PORT LYAUTEY GUESTLOG FOR THE YEAR 2010

POSTED: 02/06/10 0700 hours

A search on Google for callsign NHY brought me here, I remember in 1953/54 I had to pass the occasional message from RAF Gloucester in the UK to Port Lyautey, it was such an unusual occurrence to have traffic that NHY was dubbed Not heard yet!

Ian Denney (ex RAF SAC wireless operator) ian@harleston.me.uk

POSTED: 02/05/10 0700 hours

Our family was stationed there from June 1956 to June 1959. My father was Tom Lancaster, leading chief of VR-24. We lived in town on Rue de orange for 18 months and then moved into the new quarters near the school (36-B). We had a wonderful experience and learned more about the world there than any where else we have lived. I have met a few people who had followed us back to the U.S. to Jacksonville, FL. I have two sisters, Janice and Karol and a brother Tom who was born there in 1957. Jan cycled next to a fellow for 2 years before she found out he had been there in 1956. Small world.

Ellen Lancaster Godfrey ~ ggodfrey@bellsouth.net

POSTED: 02/04/10 0615 hours

Francis John (Tiny) Mazanec, Sr. Retired Chief Torpedoman, USN and Port Lyautey Alumni Association Member
Aug 18, 1921 - Jan 29, 2010
North Fort Myers, FL
Service Information: A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 10:00 at The Harvey-Engelhardt-Metz Funeral Chapel 1600 Colonial Boulevard, Fort Myers, Florida.33907

Please send condolences to:

Mary Ellen Mazanec, 1320 Harbor View Drive, N. Fort Myers, FL 33917

E-MAIL MEMAZANEC@JUNO.COM

POSTED: 01/20/10 0645 hours

Hi,

My name is Jean-Claude Lyall, and I am from Port Lyautey. We moved to the U.S. back around 1963. We now live in NC, USA. I am interested in corresponding with people who are from Port Lyautey, or have been there. Your site is great and I hope to meet others as well.

Please email me with any and all info that you are willing to share. I eagerly look forward to hearing from you!

Jean-Claude ~ lyallj2001@yahoo.com

POSTED: 01/19/10 1910 hours

Hi,

I'm Vic Markey. I was stationed at NAF Port Lyautey and then Sidi Yahia from August 1952 until August 1955. Niether Sidi Yahia nor Sidi Boukanadel had been completed when I arrived but were then under constuction.

I worked in a Navy Maintenance Unit (EMU) on NAF P/L. Our shop was located at the base or the hill enroute to the main gate.

When Sidi Yahia was ready to be "cut over", I was reassigned there and worked as a High Speed Radio Operator (Morse). Our job was sending and receiving Morse Code messages from Navy ships enroute to, operating in, or transiting the Med.

Enjoyed my tour immensely. Saddened to leave (a bit) since, after 3 years, I had learned quite a bit about Morocco and watched, while there, as it sought and finally obtained its transition from French Morocco and French control to Morocco as an independent state.
Of course, Spanish Morocco and the International Zone of Tangiers also were reincorporated into the new Moroccan state.

Interested in hearing from anyone also there at that time or anyone with any questions that perhaps I could answer.

Thanks,
Vic Markey ~ vicmarkey@cox.net

POSTED: 01/19/10 1910 hours

Hello,

Looking for any ANGLICO team members, either USMC or USN, who passed through during the 1950's.

Thanks -

Ron Selig / 2nd ANGLICO 1955 - 1957 ~ redtitan78@yahoo.com

POSTED: 01/18/10 1830 hours

Hi Everyone,

My names is Amine. I found this great website accidently while I was helping my little sister in her homework which was about the history and old pictures of Kenitra. I read all your posts in the guest book and it's a great honor for me that you or your parents were and served here in the air base, and I'm sure when say that I'm speaking on behalf of all people in Kenitra that you are welcome here anytime. I want to show you this blog about Kenitra it contains many pictures all and new once unfortunatly there are no new pictures ( such as 2010 pictures) but I'm sure if someday you come here again you will defently like it, and thank you all

Bye

P.S: sorry, my english is not that good...

Mohammed Amine Rouh" a.m.iii.n.e@hotmail.com ~ http://kenitra-ma.skyrock.com/

POSTED: 01/18/10 1830 hours

Hi Lou,

Fantastic site. I was station at NTC Kentira from Autust 70 to Nov 71. Was an ET2 then and worked at Ground Electronics. Spent most time in the tower
and the receiver and transmitter site. ETC Ray Davis was the boss then. Can only remember a few people from those days. There was ET1 Richester
(GCA) ,ET2 John Scully, ET2 Gary Wetzell and Chief Davis. Always lived out in town and did one heck of a bunch of touring. Bought a VW there and
brought it back with me. I left in 71 and went back to Viet Nam with the Naval Advisory Group in 73.

I returned to Morocco in the spring of 73 and was stationed out at Bouk until July 76. Made first class shortly after returning. Had a heck of a
good time on that tour. Still remember some of the folks. ET1 Jim Pattison, ET1 Floroski, ET2 Steve Lyons, ET2 Mickey Lyons and YN2 Mike
Osborne who was replaced by Howie Coburn. The antenna crew was run by Rene`, a French man and his Moroccan crew. Ahmed was working in the snack
bar by the bowling alley. Ben Tami was the pin setter and John was the bartender at the Cork Lounge. Brought back a Portugese wife when we moved
to NAS Lemoore. We split up in 1982

I retired in 1986 as a Chief ET from San Pedro, building FFGs. I am now working for NAVSEA and out of Port Hueneme and live in Ventura.

Maybe there are others out there that may have been at either NAS Kentira or Bock dueing those times that may some others than I worked with during those
times.

I can be contacted at: mglewissr1124@roadrunner.com

Martin (Lou) Lewis, Sr.

ETC Ret

POSTED: 01/14/10 1145 hours

Hi all:

My name is Peter Brown, son of Peter Brown 2nd. My father, Peter Brown, was a Tele-Communications Instructor at the time. I was born on base in Sep 1957. If anyone knew him them, I would like to hear from you. He married a German gal he met in Gibralter Spain. He passed away in 1976.

Cool WEB site and PICS...Shared it with my family. And nice work.

Peter Brown ~ roadisred@yahoo.com

POSTED: 01/10/10 1900 hours

Just would like to say HI to the guys at the communication station. I was stationed on Guam in 1956-57 working in the communications control link (CCL) keeping all the circuits working. I thought Guam was a unforsaken place to work untill I talked with the guys in Port Lyautey. If I shipped over I would have got stuck in Lyautey so I said no thanks and got my discharge.

Ron Haun
Orchard Park, NY
e-mail: silverfox_w30@verizon.net

POSTED: 01/09/10 0900 hours

Lou,

Just visited the website and it truly brought back so many memories. I was at USNTC fromJune 1969 until December 1970 serving in the Supply Dept. I was curious if there is a database for otherpersonel thatserved there and been in touch with the webstie during that same period of time in hopes that I coul d reestablish old contacts? I went to USNTC directlyoutof Class A school in Newport RI, and then after USNTC to the pre-comissioningnucleaus crew of the USS Reasoner (DE1063) in Bremerton Wash.

I want to thank you for the time and effort you have put into this website and plan to stay in touch in the future....Happy New Year.

William Fox SK2

Foxdenwmda@comcast.net

POSTED: 01/07/10 0515 hours

Lou:

Love the ste, it has refreshed so many memories. I was stationed in Kenitra in 1974 and stayed for 18 months, the best 18 months of my military days. I had traveled to Rabat, Casa Blanca, Marakesh, and Tangiers. There were a couple of us that went on a road trip to one of the Playboy clubs over there, and for the life of me I can't remember where that was at. There was a group of us that took a bus trip from some guys from Amsterdam to Terazue Beach. I remember that we had a great time. I'm hoping to find old members from public works that worked in the pipe shop.

Steve Robinson
azgr8@yahoo.com

POSTED: 01/03/10 2200 hours

There is now a Facebook page for those who served at Navcomsta Morocco or may be interested in the base. Just visit Facebook and type in Sidi Yahia in
the search bar. Hope to see you there.

Also, I have a website up for the Sidi base. The address is http://www.angelfire.com/nj3/navcomstamorocco

Joe Franzen ~ chrgr1joe@aol.com

POSTED: 01/02/10 2040 hours

Lou - just want to echo the words of others commending you for the (probably thankless) job you are doing with this website. Have a great 2010 and keep up the great work! Thanks again.

Rather than repeating my P/L tale here, if anyone is interested in my duty there, check the 2008 Guestbook entry for 7/02/2008.

Ed Clayton Sr., AC2
Port Orange, FL 32129
pono3006@aol.com

POSTED: 01/01/10 1830 hours

HAPPY 2010 TO ALL WHO HAVE BEEN STATIONED IN MOROCCO.

I had the privilege of observing 5 New Years celebrations in Morocco, (73-78), and to this day, they have meant more to me than any since. The people I was
stationed with there are still closer, and better friends than the ones I grew up with and went to school with prior to enlisting, and others I have met since my
retirement from the Navy in 92. For some reason, you can be stationed with a person for a few months, and form a bond with them that remains unbreakable
for the rest of your lives.

So, for others that find, or are sent this site, and read the guestbook, take some time to leave a note of your experiences in Morocco, leave your name and contact,
someone else reading your post may indeed be one of your shipmates that you have lost contact with, or maybe have not thought about for years. I can honestly say
you will not be sorry, especially if you are contacted by an old shipmate that "was there", and can help you relive your memories from "The Greatest Duty Station".

Pat Weil
KIA-Ora@att.net
Kenitra 73-78

*Lou, all the best to you and yours in 2010, and keep up the excellent work on your Port Lyautey site, it is appreciated more than is probably noted*

POSTED: 01/01/10 1830 hours

Every year I like to post a Morocco memory here on the website. I do enjoy reading the posts of others who had the opportunity to spend time in
Morocco. My personal thanks to Lou for continuing to work his magic in keeping this treasure chest of memories going. Thanks Lou!

I arrived in Sidi Yahia right after Christmas of 1975. It was my first duty station. When I got my orders to Morocco I had no idea where it was. When
I figured it out I envisioned desert sand, exotic food and belly dancers, not cold weather. I was shocked to discover just how bone chilling cold
Morocco was when I arrived there that winter. When I got my orders to Morocco my orders were stamped "civilian clothes only." I was given a
civilian clothing allowance. Being young and dumb I brought very few uniforms and uniform accessories (like a Pea coat or working jacket) and
packed plenty of liberty duds. I did happen to have a dark blue windbreaker in my wardrobe. I was one very cold dude. Unfortunately, the exchange at
Sidi wasn't stocked with much in the way of clothing, mostly just Cigarettes and Beer (God love them). I had to send a letter home to my Mother with
instructions on how to find my uniforms, pack it in my sea bag, and ship them to me. It took FOREVER to get my sea bag. The day it did arrived the
PC2 (who was actually from NTC Kenitra) called me and man was he P-O'd. He didn't like the idea of hauling around the sea bag of some Seaman
Apprentice. He claimed it was a postal violation to ship a sea bag to Morocco. When I got to the Post Office to collect my sea bag he made
sentences using nothing but curse words and my name mixed with stupid and lazy. It was pretty impressive Sailor talk. Over the next 20 plus years of
my career I never transferred or went on deployment without a sea bag as close to full as I could carry or stow.

Morocco had a very unique smell, especially during the winter nights. I never smelled that smell again anywhere in my worldly travels. It was a
mixture of smoldering wood, burning charcoal, brochettes, and exotic spices all blended together in the damp salty sea air. At first it was nauseating,
but it soon became a delightful, alluring smell.

I moved in to an apartment downtown Kenitra after only a few months in Morocco. I had many memorable late night walks by myself through the
streets from the bus stop at Jack's Bar to where I lived. Walking home I would usually get approached by beggars or young kids wanting to joke around
(or steal my wallet), but I never felt unsafe. My favorite hang out was the club at the Mamora Hotel. This was a stop I frequently made on my way home.
It opened about 10 PM and didn't close till dawn. There was always a group of Sailors in there having a good time with the girls. They had a drink
there called "The Machete." Man that thing would hack you up and leave you speechless. It had Ricard (sometimes referred to a "Retard"), Vodka, and
Coke. It tasted and smelled like liquorish but it was very, very powerful stuff. I had many, many fun times at the Mamora, some I even remember.

I wanted to make a post to update my email address mlw.usn@sbcglobal.net on the site. I always enjoy hearing from those who were fortunate enough to
get to share the enjoyable and wonderful experience of Morocco.

Marcus Wilbanks, RMCS(SW) retired

San Antonio, Texas