The last destination for nine weary cartoonists on this fantastic USO tour was Incirlik Air Base in Adana, Turkey. Adana is in south central section of Turkey above Lebanon and Israel. However, before making our way there, I managed to snap a few shots of locals in the Istanbul airport where we had a layover.
Turkish delight.Some friendly employees of a Turkish restaurant called “Burger King.”Wheelchairs in Istanbul’s airport were scooters that zipped through pedestrian traffic.Chip Bok ready to board our twilight flight to Adana with his hands free to hold a water bottle, because for the first time on our trip he checked his other bag.Rick Kirkman and Bruce Higdon waiting for Chip Bok to find his bag in Adana’s airport. Murphy’s Law dictated that his would be the only bag through the entire trip to become lost. (It showed up the next day.)Family vacation.We made it to Incirlik Air Base in Adana. Incirlik is a Turkish air base that has allowed Americans to have a presence there, too.Our name in lights! Although, by this time we were feeling like International Cartoonists.Our first drawing session was in the afternoon of our first day. They split us into two groups. I was part of a group that drew in the food court outside of the base’s main store. As you can see, children are at this base.Some international locations allow soldiers to bring their families. In such cases, they are usually stationed there for two years. At the moment, everyone was restricted to base due to some threats outside the walls, so we, too, were unable to leave to see any of the local sights during our down time. Our captive audience LOVED getting their drawings!Usually when I draw, the kids ask me for Disney characters. These twin brothers went a different way. The brother on the right went first and asked me to draw a ninja bear. I can honestly say that is my first ever ninja bear. A second first for me was when his brother asked me to draw him the Phantom of the Opera. He was nutty for that musical.While in Adana, Armed Forces Radio wanted to interview us, so representing our group was Michael Ramirez, Paul Combs, Rick Kirkman, and Ed Steckley.Steckley and Kirkman making faces appropriate for radio.
Armed Forces Television also did a piece on us while we visited Adana. While I was over at the base store, they interviewed the guys who were drawing over at the bowling alley. I heard later from someone stationed in Djibouti that he saw the report on television all the way over there, so it went out to all our troops who had access to the military’s media feed.
After our first day in Turkey, we had a free night to ourselves. Some of us found our way to the bowling alley to strike a few pins.
While striking pins was a goal, I managed to prove on an air base that you don’t need an airplane to become airborne. When bowling, never ever ever step across that line. I did so accidentally, and found myself getting some very real air before landing with a thud flat on my back on the alley. While no one had their cameras ready for my wingless flight, Rick Kirkman remembered it well enough to commit it to paper later.
Rick Kirkman’s photographic memory captured my wingless flight.
