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!