Stationed at Kagnew Station before the Ethiopian DERG kicked all the Americans out in 77 and shut down the consulate.
Asmara is an interesting city, intended to be Mussolini's showcase capital for Italy's African colonial ambitions. Lots of modernist architecture, wide boulevards, etc.
Eritrea is a very poor country, but the Eritreans I met were quite resourceful and friendly. Amharic (Christian) and Tigrynian (Moslem) populations were relatively evenly split, with a fair number of Italians still around.
Couldn't go roaming around the countryside due to rebel activities outside the main cities, but it's pretty rugged from the air. At that time there reportedly were still hyenas and troops of baboons on Asmara's outskirts.
It was a fascinating flight to get there. I flew from Addis across the Danakil Depression (a truly hellacious region where the African rift is slowly tearing the continent apart) into the port city of Massawa, and then a steady climb up along the Red Sea escarpment to Asmara, which is about a mile and a half above sea level.
Would like to go back and see how things are now, but the current government is pretty unfriendly to the US. In any case it was quite a memorable and unique experience for me.
There are some other Kagnew vets that have posted here from time to time.
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