The USASA
National Capital Area
Alumni News
(Online Version)

Spring Luncheon

When something new and different is tried, one never knows how things will turn out. But we try. The problem is to provide a decent meal at a reasonable price inspite of rising costs. To significantly reduce the price, we went to a buffet type meal and crossed our fingers.

Well, surprise, surprise!! It was the best luncheon we ever had in every respect. The attendance was great (130) the buffet worked out just fine, the food was plentiful, delicious, with a sufficient number of different entrees to satisfy the palates of even the most discriminating of epicures. From the tasty clam chowder to the yummy deserts. The only complaints we could see was when people got on their scales the following morning. The whole group were on hand before 1000 hours on Friday to make sure the seating would go smoothly. It did!! All kinds of kudos go to Alice and Martha for the meal selection.

Also kudos go to and the rest of the gang who worked the hospitality tables: Eileen, Jean and Eve. Further, we thank Bud Reynolds, who takes care of the ASA flag and table decorations; Bob Zikowitz, who arranged for the Honor Guard from the "Third Herd" and who was also our ersatz chaplain; Abner Sachs, who generously provided the door prize wine; Jim Freeze, who provided Len with a beautiful memento (Gulp, Lump in throat); and Lynn Dean, for the "Beanie Babies". Thanks also to Nels Johnson, who was felled by illness and could not attend but helped with the letter and keeps the mailing list up to date, and our no nonsense editor and mailing helpmate Eve who feeds me between ASA luncheons.

Last but not least, many thanks go to those who have so generously donated to the postage fund and those who remember to furnish address changes in a timely fashion. Both are vital to keeping in touch.

Finally, we will work with the club to get the parking lot open in time and we will try to remember to rewind the film in the camera before we remove the film next time. (Big red face and not as many pictures as we had hoped for in this letter.) We thank you all for coming and hope you will reserve 9 Oct 99 for the next luncheon. If things work out, we hope it will be even better than this one was.

ASA Picnic

SPREAD THE WORD!!  THERE WILL BE A PICNIC THIS YEAR ON THE 7th OF AUGUST 1999. All of the pertinent information is in the flier appended here to. Place: Nixon's Farm, approx. 21 miles down MD Rt. 32 from NSA. The farm is on the left. If you pass US 70, you went too far. Cost: $20.00 for adults, $12.00 for "Rug Rats" up to age 12. Time: Noon to 1700. Food will be served from 1300 to 1500. Reservations should be made NLT 30 July 1999. So DO NOT MISPLACE THIS NOTICE!!!!! So keep and use the attachments to make your reservations.

Additional announcements are being made via our new World Wide Web page located at: http://USASA.net/alumni/NationalCapitolRegion. E-mail POC's for the picnic are: Jim Allis, email: jka@maxinter.net or phone: (410) 859-0049; Harry Dykes, email: Hdykes8838@aol.com or phone (410) 239-6567; Nels Johnson, email: nbjohnson@erols.com or phone (703) 941-8645.

ASA News items

ASA Southeast Asia (SEA):
BIG! BIG! NEW STUFF!!!! We have a 3 page E-Mail notice from Dick Amick, 747 Cougar Drive, Millersville, MD 21108, (410) 987-5578. The item announces a joint June reunion of ASAers who have served in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Date: 3rd weekend in June 1999. Where: BWI Marriott Hotel in MD. For all of the info concerning this event you can contact Dick Amick or Hal Castle at HECastle@aol.com. The WEB Page address is: http://www.3rdRRU-509thRRG.org

Chitose:
SECOND NOTICE. The 12th USASA FS is having a reunion in Colorado Springs, CO 23-26 Sept 1999. POC is Gary Townsend, RR1 Box 45, Danbury, NE 69026-9602 or phone: (785) 896-2380. A group of 40 will visit Chitose in June '99.

Helemano:
The 5th USASA FS, (Helemano, HI prior to 1958) had a reunion in Nashville, TN 22-25 April 99. POC for this organization is: George Akerhielm, 7636 Sturbridge Dr. Manilus, N.Y. 13104.

Korea:
The 501st ASA Korea 1950-1960 is having a reunion 16-19 Sept 99 at Pensacola Beach, FL. POC is Andrew M. Kavalecs, 47 Truman St., Palmyra, PA 17078, (717) 838-5546 or email andykasa@paonline.com

INSCOM will:

* Conduct a Memorial Service on 24 May 99 at 0900 at HQUSAINSCOM commemorating absent USASA and INSCOM Companions.
* Hold INSCOM DAY on Pullen Field at Ft. Belvoir on 6 August 1999 - the day before our Picnic-So all come.
* INSCOM will sponsor the US ARMY Intelligence Ball on 18 Sept '99 at the Radison Hotel, All. VA.

All ASAers are invited to attend these events. POC is Barbara Coughlin-Carter, INSCOM Protocol at (703) 706-1278. Doc. C.L. John Legere continues to publish a great newsletter, "After Action Report". Those interested can contact him at SIGMA Publications, Back Bay Suite, 51 Warren St, Fitchburg, MA 01420-7932. (978) 342-7293 or email to CLJOHN@AOL.COM

FYI

* Stan Kugler will lay an ASA wreath at panel E11 of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. on 30 May at 1100 hours. Attendance is solicited.
* The Secretary of Defense is issuing a Cold War Recognition Certificate to all members of the Armed Forces and qualified Federal Government Civilian personnel who faithfully served the United States during the Cold War era from Sept. 2, 1945 to Dec. 26, 1991. Send proof of service to: Cold War Recognition, 4035 Ridge Top Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030-7403 Fax 1-800-723-9262. Possible source of additional Info: http://147.103.18.232/ProcessUSAppl.asp
* The Air Force Air Mobility Command has taken a giant step to make space available travel easier. They have opened a passenger terminal in the Baltimore/ Washington (BWI) International Airport in the International Pier between Air Jamaica and EL AL Airlines. For additional info call (410) 918-6900 or email: bwipax@mcguire.af.mil. The world wide web page is: http://amcbwi.mcguire.af.mil.

ROOM FIVE--EMPTY

(Extract from the Fall '98 Issue of the Navy Cryptolog.)

I read with interest the article in Summer 1998, on the EC-121 shootdown off of Korea's cast coast. I'd like to "fill in" a blank spot.

Two of the CT's came from [Naval Security Group Activity] NSGA Hakata (across the bay from Fukuoka, Japan) (also known as US Army Field Station Hakata and Air Force Hakata Air Station). The two men were CTC Richard "Snuffy" Smith and, as my memory serves, CT2 Joe Tesmer. They went TAD to Kamiseya the day prior to the flight. Concerning the flight. I was on duty in Room One of the Operations building at the time of the shootdown (Morse collector). Taking a break, I was on my way to the snack bar and had to walk past rooms two through six before intersecting the aisle where the snack bar was located. The Air Force collectors were in room five.

As I walked down the hall and past the AF room, I heard emergency air tracking coming across an open speaker. I looked in the room and there were no operators at their positions. None. I immediately ran back to room one, dialed up the frequency on the "floaters" position and started copying the tracking. By that time it was too late, although our P&R shop sent out an alert. As to the AF people who should have been at their positions, they -were scattered around the building doing various personal things. The fallout was that the Second Lieutenant and the senior NCO on duty were reprimanded and, I believe, both denied continued service past their existing contracts. This isn't much, but it's all I can contribute. I've always felt that if someone had remained in room five, our plane would have been alerted and would have broken its track and headed back to Japan. Thanks for the CRYPTOLOG. You all do a lot to brighten my day. Thirty-five years in this business and I still love it. (I am a retired Navy CT, but now I am with Army Intelligence).

Signed,

Ted Raboum

Mailing Address:
US ARMY SECURITY AGENCY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA
P.O. BOX 234
OCCOQUAN, VA 22125
(703) 494-8835

KEEPERS OF THE FAITH
Len Fischer - Bud Reynolds

EDITOR
Eve Fischer

PATRONS
Buster Dean - Rosemary Bryce
Russ Hom - Nels Johnson

OPERATING STAFF
Alice Buttleman - Martha Sachs
Doug Phelps - Eileen Karten
Jean Conway - Peg Reynolds

LEGAL EAGLE
Frank Lillis

PUBLICITY MAVEN
Bob Zikowitz

BOOTLEGGER
Abby Sachs

Please send in your ASA Picnic reservations as soon as you can but NLT 30 July 1999. This is our last picnic for this millennia. Help us plot for the next picnic so we can make them even better as we enter the new age.

God Bless, keep well, warmest regards and KEEP THE FAITH,

Len Fischer