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Show Page HILL TOP TIMES 10 October 26, 1979 G By Capt. Michael Perini be surprisingly clean. Houses look freshly Like vikings of old, modern Norwegians lead vigorous lives in that land of soaring cliffs and narrow fjords. From their smiling faces to their hardy and friendly helping hands, the country is a land made up of excellent hosts. They are a proud, personable and honest people who draw from their old legends and traditions in creating a strong northern ally for NATO. A trip to Norway is only a dream for most Americans. So, for the 330 Air Force people on that short term deployment, it represented a unique experience; a chance to learn about the breathtaking Scandinavian country. And for the Norwegians, it was an opportunity to extend warm greetings to the people in uniform who, if a crisis should occur, would off er their skills to combine with Scandinavian strength. "The airmen who are here need to know what we, the people who they may have to defend someday, are like," said Lt, Col. Reidar Isaksen, Flesland Air Station commander. And. as if to prove the seriousness of his statement, a series of free tours was set up by the Norwegian Air Force and the city of Bergen. This enabled airmen to turn off duty time into an inexpensive and exciting experience as they became acquainted with Bergen, its people and its exciting past A first glimpse of Bergen is not easily forgotten. It is a city of 215,000 set among seven towering mountains with houses which seem at a glance to be built on top of one another. For such a large city, it appears to . e .i.xmmmJi mui y and lawns are well kept and artistically landscaped. Bergen is a thriving shipping and cultural center. Many large ships and fishing boats PAO 388 TFVV ' - painted . line the harbor. For the visiting airmen, there is so much to see and so relatively little time to see it in, that the constant rain showers don't spoil those few sightseeing excursions. Bergen is over 900 years old and, though the city has been ravaged by fire, many medieval and renaissance buildings can still be found. The Hanseatic wharf where German merchants conducted business in the 1700's is throbbing today with many shops filled with pewter, silverware, ceramics, sweaters and wood carvings "good buys," a Norwegian shop owner said. It is extremely expensive here. Especially for essential living items, such as food, fuel and lodging. One of the best preserved wooden churches in the country, the Fantof t Stave Church, built in the 12th century, is located on the way to Bergen. For many, its uniqueness is a highlight of the group tours. Besides many fine shops and historic and cultural buildings, there are restaurants which offer century old recipes for salmon and trout dishes. The service is excellent, the food outstanding and the price comparatively reasonable. In spite of the magnificant landscape and pleasant people, touring Bergen took a backseat to flying the F--4 Phantoms and supporting the NATO exercise, which is why we were there. Muni miiiyrii,,! Truif ,1 ' -v v fir z . . . Patch collection Capt. Frank Shelt displays the colorful cloth patch which was designed to comaircrews It memorate the Coronet Pony deployment to Norway. For many of the was their last major overseas exercise flying the (Photo by Kurt Strand) F-- 4 F-- 4. , Awosomo The Phantom was described by many Norwegians who saw it as "an awesome aircraft." (U.S. Air Force Photo by SSgt. Michael Cleveland) F-- 4 V ..u. ... it 3 "s - .., --v- ..... ' 'Zzj833k , .N rP T Sounds of silence "Monkey Ears" hand from an F- - wing pf for use, as an air crew Inspects the aircraft prior to flight. To many Norwegians,ready the roar of the was welcome sound as It demonstrated the strength of America's commitment to the adefense of their country. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Capt. Michael B. Perini) F-- 4s Chow tirno More than 400 people were fed a variety of American dishes during a special party to honor the Norwegians who had helped make the deployment a success. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Capt. Michael B. Perlnt) |