June 1978—American Embassy Amman, Jordan I enjoyed my visits to Amman, Jordan. Hands down it was the closest thing to Israel in the Middle East. I had to believe that was due mainly to the guidance of King Hussein, one of my idols. As I’ve mentioned in several previous messages (tag: King Hussein of Jordan),…
Tag: King Hussein of Jordan
Amman, Jordan | Visiting King Hussein of Jordan
Mid-November 1977 The Royal Jordanian Airlines flight had touched down at Amman International Airport with as little fuss as possible. No hand-clapping nor a mad rush to vacate the aircraft. I passed through passport control without holding my breath. <feature photo Amman, Jordan by atlas tours.net Although it wasn’t a modern air terminal my baggage…
Planes, Trains and P.O.V.s (Privately Owned Vehicles)
“Big Ol Jet Airliner” Two more weeks and I’d be aboard a “Big Ol Jet Airliner” (Steve Miller Band) headed to Am Consul Karachi, Pakistan via a stopover in London. My first assignment in the Foreign Service. I walked into the lobby of The U.S. State Department. Probably my last visit for a couple of…
The King Hussein Protective Detail | En Route Cypress Gardens (Part Three)
On a sunny Sunday morning in April of 1977 the S.Y. protective detail took off for Cypress Gardens, about an hour drive. King Hussein had added water skiing to his interests that included flying his own jet, HAM radio operator, motorcycle enthusiast—the list goes on. The Road to Cypress Gardens Two black vehicles and two…
A Mystery Visitor | King Hussein of Jordan Detail (Part Two)
The King Hussein of Jordan security detail had been stricken by the reverence of the Magic Kingdom. The State Department Security agents–S.Y.–had already made up radio call signs for everyone. The agent-in-charge answered to Captain Hook. His cadre had taken the monikers of Blackbeard, Bluebeard, Cannonball, Peg Leg, and Gunpowder after they had visited the Pirates…
The King Hussein Protective Detail (Part One)
April 1977 King Hussein of Jordan could have qualified as the “the world’s most interesting man.” His Royal Highness knew how to connect to people at all levels. King Hussein, call sign “JY1,” was an amateur radio enthusiast. HAM radio operators around the world regarded him highly. The term most used to describe him was,…
High School Graduation Interrupted By “Six-Day Arab-Israeli War”
Flashback | June 5, 1967 The beginning of the “Six-Day War” between the Israelis and the Arabs would have a profound effect on my life. But, on that day I wasn’t even aware of the situation in the Middle East. I had one thing on my mind—to graduate from high school and enjoy our Disneyland…
Foreign Service Messages 