frequency radio station in long-haul communications, which makes the goal of high efficiency difficult.

The men of Asmara have answered' the challenge, and the installation has been a constant source of pride for both Headquarters, USASTRATCOM-Europe, and Headquarters, USASTRATCOM, at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Working with the guidance provided by the Satellite Communication Agency, Fort Monmouth, N.J. Asmara also operates a satellite-terminal located at Gura.

The warm, dry year-round climate is perfect for a little African R&R for the STRATCOM man and his family. Paper tape, transistors, and frequency noise melt away in the heat of Massawa, Ethiopia's main seaport. The Red Sea, warmest body of ocean water on earth, has temperatures around the 85 degree mark.

The road down to Massawa from Asmara is, like few you will ever see or drive, stretching for 110 kilometers

 and descending 7,600 feet to sea level in a series of more than 90 switchback curves. Around the next bend you may face a camel caravan or a herd of goats or a family of baboons. You might even come face to face with an Ethiopian coasting down the hill on a home-made cart. Attention is a must.

The sea and the Massawa channel are a mixture of several ocean currents and afford an unlimited experience in Mother Nature's underwater world. Shell collectors find rare specimens. Fishing, both shallow and deep sea, is excellent. Or one can go snorkeling, diving, water skiing, sunbathing, or just relaxing at the rest center. Many camp out on the North Beach area.

But if you don't care for the seashore, Cheren, another rest center located about 90 kilometers from Asmara, offers an inland desert-type atmosphere. Gazelles roam on the chip and putt course, and camel caravans wander through the marketplace.
22 ARMY DIGEST

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