) drink at the Bunny Boot club, order food from the snack bar, go to the airmen's club in Thule or just hang out.
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Tuto spring thaw 1964...... |
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One day we took the jeep to Thule to go to the club and when we came out ready to leave our jeep was gone. The Coast Guard icebreaker had come into Baffin Bay and some of the crew didn't feel like walking back to the ship. The AP's found it on the dock thank god and not in the Bay which was a good thing since we weren't supposed to have it in the first place... On another trip to Thule we only got as far as the edge of the base. A B52 had to make an emergency landing and no one was allowed near.
My 1964 and 65 tours in Greenland ended around the end of Aug. or first of Sept. each year. Because RSG- Research Support Group was being phased out so we had nothing to do when back in the states so the Army gave me a choice of TDY assignments, Alaska or Panama. Now I haven't seen anything but snow, ice and winter for two years, gee which should it be? Well, I spent five SUNNY months living next to the Panama Canal, but that is a different story.
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Tuto Spring 1964 looking West to East...... |
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I made E5 while in Panama and got back to Ft Belvoir in late March. Naturally the first person I went to see was Lt. Robertson to show him my new stripe. I figured that since I would be discharged in June that I wouldn't have to go back to Greenland. Wrong again, since I was now the senior enlisted person in the lab I headed for TUTO for the third time in early April for a few months of fun.
One of the best things about being an E5 was the ability to go to the NCO club in Thule.
The food was great and it made you feel like you were back in the states. After 2 ½ months I headed back to Ft. Belvoir and a June 22, discharge.
I have a lot of great B&W pictures and color slides of my tours in Greenland, but they can't do justice to a very special place. Many thanks to Steffen for creating this website.
Jon W. Fresch 
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'Headquarters of Polor Research and Development Center, later changed to Research Support Group...... |
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Coast Guard ice breaker, Westwind (if I remember correctly) coming into Thue on the first possible day. Summer of 1964...... |
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From left to right at the top of the picture, Sewage treatment plant, laundry and Photo Lab...... |
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Aerial view of a swing on the ice cap...... |
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Camp Tuto from the air March/April time frame...... |
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Very low pressure rubber tire wagons for carrying cargo. They were used a lot for fuel oil bladders...... |
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On the ice cap heading into a small White Out. They could be dangerous but I really like the effect you get. Again it is not your typical bright white, blue and Orange...... |
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Another Tuto from the air...... |
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This wannigan was used on the Research Swing of 1964. It’s purpose was to take radio soundings of the ice cap to measure the depth of the ice...... |
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Having some fun, sking behind as D8 or D9 cat. I know we had the largest they made and perhaps someone that drove one can claify if it was a D8 or D9...... |
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Looking over the sleeping quarters toward the ice cap...... |
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That’s me standing inside the hub. I’m 5’ 10" tall so that gives you some idea of the size of the wheel...... |
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All of the civilians on the 1964 Research swing. I thought my fingers were going to freeze off from taking pictures for each person with their camera...... |
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Another view over the huts toward the ice cap...... |
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If memory serves me her name was Lucy. She wondered around Camp Tuto and was a sweet, gentle girl. I heard that she took a ride to Thule on the bus and got off and was shot by an AP...... |
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Co D. 46th Engineers from Ft. Polk, Lousiana. They were in Camp Tuto, Century and drove tractors on the swings...... |
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A few locals stopped to say hello. No sun block being used here, that’s for sure...... |
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I shot this around 2 or 3 a.m. and I love the contrast between the usual bright blue, White and Orange. Plus being able to shoot at that time still amazes me...... |
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Lt. Robertson, my favorite PIO officer (cough, cough) with our guests...... |
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A church service in the Ice Chapel...... |
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Spring Thaw in Tuto...... |
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This one along with no’s 21 & 26 make a panorama that looks toward the ice cap...... |
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A utility lift of some sort,( possibly the water line coming from the lake) that lifts it up and over the road...... |
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Shows a height of 11 feet, so your standing on 7 feet or more of snow. This what would build up over the winter in front of the huts and in the lanes between the rows of huts...... |
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What I think is the Dispensary...... |
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The results of a 3 day phase that stopped the swing carrying nuclear reactor parts from Camp Century to Camp Tuto. I was snowed in for 3 days and loved it...... |
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More digging out from the storm by the Big Cats. Summer 1965...... |
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Reactor part( under the yellow tarp) being towed before the storm...... |
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Summer in Tuto, no snow only rocks...... |
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Peter Snow Miller cutting trenches for Century. (This was way before my tours)...... |
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Main entrance to Camp Century from the surface...... |
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Inside the main trench...... |
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Moving a reactor component into position to lower into the trench...... |
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Lowering a reactor component from a Bailey Bridge down into the trench...... |
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Tuto’s fresh water lake...... |
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June 1964, PM-2A components being escorted into Thule Air Base by and AP truck...... |
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May 1966, I get to mingle with the Harding College Players USO Group...... |
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Building inside a Camp Century trench. It is a good view of how the trench was constructed...... |
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The privacy afforded in the 100 man latrine was fantastic....... |
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An Army Caribou being off-loaded at Century. This airplane required a very short runway for take off making it a good fit...... |
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May 1964--Covering the inclined drift to prevent snow from blowing in. The PM-2A reactor was removed using this ramp...... |
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June 1964-- Hanger at TUTO showing storm damage...... |
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PR&DC tracked vehicle, Almost made you have motion sickness riding in these big units...... |
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June 1964 Col. Robert J. Giesen USARSG Commander accepting a certificate as honorary President of the Glacier Ski Club. No powder on these slopes, but it was fun...... |
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May 1966, Sgt Howard- Commo. NCO looks on as Sgt. "Tank" Tamkievich serves steaks. He is assisted by Mel Elder and Jim Godby. Sunday steak grilling was appreciated by all. I didn’t think charcoal would burn at those temperatures...... |
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David Kosma, Gary Mead, John Golding enjoying their steaks...... |
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May 1964 PM-2A components leave TUTO on Range Road headed to Thule...... |
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May 1964 Pm-2A components leave Century for TUTO...... |
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June 1964 Col. Robert J. Giesen, Maj. Everette S. Parkins and Lt. Col. Neil B. Prentice attend and a host of enlisted men attend opening night of the renovated EM club ( Bunny Boot Club)...... |
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1960, members of the 588 Engineers and PR & DC personnel complete one T-5 bldg and lay the foundation of another...... |
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June 1961, North approach to the Tuto runway. Ramp road can be seen in the upper right hand coner...... |
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May 1964, 14 ton cask of PM2A material sits on a Thompson Trailer after it’s journey from Camp Century to Camp Tuto...... |
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May 1964, PM2A reactor components arrive at hanger no. 2 in Thule...... |
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© Copyright: By Steffen Winther. Owner of the Thuleforum — All rights reserved. December the 3rd, 1996 - .
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