Jumbo MSG guards
Many years ago I was a marine in Dar – 1^st member of the 2^nd MSG detachment that arrived (6^th man).  I had been previously assigned to Saigon, S. Vietman (2 tours) – arrived in Dar August  1974, I believe.  When I left Dar, my enlistment  time was up (enlisted for 4 years) - was discharged in July 1975.  My name changed from back than – I was formally known as SGT. Peter R. Johnson -A/NCOIC (long personal story – had been adopted as young boy – found my real family in 1989 – great story)
I had picked Dar – had 1^st priority to pick any destination in the world after being in a combat zone – I picked this place.  The guards in Dar thought I was crazy – picking what was called back than - a hard ship post.  Glad I did it – had the best time in my life – fantastic group of marines and embassy staff.  I was the 1^st marine from Dar to climb Kilimanjaro – Kenya guards had done it before us.  If you have a chance to go – do it – I put my name in the 3^rd stage camp, metal hut – just before you climb the last leg.  I always think of the area, the beauty the wonderful local people.  The natural beauty there is unsurpassed from anywhere.

What we missed most back than was fresh milk and fruit. 

We had a cook (mom), a house boy (Cabunga) and a gardener to take care of the hedges around our compound.

I was part of the first marine corps birthday bash.

Enjoyed the yacht club – learned to sail there.

Deputy Ambassador had an old tug that we took out to the island every other week, just outside of the harbor – did a lot of snorkeling there.

Enjoyed the TGIF’s – we always had a lot of people show up.

We arranged to play Volleyball in back of the house each Thursday afternoon.  Soviet compound was next door.

Played basketball every week with embassy staff – playing all challengers – even the university team – they beat us. 

Does Jane Goodall still live down by the presidents compound – north of town past the salt ponds?

Is Dar still considered a  hardship post?

If I could do anything more in Dar – what would it be? – (1) take more photos.  (2) see more game parks.  (3) snorkeling– perhaps the finest in the world. (4) learn more Swahili

At that time we were a civilian clothes only post and the company office (Company F) was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia..  The US Embassy was on the 7^th floor of a bank building in downtown Dar es Salaam, right by the harbor.  The building the Embassy was in at the time of the bombing in Aug 1998 had been built as the Isreali Embassy and was sitting empty while I was there since the Israelis had left following the break in diplomatic relations during the Yom Kippor War in 1973.