Col. Harkin US Army -  Military Attache'

Comments Submitted by  J.D. Panknin on 02/01/2009
Things were very "laid back " in those days.  The  embassy was a beautiful white marble  building. The Marine house was 13 room house with white marble floors and stairs, with a large fenced in yard, in an area called Citi Jardin.   In 1994 my wife (from Tunis) and I returned.  The whole scheme  of things has changed dramatically.  The  Marine house was almost like a prison, with walls all around and armed  Tunisian guards.  The  embassy wasn't even recognizable with steel grating covering the whole building.  I had called ahead and made arrangements to meet with the Marines .  They gave me a coutesy tour of the new Post one  and the weapons and procedures that they had  at that time.  It was amazing, since the only we had at our disposal were 5 .38 cal pistols and a couple of boxes of shells that were locked in a safe behind two vault doors in the code room on the 3rd floor!!  There use could only  be authorized by the Ambassador, so you can imagine what  would happen if you' re the only one on Post in the middle of the night and the s--- hits the fan!!!

 

I presented the Marine house a large latch hook MC emblem and a case of  Red Dog beer that was popular at the time.  I still don't know how I passed thru Tunisian customs with it.  They  didn't ask and I didn't tell!!