I was stationed at Naval Security Group but attached to Naval Communication Station Rota 1974 - 1977. Great duty station! Great Flag Football team! Lived in Rota 2 years and on base our final year. I was SK1 at that time. Returned several years later (1996) as a LCDR to audit the supply department. Wow ... the base had so many changes and upgrades. The same Foreign Nationals were still working there ... they were so confused when I knew them all by name! It was fun!
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Was at NavCommSta Rota Jan. '66 - Nov. '68 as CYN. Worked in Comm Ctr, torn tape relay and later in office under Chief Barra. Worked with a CYN Hilderbrand nick name "Hindu". Could it be the same?
JPK
I arrived at NCS Rota in November of 1968. Right when you left. My nick name was Hildy. Possibly RMCM O'Ham relieved Chief Barra at the time. The Tokyo Bar was a great hangout. Pool tables, foosball, and a great juke box.
I was stationed at NAVCOMMSTA Rota from November 1968 to November 1970 as a CYN. I initially worked in the main communications/routing area where all the UGC-6K teletype machines were located. Typing speed in those days was right around 100 wpm. Then I became a message router (typewriter, routing the messages all over the base). Did some time also working single sideband communications with the ships headed to the Med and back to Norfolk. Did hourly radio checks with Washington DC (Top Hand). Rota's call sign was Pawnee. After about a year or so in the Communications area, I was assigned as an admin assistant to RMCM O'Ham and the Lt Commander West in charge of all comm areas, again because of my typing speed. Had to wear my nice whites or blues in that position. It was great duty.
In November 1970 I received orders to the USS Inchon LPH-12 helicopter carrier where I finished out my Navy days in 1972. Really enjoyed being on that ship. Just before I got out we did a Med Cruise and our first stop was back in Rota. I knew exactly where to take the guys in the Radio Shack on liberty there!
In September 1990 I flew back to Spain for a vacation and spent a few days in Rota at the Playa de la Luz. There were so many changes in 20 years; I was amazed. The old Tokyo Bar (our old hangout) had totally changed and was renamed Club Dallas, or something close to that. There was even a Hard Rock Rota right on the beach!