FCDC days
I just discovered this site today and have read many of the posts with great interest, and I remember many of the names of people who have been mentioned in them. It was 30 years ago, but since I was there, I feel compelled now to post a few of my own thoughts as well.
I arrived at FCDC in the late fall of 1976 and left in the early spring of of 1978. It was a pivotal era, but oddly enough, I managed to miss some of the more significant events that occurred during that time.
I went to FLAG for some administrative training in late summer of 1977, along with Jon Mervine, Allen Blake, and Debbie Masters (there may have been some others along as well but I don't recall). Since we were there until the spring of '78, I missed the great snowstorm that blanketed the east coast during that winter. There was a tall charismatic black instructor at FLAG that we all liked; I think his name was Al Baker. While I was at FLAG I began to get an inkling of how insane everything was, but I wasn't sure how to deal with it. I remember hearing James Taylor's recording of Terra Nova, and feeling as if it were written for me.
I missed the FBI raid, too. A friend of mine had come to visit that day, and having secured a rare day off, I took him to see my adopted grandfather, who had a lovely farm out in Oakton, Virginia. My adopted grandfather's name was Arthur Raper (really!). He was a respected civil rights activist and writer, and was one of the finest individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing:
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-746
My grandfather's farm was a true sanctuary for me and I think it helped to keep me sane during my tenure on staff. Strangely, I never went out there with any of my Scientology friends, though we talked about it a lot. So when the time came, it became the perfect hideout and refuge.
Some names I remember:
Mike Rabin - We all called Sausage, because of his terrible case of acne. He was the Dir Com, and he took his job very seriously. We hung out a lot together. (Anybody know anything about this guy?)
I remember Bill Franks tearing Tim Mantis' shirt off.
I was not surprised to read that Tom Clapp went on to become ED. If its the same guy I'm thinking of - he was tall and curly headed and had been a talented baseball player before joining staff. He had tremendous reflexes - we used to play these hand-slapping reaction time games, and I would come away with my hands red and swollen, but I could never nail him. His girlfriend was Vonna Bonta (cool to read that she's now a SCi -Fi writer). From her pictures that I found through the link that was posted, its definitely her. She was hot then, and still is, apparently.
I remember Rick Green as a charismatic leader as well. The link for the picture that was posted on this thread definitely looks like him, though he does look awfully young. But he was always a handsome guy (with a big ego), and probably cares enough about his looks to do what it takes to keep looking that way.
I remember Steve Steele - Stainless, we called him. Huge guy, sweated a lot. He loved Bill and Jeanie Franks, and when they got busted, he blew staff.
I liked the guys in Estates. They all seemed like free spirits, and didn't ever seem to take things as seriously as everyone else seemed to. Tony I remember, and another guy whose name I can't recall, as well as a really nice black kid with a great smile, and an Irish guy named Mick.
I especially remember Ivanna Burke, with her porcelain skin, her deep brown eyes and the exotic air of mystery that she had about her. We had many late night talks together, and I swear if she had taken the slightest interest in me I might still be there (Anyone know what became of her?) Sigh...
I'll stop there for now and enjoy the memories (call them MIPs if you like, but its not nearly as romantic)
Mark