The Radio Operations was divided into a large main building containing all the stacks of radio equipment and a smaller Control Room containing switchboards and circuit mainframe. After getting trained as a microwave radio repairman now I was going to operate a switchboard that I had never even seen before. I was glad the Army didn't decide to make me a cook after $10,000 worth of training because I would have ended up poisoning everyone. Anyhow, I did learn to operate and use the switchboard efficiently and I was able to send and receive tones which were used to align circuits for resistance. I even got to enjoy the work and learned many useful skills that made me a better all around technician.

Depending on the work shift there were 3-5 operators on duty but there could be as many as 7 including a ROK Air Force tech. He would provide translation for us when needed but also worked on some ROK circuits that also went thought Bucket Site. It was difficult at first to understand an English speaking Korean soldier on the radio or phone but with time it became a normal conversation.

Sometime the atmosphere in the Control Room was boring and quiet and we spent time listening in on various circuits which was not permitted, or "rang up" a friend on another site to B.S. with them and pass the time. We had phone line circuits that went to Hawaii and the U.S. too but we could not use them to phone home or we would get in "deep kim-shi." Other times working at the switchboard required an operator to have 3 or more hands in order to accomplish the many tasks going on at one time. The room had 5 or 6 switchboards, teletype machines and radios and when busy was a buzz with voices and personnel working at each position.   Hi-Res Pic (123K)