A Flag in Turkey SYS042
Did we just step back in time in this country with all this flag stuff?
A flash back to 1963, I hope that was the year and the incident that I remember from a trip to the port city of Izmir, Turkey. We were there for a few days of liberty call. We were doing a landing at a place called Marmaris, Turkey which is famous in history for housing Turkish Baths from a few thousand years ago that were probably built under the guidance of the Roman Army.
Any way, Izmir, Turkey was the port city we were going to have liberty call in and we were there to have a good time. Noting that they are a bit back in time, one had to be careful in Izmir. Things that you were able to get away with in Naples, Italy and Golfe Juan, France were not permissable in Izmir, Turkey. There were a whole different set of rules when you were on liberty call in.
One day, while we were on liberty call, a few UDT Sailors improvised a training drill, or, exercise, while they were on their liberty call. I guess after a few beers, one said to the other, I bet I can climb that flag pole faster than you can climb the flag pole. Now, you have to put this in context, every street corner in Izmir, Turkey had flag pole with a Turkish flag. In a short period of time, both UDT Sailors were climbing separate flag poles to see who was the fastest climber.
Back in the old US of A, this would not have been a problem but in Izmir, Turkey, the Turkish flag is sacred. I don't know, or, ever found out who won the flag climbing race but when we returned to the ship later that evening, two UDT Sailors were not on board but had been arrested for defacing the Turkish flag. Apparently, a diplomatic incident had occurred and our ship was in the middle of a major international incident.
By the next morning, the admiral that was in charge of the eight ships was enroute to the local US Embassy to try and remedy the situation before it got out of hand. A day or two had passed and the local US official from the US Embassy had to intercede with the local government and explain that the two UDT Sailors had meant no harm and were solely doing a race up the flag pole to see who was the fastest.
Fortunately, the diplomat in charge at the US Embassy was able to convince the local government that no harm was intended and that it was soley a race to the top of the flag pole and grabbing the flag was not meant as an insult to the Turkish government. the two UDT Sailors were released and allowed to return to the ship. They were welcomed and told by their supperior officer to use common sense in the future. Knowing the UDT Sailors involved, I told them they were very lucky to get off.
Another quick Izmir, Turkey story relates to the girls of the night, They have them in every port in the Med. Every port has them and each country treats them differently, Here, in Izmir, Turkey, we were taking a taxi cab to another section of Izmir and the cab driver wanted to know if we wanted to see some girls of the night.
We told him that we heard that is was illegal for girls to offer sex for sale in Izmir, Turkey. We asked him what happens to a girl that is caught offering sex for sale. He told us that she is arrested and forced to live in a compound by the government and work off the fine she is given. We asked what type of of work does she have to do for her to pay off the fine from the government.
She does what she was arrested for but the government collects the money. And we asked him where he was going to take us and he told us that he would take us to the government compound but we would have to stay down in the taxi because military people were not allowed in the compund. He was a great cab driver and took us to a club where we were enterained by a belly dancer and we didn't get into any trouble. That was about as exciting as it got in Izmir, Turkey. Now, the other ports, that was a different story.
Sharing a few memories o f "So You Served." Enjoy,
Marty Dougherty