PFC Charles L. Finn plays with his little friend, Billy Joe, in his quarters atop Nam San Mountain, Seoul, Korea.  PFC Finn plans to adopt Billy Joe in the near future and take him home to Fayetteville, Tennessee.

Troops Like Mountaintop Life

SEOUL (AFFE/8^TH Army)-Sixteen American soldiers live atop a mountain peak near Seoul while keeping open the telephone communications from Seoul to all points in Korea and Japan.  Known as to the U.S. Army and as Nam San to the Koreans, the site is home to the small detachment from the 8226^th AU Long Lines Signal Group.

Signal equipment on the mountain relays non-cable telephone calls from Seoul to Korea and Japan and handles many phone calls to the U.S.  In addition, Far East Network radio show, to AFKN for presentation in Korea, are relayed by the unit.

THOUSANDS of calls go through Signal Hill every day, including calls to the U.S. from the Osan Service Club between 5 and 10 p.m.  "Most of these calls are long distance calls between Seoul's Victor exchange and other points in Korea," says M/Sgt. Robert Freeman, non-commissioned officer in charge of the group.

A five-table mess hall, snack bar, club and movie theater help keep the men occupied.  A new movie is shown daily.

"WE DON'T have any morale problem here," said SP3 David Foreman, a signal technician.  "We can go to Seoul on pass when we want to, but we don't go very often.  We get along fine together and can always have a lot of fun with our mascot, little Billy Joe Finn."

 Billy Joe is a four year old Korean boy.  He met PFC Charles L. Finn about 11 months ago and Finn and Billy Joe have been together ever since.  Finn has extended his tour in Korea for six months so he can complete procedures to adopt Billy Joe and take him back to the U.S.

U.S. Army Photo by SP3 De Ment

SSS-224