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(U) Part II of Remembrance of NSA Thanksgivings Past...
FROM: SIGINT Communications
Unknown
Run Date: 11/23/2005
(U) We asked NSA'ers to send us their stories of spending
Thanksgiving in unusual circumstances (see the call for
submissions ). Here's what we learned...
(U) Thanksgiving Down Under
(U) While an integree at DSD in Melbourne, Australia, we hosted a
Thanksgiving dinner for a group of Aussies and Americans. Since
this came less than a month after we hosted a costumed Halloween
party, one of my co-workers at DSD asked whether anything
special needed to be worn for Thanksgiving. I told him with a
straight face that he and his wife could either dress as pilgrims or
just wear an apple on a string around their necks. I guess they
couldn't find black shoes with big buckles, because they showed up
on Thanksgiving, each with a shiny red apple on a string tied
around their necks. Being extremely good sports, they wore them
for the entire evening.
--
(U) Midway Between Turkey and Curry
(S) I spent Thanksgiving Day 1986 at Midway Island on a TDY to
support Operation PONY EXPRESS. Air Force C-130 and Navy P-3
and EP-3 collection aircraft staged from there to monitor a fullrange Russian SLBM (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile) test
launch impacting in the ocean near Midway.
(U) The large group of TDY personnel made for crowded conditions
on an island already imumdated with gooney birds. The Leyte
albatross, called the gooney bird for it's less-than-graceful landing
technique, flock to Midway Island in the winter to mate and raise
their young. The squawking and bill-clicking of their mating rituals
was a constant cacophony during the day. The gooney is not an
exceptionally brilliant bird either. We found a stray tennis ball on
the walkway and rolled it toward a nearby gooney bird sitting on its
nest. The bird stared at for a moment before repositioning herself
to cover the tennis ball as well as her egg.
(U) We enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on the island,
although there was a slight hint of curry to it. The Navy outsourced base services to ITT, who had staffed the place with Sri
Lankan workers. There was a curry dish available at every meal in
the cafeteria, including breakfast, and the taste of it was
everywhere. I don't think the dishwasher removed the curry from
the plates and utensils, just redistributed it in a fine layer on
everything.
--
SERIES:
(U) Thanksgiving
1. A Remembrance of
NSA Thanksgivings
Past...
2. Part II of
Remembrance of
NSA Thanksgivings
Past...
3. Part III of
Remembrance of
NSA Thanksgivings
Past...
(U) Thanksgiving in the Cotswolds
(U//FOUO) A cold and heavy fog hung over the Cotswold hills in
southwest England as temperatures hovered in the very low 40s
while members of the Special U.S. Liaison Office
(London/Cheltenham) (SUSLOL) family gathered to celebrate
Thanksgiving 2005. As in past years, this celebration was planned
and orchestrated by an impressive list of 43 SUSLOL volunteers
and their families. Close to 150 family members attended the
event, which was the largest SUSLOL family Thanksgiving dinner
I've had the privilege to attend. Being at an overseas location
during the holidays does not mean we -- as Americans -- leave our
traditions and values behind. While we may not always have the
opportunity to share in the traditional holiday gatherings with our
immediate families back in the U.S., the SUSLOL family is one that
we all appreciate and will miss. As with most Thanksgiving family
dinners, our SUSLOL family feast had all the usually trimmings of
turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, breads, desserts and
many more calorie-laden items. SUSLOL Chief Chris Inglis
welcomed everyone and thanked us all for serving our country in
ways only we could.
gave the invocation and masterof-ceremonies
orchestrated the rush to the buffet table.
As the afternoon was winding down and the turkey leftovers were
being sent home with many families members, only to reappear
one day as a turkey sandwich, the SUSLOL families said their goodbyes and disappeared in the heavy fog longing to continue the
post-Thanksgiving dinner tradition -- a nap on the sofa.
--
Written on behalf of all SUSLOL family members!
(U) Watch for Part III of this Thanksgiving series tomorrow!
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108