North Africa

I received orders to report to the Marine Security Guard detachment at the American Embassy in Tunisia North Africa. I flew from Dulles International Airport in a thick snow storm in February. We had to wait on the runway in the jet for three hours before we started down the blind runway. Then it was off to Paris France. I recall paying a dollar for a Coke that came in a small cup which Back in 1972 that was an unheard of price. Then off to Naples Italy and a short flight over the little island of Crete and on into Tunis Tunisia.
This was a land of Arabic and French speaking people, colorful Nomads and Berber tribes. Tunisia was a land where the tanks wars were fought in WW-2. and as history explains it, Tunis fell within 36 hours and the campaign finished at Cap Bon five days later when the German Afrika Corps

turned around and all quarter of a million of them surrendered!!!!!!!!!!

Tunisia rest on the Mediterranean sea and has a rich ancient history of Carthage and the Roman empire. I had never heard of such a place but it sounded like an Indiana Jones adventure. Little did I know that it would allow me to bring home so many treasures and stories to tell. This first assignment truly reshaped my life and became a source of helping me to become educated in fine arts and ancient history as well as the world of politics, mercenaries, espionage and diplomacy.