In September 2009, I received a very
interesting e-mail which confirmed some of the history of TUSLOG
Detachment 150 and explained why its mission ended around
1995.
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Pat,
First, I worked at the HQUSEUCOM J-6
office for many years and I just wanted to provide some history for
you and the airmen at Sahintepe to inform you the reason Sahintepe,
as well as Mt Parnis, Corlu, Eskesehir, Erhac, Balikesir Cakmakli
and other Tropo and Microwave sites were closed in Greece and Turkey
circa 85.
Please keep in mind, that the HQUSAFE
General in charge of Communications for the USAF-E was under the
HQUSEUCOM J-6 located at Stuttgart, Germany. His direct
responsibility was to the 4 star at Ramstein, Germany, but the 4
star at Ramstein reported to the 4 Star at Stuttgart as well as the
Navy and Army 4 stars located at Naples and Heidelberg respectfully
The reason for the existence of
Sahintepe, was as you say, for the communication control of nuclear
weapons deployed in Turkey, Mt. Parnis for Greece, Coltano for
Italy. Around 1980, some changes in these communications
systems were in the wind. First, you had the HF Radio system
(unnamed at this time) with the primary C3 system being the European
Command Control Console (ECCCS), the forerunner being at Offut AFB
early 60's). Which was WHY 486L and European Tropo-Army (ET-A)
were built! In order to build the 486L and ET-A, you needed
some control communications at the sites for logistical and safety
purposes. Hence the HF system. Then someone said, why
not use this system as a means to control Nuclear Weapons at these
sites. So then the Cemetery Net was born (CN) and had three
basic missions.
Make no mistake, the reason you
guys were on the mountaintop was to support the ECCCS, secondary was
telephone comms! CN was a back up to the ECCCS. The
signals for controlling the Tributaries (Tribs) at the Nuclear
Weapon Control Sites were carried by 486L and ET-A. Then in
79, 80, 81 along came the Enhanced-ECCCS (E-ECCCS) where we
connected all of the Tribs throughout Europe via the local Post
Telephone & Telegraph PTT) (where we could, about 90%).
Simultaneously, we fielded a Satellite network called Straight Talk
Net (STN) at HQUSAFE, HQUSAREUR, HQUSAEUR AND HQUSNAVEUR command
centers along with the rest being at HQUSAFE sites in Italy, Greece
and Turkey, for a Proof of Concept to Congress that the Positive
Control and Custody of Nuclear weapons in Europe could be done by a
Satellite communications system. By 1984, we were fielding the
Flaming Arrow Net Europe (FAN-E). When we had fielded the
FAN-E to Turkey, Greece, and Italy, we started turning off the CREs
at Sahintepe, and Mt. Parnis. We also turned off the E-ECCCS
and STN. We wanted to get you off those mountain
tops.
That is why Sahintepe had an end of
mission.
Charles
Cox,
Corpus Christi, TX
September 1, 2009
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After reading Charles' e-mail, I
thought, "Det 150 really lived up to its motto of "Proud To Be On
Top"! Thank you, Charles, for that information!
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