Military years (Turkey)

Cave tombs, referred to as the ’Kings Tombs’ and dug for the Pontus kings between 400 and 200 BC. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

One particularly memorable trip when I was stationed in Turkey, was to the inland city of Amasya. Traveling with the same group that usually traveled together, we took the military shuttle to Samsun and then a train (powered by a coal-burning steam engine) to Amasya. Amasya is deep in the mountains, with a historic set of tombs dug into the mountainside overhead. The city itself was relatively small – most of it can be seen in the picture from the tombs. We spent two nights there in a local hotel overlooking the river, and simply explored the tombs and walked around town. The city was not a place that received many tourists, so we had to get by on our limited Turkish, combined with our limited German or French (more locals spoke some of either German or French, than English). This was also the first place that I had to deal with what was then the Turkish version of a toilet – simply a hole in the floor, two foot pads, and a spigot for cleaning. The trip to Amasya was in the winter – they heated with a fairly dirty coal in those days, and it was overcast/drizzly, so everything looks gray in the pictures. The cave tombs are referred to as the ’Kings Tombs’ and were dug for the Pontus kings between 400 and 200 BC. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

View of Amasya from the trails around the tombs. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

The sargeant who made sure many of us got off based and to see things. Too bad I didn't think enough about it then to thank him for helping us explore. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Amasya, from along the river. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Central Amasya. From what I can determine, the large structure in the center is the Sultan Bayezıt II Kulliye (Center) which was constructed in 1485 - 86. As noted in an adjacent picture, coal was used for heat in those days, which is the reason for the gray skies. Photo is from a slide taken when I was in the military and stationed in Turkey (1969 to 1970); restoration of the slides was by a friend.

Amasya, from along the river. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Our hotel which, once inside, would have seemed primitive by American standards but was perfectly comfortable. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Amasya, from along the river. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

At the time I was in Turkey, there were no visible efforts to protect such historic sites, they were simply open for anyone to explore. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Cave tombs, referred to as the ’Kings Tombs’ and dug for the Pontus kings between 400 and 200 BC. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Amasya, from along the river. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

Steam freight train, from cliffs over Amasya, in 1970 -- one of the most memorable trips from my time in Turkey. Photo is from a slide taken between 1969 and 1970; restoration of the slides were by a friend.

Taxi service in Amasya could be either by horse & buggy, or by car -- here we're on the way to the train station. Photo is from a slide taken between 1967 and 1971; restoration of the slides were by a friend.

Cave tombs, referred to as the ’Kings Tombs’ and dug for the Pontus kings between 400 and 200 BC. Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.

From a trip to Amasya, which is north central Turkey. This was in the winter and coal was used for heat in those days, thus the gray skies. Photo is from a slide taken when I was in the military and stationed in Turkey (1969 to 1970); restoration of the slides was by a friend.