Hey this Groundhog, stationed 74-75 - We use to party on the north end of the Island in a cave, seen in this picture.

i was there 67-68. beatiful. loved walking to cockburn town. biwi's would stand along side the road waiting for and then say "down the road man?" as if waiting for a taxi. real paradise. shame to see the commercial bump.

was there 67-68. thought was one of the most serene/beautiful places. the water encatchment would be so crowded w sand crabs they would open and close a path by your footsteps as you would walk through. waters were beautiful could snorkle out quarter to half mile in only 30 ft water. liked both your comments. now i know it wasn't a dream

Just found this web site with some pictures of Grand Turk. I was a 17 year old 3rd class utilitiesman with the Seabees from 1964 thru 1965. We maintained and operated the fresh water distillation plant. I remember lighting off the steam boiler with a long pole having a lit oil soaked rag. The boiler would roar like a lion! Back then the Navy probably paid 10 cents a gallon for oil. Taking care of the galley steam boiler and refrigeration allowed us to get some of the treats from the freezers. Many nights we would stay up shooting pool at the rec bldg listing to oldies on a very static radio. Weekends we would hang around the salt water pool and have one of the local donkeys down a six pack. We had a coral that had a few small horses which we rode to town now and then. I though my horse was a good swimmer, almost drowned him. We certainly did a ton of snorkling, fantastic water. Once a month the base's gunners mate would have us fire the old M-1's down at the beach. You never new when the Cubans were going to invade. Each week would take the grey flatbed with the side rails to the port and load up with supplies and the galley's chow. We would get the Native Bewee's standing by the road jumping out of their shoes by turning off and on the inigtion switch causing quite the backfire. Those old GMC trucks could take it. I don't recall having any babes bar tending but the rum and cokes were a time each. Our daily tropical hour routine would be breakfast at 6:30, muster at 7, work to 10 brunch, work to 12 noon lunch, work to 2:30 snorkling, dinner at 6, cocktails at the bar until the outdoor movie started at dark. We survived one hurricane that hit the base. My best memory was having my buddy, Joe Koches and I sailing a sunfish early one morning to the other end of the island wearing only white sneakers and bathing suits. We sailed to a small sandbar about 5 miles offshore and dragged the sunfish on shore. Unfortunately, not far enough. After returning from a swim from the other side of the sandbar, the wind took our sunfish off to Cuba. Looking back at the island the RCA base radar dishes were the size of dimes. With no VHF radio and no Coast Guard it was time to swim. Luckly there was a sizeable half submerged log we used all day into the evening to reach the shore. No shark or barricuda attacks but severely sun burned. One Native Bewee fetched the sunfish way offshore and yes the Captain chewed our asses. I still think about that swim today. Presently I'm living on an old trawler in the Florida Keys which is as close as you can get to the beautiful Caribbean waters and not leave the USA. Happy to hear from anyone that was stationed at Grand Turk (dmsyvertsen@gmail.com) Best of health to all Vet's and active military. Paul M. Syvertsen

Kinda late, but I was there in 1957 everything was quonset huts.I was an RM, put me on mess cooking as soon as I got there. Then they said they don't need me. Sent me to Navfac Barbados for a year. Great duty.

I was on Turks Island in 1968 working at Cable & Wireless. Mike Whaling was C.O. initially and was relieved by Jack Jones. A guy known as 'Big V' was an enlisted man there at that time.

I was stationed there 71 - 72. I remember the USO shows that came through there. I remember the Executive Officer was Lt Hilser or something like that. I also remember Lt Olsen. I have several pictures that were taken on that Island while I was stationed there. There wasn't a whole lot to do there but drink at the club or go to the civilian base, party and watch a movie. I organized the 1st cross Island race there. I think we should start a facebook page, we may find more and more of us. Just a thought. - Jack

LOL, I had it sort of figured out, every now and then they'd spot a Sub and we'd be sending out Top secret & TS Crypto messages.

I was stationed at Nav Fac Grand Turk from july 1974 to july 1975 as an EOCN attached to the public Works Garage and was with the SEABEES .Among those there at the time were PO2 Hank Wheeler in charge of the Garage ,CECN Chip Gilbert ,SWCN Dan Rybnick,Cm3 Danny Engle ,Jack Olmstead,Dave Perkins , Ltjg.Weyrough,XoBrown, Chico Mungaro,Charlie Burke, JIm WIILIE Williams , JIm Dunfee ,Jim Matacynski,Dutch Roloff and lest we forget the ever gorgeous ,hot ,sexy 5foot 2 long haired brunette JENNY METZ What A FOX!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also there I can't keep giging all ratings ,etc. were Andy Collins ,John Fear ,THE BUGMAN ,Jim Lavinski,Mark Farley,BETZ,Gregg Schellenberger one of the many crazy civilivian contractors that worked on the E.M. barracks for a year ,Danny Biskar and his german shepard that rode on the back of Dan's motorcycle! Chief Turrel , lou Greene, Doc Pollard,Ut2 Larry Beckett, SkJim Kleinfelder,The unforgetable Rose Richardson,Wilma and Carmen the two local bar maids.And does anyone remember the two loose locals Tiger Paw and Bambi Legs?Hm3Joe Commerford,Ben Johnson,a WAVE who went by the name of Buffy,Jim engleheart ,Dirk Fisher also known as THE BUGMAN his distinct laugh could be picked out amognst the biggest of crowds!Going down to the dock for the M -boat working party what a joke and yet a blast.The fire engines roaring past the EM Club at midnight and all the drunks from the club piling on to lend a hand but more of a nuisance.The old grey Dodge flatbed converted into what looked like acttle truck but was our bus to get around the island with ! Public Wors personal being lined up in front of the Chow Hall after breakfast to be marched over to the Publick Works area by CM-E Danny Engle and then amuster we would all sing to the personal lined up across from us for morning muster just laughing their asses off at us crazy SEABEES .There wasn'tmuch to do there and there was a variety of fleet sailors there and Seabees but we all got along all 130 of us and made the best of it ,I remember I hated it there when I first got there but when the last 2 or 3 months got closer to leaving there was such a bond of the people you met over that year that it didn't seem possible it would ever end but then came the last day and as I sat with Chip Gilbert and Dan Engle in the chow HALL FOR OUR LAST BREAKFAST together not much was said and it was hard to swallow as you ate form the lump in your throat as ypu waited to hear those famous words over the intercom Transportation To The Auxillary Airfield will depart in 5 Minutes! No-one talked as I went to the barracks to get my seabag and say my farewells and exited the building here come CM-3 Engle and CECN Chip Gilbert in the olive drab 5-ton military Seabee dump truck to take me the airport we all wore sunglasses and not a word utterted as we drove by the main gate and Engineman Chico Mungaro saluted me as I left. I couldn't wait to leave and now it seemed unbearable leaving the best friends and bunch of guys I ever met or served with again.As Whacky Macky tha Stangeliner took off down the runway and as usual all hand stood by the runway some if not all of them shooting you the MOON my eyes welled up with tears as I know realized I had just left one of the best the years I would ever enjoy and as crazy antics tricks and jokes that someone could evr imagine in their wildest dreams. So over the past 36 years Chip Gilbert and I still remain great friends and stay in touch always and had always talked about going back to Grand Turk.He was fortunate enough to have gone back I think it was in 2004 with his family and how everything changed there.The base is now a college,and the Pam am base is closed ,the TIKI HUT is Gone and Cruise ships now visit the island.I hope to go back there someday in fact wouldn't be great if we all got together and had a reunion there?

            To all my shipmates 1974 to1975 

              Grand Turk ,BWI.


              Thanks for all the good times,


                Charlie Ketz.


                LItchfield ,CT

Scott, How the heck did you get the photo inside the T-building??? That's where I did my work.On the consoles.TARF.