USASA Worldwide Direction Finding Net

Aviano & Ravenna Italy DF Site, Detachment A, 75th & 600th ASA Company

AN/TRD-4A Ravenna, Italy. Installed March 1961. Photo circa 1962

Operations area and huts around 1970 or so. Brian Laycock photo sent in by Al Stewart

Click for the Channel Marker. This was heard by someone at the Site every few seconds 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year until change over to TTY some years later (Similar channel markers were monitored by detachment people worldwide in the far ranging....... High Frequency Radio Direction Finding detachments).

The above was often interrupted by something like this: CT CT CT (large file: 931KB)

---->Morse courtesy of Mike Mulich

Note from the Chief Bottle Washer- This was my first assignment after initial training at Fort Devens. A great place and detachment to be in so as you might expect there is quite a bit about this detachment on the web site.

Detachment "A" which had been stationed on Aviano, Italy Air Force Base was relocated to Ravenna, Italy on the Adriatic coast on March 6, 1961. It was a small detachment but has sustained strong memories in many of it's assigned people.

There was the Army, ASA, duty, rotating shifts, mids, generators, lugging fuel, mud, sunshine, rain, sunshine, girls, women, pasta, wine, touring, beaches, pizza, beer, accidents, women, duty, and parties

YES there were also a couple of parties. There were also quite a few marriages between our guys and the local ladies.

This is a little bit of their (our) story. I was assigned to the Det for four years--summer of 1960 to the summer of 1964--and can shed some light on a little bit of it. But for the web site to grow and do justice to the history of "Detachment A" I will need the help of those that were there before me, after me and while I was there.

Input is invited from former members of the detachment and their family members in the way of photos, anecdotes, longer stories, facts, names, whatever you care to offer. Also desired is as complete a roster of people as possible.

Send your comments and material to me at the email address at the bottom of the page. Your input may be edited.

I will assume, unless informed otherwise, that any photos sent are owned by you and you are providing permission for me to publish them on the Ravenna D/F Site web pages.

Thanks, and where's the wine?

Tom Harris

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