In January, 1952, the U.S. Naval Radio Station, Sabana Seca was officially designated, with LCDR W. L. Thomas, as the Officer-in-Charge.
In the month, a U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment (NSG Det) was established, co-located with the Naval Radio Station (NAVRADSTA) at Sabana Seca. Later in 1952, the NAVRADSTA was recommissioned as Net Control Station (NCS) Puerto Rico, Sabana Seca, PR, and the NSG Det became the NSG Dept, NCS Puerto Rico, Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico.
On July 1, 1971, the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca Puerto Rico was commissioned, under the command of CAPT Robert G. Keller. The guest speakers at the commissioning ceremony were RADM Chester G. Phillips, COMNAVSECGRU; RADM Norvell G. Ward, Commandant, Tenth Naval District; and CAPT Griffith P. Stokes, Commanding Officer of Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMSTA) Puerto Rico.
Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion, Company G and U.S. Air force 544th Intelligence Group Detachment 2 were both co-located with NSGA Sabana Seca until NSGA Sabana Seca was deactivated on January 31, 2003. When the station closed Company G was transferred to NSGA Menwith Hill Station UK.
The Terrorist Attack
On December 3, 1979, at 6:40 AM, terrorists attacked unarmed sailors en route to a day watch at NSGA Sabana Seca. Volunteered to drive the Navy bus was CTO1 John Ball, the Communications Supervisor; seated directly behind him was RM3 Emil White. As the yellow bus rolled out of the U.S. Navy compound in Toa Baja, a San Juan suburb, the passengers – 13 men and five women – dozed or talked quietly as they traveled the familiar route from the Sabana Seca Communications Station to a radio transmitter site four miles away. Nobody paid any attention to a green pickup truck that was following close behind. About a mile from Sabana Seca, the truck suddenly accelerated. It passed the bus, slowed, and forced the bigger vehicle to a halt beside a trash dump.

Simultaneously, a white van that had been parked down the road came roaring toward the scene and the blast of automatic weapons fire shattered the dawn silence. The attack from the white van lasted for 30 seconds “a lifetime,” said one survivor. Of the 17 sailors on the bus, CTO1 John R. Ball, 29, of Madison, WI and RM3 Emil E. White, 20, of Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands were both killed by the gunfire. When it was over two U.S. sailors lay dead and ten other sailors, including all of the women were injured. Credit for the savage attack, the worst outbreak of political violence in Puerto Rico in two decades, was claimed by three terrorist groups that favor Puerto Rico’s independence from the U.S.: the Volunteers for the Puerto Rican Revolution, the Boricua Popular Army, and the Armed Forces of Popular Resistance.
Hurricane Damage
The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located on the island included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The AN FRD-10A CDAA was heavily damaged by Hurricane Georges in 1999.

NSGA Sabana Seca ceased HFDF operations and the Wullenweber was dismantled and removed in 1999. The CDAA property was sold and is now being developed by a commercial enterprise.
Source: navycthistory.com
1 February 2018 at 11:26
Well Done. I logged 49 months at Sabana Seca November 1975 to November 1979. Great tour. Paul Eppley CTMS/USN-Ret….
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16 February 2018 at 03:33
Thank you for stopping by!
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25 March 2018 at 04:53
That was the perfect base every body knew everybody who lived on base . I still think of all the great people I met when i was stationed there from 1983 to 1985 marine barracks lcpl walker
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25 March 2018 at 05:01
That was the perfect base every body knew everybody who lived on base . I still think of all the great people I met when i was stationed there from 1983 to 1985 marine barracks lcpl walker
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31 March 2018 at 19:39
One of our better duty stations. Was there when it was small 59-61, too bad the good duty stations are now history.
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5 May 2018 at 20:38
Good job with the history of the base. I was the last CO and literally the last Sailor to depart from this fine station 😦
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5 May 2018 at 22:05
Thank you for stopping by the site Skipper! Please let us know if you ever want to contribute.
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17 May 2018 at 18:29
I lived there 1979-1982. My dad missed the bus Dec 3, 1979…he was good friends with Emil. It took a while for us to feel safe, but we ended up really enjoying living on Sabana Seca.
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17 May 2018 at 21:33
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment.
Sincerely,
StationHYPO
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14 June 2018 at 21:26
I was stationed there in the mid 80’s, some idiot opened up the dam and flooded the whole area.
We had to pull our cars up next to the bldg to keep them from flooding out and floating away. I still had water in my floorboards. A little over 24 hours later as we were stuck out there eating everything everyone left in the refrigerators, the chow hall sent a large personnel carrier out with box lunches.
We were standing out front cheering on the truck as one guy was literally strapped to the wheel cover with a giant stick testing the depth of the water to make sure they could get thru. Later, another personnel carrier truck came out with our watch relief so we could finally go home. Great Times!
p.s. loved burn detail.
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14 June 2018 at 23:08
Great story! Thank you for sharing
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10 July 2018 at 05:53
Was a Rm4 back in 1970 to 73 was a great place to serve. Most islanderers loved us being there. Visted there in 2000 not the same place … No respect for who served and tried to help. Everything we built to try to help to community destroyed..Such a waste of money and time.
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5 March 2019 at 19:34
Was there 1969-1971 Storekeeper in Supply Office- Loved it
Larry Holt
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13 July 2018 at 20:30
My first duty station. We lost some good friends on tha day. I remember the flooding, many times installing plywood to the windows, driving the “Mosquito Jeep” to clear roads (during the eye of each hurricane), and lots of good times on the beach. We all need to remember the good times and let the bad times pass into history.
Jeff Manley CPO RET
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17 July 2018 at 12:10
Stationed there 75-78, SK1 main supply and bldg 85, cashed pay checks all over the base and bldg 85. Drove down that same road w/ 80k in cash, lived down the street from John Ball, left before the attack. Navy paid for my SCUBA cert as a college class (thanks). Loved PR. Also stationed at NAVCAMS WestPac Guam worked in bldg 200. Retired as SKC.
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31 August 2018 at 16:12
I was stationed there as a high school dependent in ’65-’67 (dad was CTMCM Montgomery). Great place…great memories. Returned in 1990 as prospective XO (LCDR Montgomery) right after Hugo. Retired instead…recently looked at sat photos of the base…sorry to see it all overgrown. But, it served our country well.
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9 December 2019 at 09:04
You’ll never believe this XO; but I was the very FIRST Navy Jornalist Assigned to NSGA Sabana Seca. I met my ex-wife while here and an RMC (Filipino) whose last name I can’t recall after well more than 30 years.
I was a Navy Brat (Last name Hollis) of a father (LDO, Supply Corps) who (now deceased) who put his career well ahead of his family.
I very much loved (and enjoyed) NSGA Sabana Seca, despite eveything I have learned and have experienced since. I still love my country and wish our uniform still meant what it used to stand for.
Fond memories.
God bless.
M.K. Hollis
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9 December 2019 at 09:07
RMC Fintzel, (As best I can recall) was my good (and wise) friend’s name while I was at NSGA Sabana Seca (Dry Sheets) In English. LOL!
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30 December 2020 at 02:04
Mr. Hollis!
Nice memories to share… BTW “Sabana Seca” is correctly translated “dry grasslands”… since sheets would be “sábana” (notice the accent). 😉
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25 September 2018 at 20:29
Stationed there ’62 – ’65; USN CT”A”2. Such fond memories and good friends during those formative years of my life. Could write a book!
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7 November 2018 at 10:42
By that time IT3 Sandoval, I had the privilege to decom the Base back in 2001. I was one of the last sailors departing that command. Got to pick orders yea yea!!! It was a great command small but great!
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29 November 2018 at 17:46
Elva Alvarado 1981-1983
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13 January 2019 at 15:10
My name is Fredrick Fortson I was Stationed there a NSGA from June 1979 – 1982 as a CTRSN -CTR2. I was assigned to 52 Division. I played Basketball and Baseball for 52/20 divisions. I remember like this duty station like it was yesterday. It was my first and most beloved duty station. I also remember Petty Officers Ball and White very well. Those guys were very nice and extremely professional sailors.
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28 January 2019 at 19:16
Was there Nov 73 – Aug 78. Played on 4 island championship softball teams and 1 island championship basketball team. Worked part-time at the bowling alley the last few years I was there. Lived in 330B for almost the whole time I was there. Still have some close friends from there and have lost several over the years. Overall great tour.
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14 February 2019 at 18:12
This is Thomas Burton. Sabana Seca was my only place of duty after training–I was there late 1976 to mid 1979. I reached the rank of CTI PO2. I knew John Ball and his wife Patty quite well; well enough that my future wife and I modeled our impending marriage with their lives being a model for us. Indeed their son and daughter were the ring-bearer and flower girl to our wedding.
When many sailors would complain about the locals (too loud, bad drivers, too dirty, too…), I learned that John always had a welcoming attitude towards the people of each country he lived in. John and I were reasonably competitive runners who spent a lot of time on the island running races, and even became well-known amongst the other runners.
I took that same bus ride hundreds of times. So when my father called me in late 1979 to tell me to watch the news, I had a pretty-well formulated vision of what could have happened on that narrow road. It is ironic that one of the few people who truly enjoyed Puerto Rican culture would be the one taken out…
For me, the story doesn’t end there. In 2008, I was an inadvertent witness/participant to a protest in Santiago, Chile, in support of the beleaguered Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia, an indigenous man, and former coca grower. I struck up a conversation with a by-stander near me, and to make an already-long story shorter, learned that his protest group the night before had paid homage to the man who had killed my friend, John Ball.
Indeed, it is a small world. 30 years after the fact, thousands of miles away, two people shoulder-to-shoulder finding a single event that tied them both to history. We did not speak to each other after our shared discovery.
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24 February 2019 at 01:23
I was at Sabana Seca 1976-78. I left for OCS March 78, CTISN-CTI2 there. Enjoyed kept in contact with Dee Brannon until last year. Say quit a few people from Sabana Seca in Rota and at NSA. I retired in 1995.
I remember Tom Burton.
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27 February 2019 at 04:00
Hezekiah. It’s sad to admit but I don’t remember you. Could you describe yourself?
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1 April 2019 at 01:40
Lived there in ’53 or 54 while in Kindergarten, after Dad took us to Guam. Dad (Wayne “Rocky” Johnson) became a CT somewhere along the way. School was right next to a sugar cane field, and sometimes workers would give us a small piece to chew. Nice new housing. Remember the Ralph Cox family and the DePeysters.
Left there for Winter Harbor, ME, then Kamiseya, Japan, then San Miguel, PI, then Ft. Meade, MD. It was a really neat way to grow up.
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4 May 2019 at 02:39
Am I the oldest Sabana Seca veteran. 1960 1962 SA to YN3 Worked in Admin, LCDR Dunn, Cdr Adkisson, LCDR Officer. Yep, did my share of mess cooking and compartment cleaning. LCDR O’Brien emancipated me. Also remember such as CSC Hutchison “Hutch” the pig farmer who retired in PR CTA1 Art Mohr, CTA1 Virgil Taylor both whom i’ve had recent contact, also remember CTACS Lloyd Hicks and of course many others. Also I went on to become CTACM retired, GS13, retired, now a funeral director in Charlottesville, VA. John Booker
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10 June 2019 at 18:26
Booker,you are not the oldest veteran from sabana seca.My name is Tony Russo and I was stationed there from nov 1959 to nov 1961.I remember Hutch , Tom Vollmer,Bob Evers Joe Tack but have lost the names of many others.
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18 June 2019 at 02:34
Great duty station. 74-76 54 division
Served with Hezakia Hayes. Great guy.
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18 June 2019 at 15:34
Martin Waltman I was an ET at Naval Radio Receiving Facility (NRRF) the other operational command on base. It was a great place to be station close to everything.
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24 July 2019 at 20:13
Gezzz….You loose Tony. I was there from 1954-1957. Responsible for the Post Office in the Recreational Building. I recall that Bruce Aker’s wife ran the little library in that building. Big fun there!!!!
Ray Campbell, TE2
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30 July 2019 at 22:27
Stationed at Sabana Seca from May 1970 to June 1972. Was a watchstander running the emergency generators and the air conditioning units. Doug EN 2
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4 August 2019 at 12:25
At Sabana Seca 1969 – 1971 as a CTT2. Enjoyed the “old” enlisted men’s club, intramural softball highlighted by the famous and excellent pitcher Bobby Lee Currie, wives/girlfriends wearing “hotpants” and wigs, “Purple Haze” played by the band at the club, bars like Let’s in old San Juan, Sammy Davis doing free shows for sailors downtown, two sailor shot down outside of NAS San Juan, commissary runs/golf rounds at Ramey AFB or Roosevelt Roads, trips to the rain forest or Luquillo beach, having to wear that nasty old OBA during fire drills getting “PNAed” on first class exam because so few were getting promoted after the Vietnam War, the introduction of Flexscop equipment which changed everything for T branches at the time, ability to wear beards on active duty thanks to Admiral Zumwalt and his “Z Grams”, golf for about $5 a round at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rican young lady Marisol Marisol winning Miss universe, the VFW outside of back gate of the base, cars stripped in 15 minutes if you left them unattended for 15 minutes, wonderful barbecued chicken from vendor off the base, crazy Puerto Rican drivers who made lanes where there were none. Salias beach, Ron Rico rum tours and drinking 151 proof which made you break out in a sweat, beautiful young Puerto Rican girls, tackle football, wonderful and tasty mid rats from chow hall, separating 6 ply paper into two ply, many college educated lower enlisted troops who were CT’s in the Navy to escape the Army and Vietnam, my mentor and DivOff CWO Gayle Hamblin, Chief Maynard and Don Ward. Yeah, I have fond memories of Sabana Seca.
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23 November 2019 at 00:14
Frank Jones
CTT2 wb ’66’68. If it were not for the pictures I kept, I wouldn’t remember much. Spent a LOT of time downtown, Luna St., etc.
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23 November 2019 at 17:05
Response to Message from Anonymous 4 August 2019 at 12:25:
Those memories brigs back recollections of my own. One in particular related to the enlisted men’s club. I was assigned (volunteered?) to take care of the bookkeeping for the club by LCDR W. L. Thomas. When I looked at the inventory, I noticed multiple cases of “Old Methuselah” whiskey that had not been sold in a long time (years). I decided to run a special at 5¢/double shot. This was an immediate success with noticeable side effects that were like those included in almost any medication these days diarrhea,. nausea,, vomiting, severe headaches, followed by late to or totally missing Morning Colors as well as many visits to the infirmary. This was the last straw in my ongoing difficulties with by LCDR Thomas. His threat of “getting my stripes” was replaced by 2 weeks restriction as soon as his Chief Yeoman explained to him that, since he was only the Officer-in-Charge, that was maximum penalty he could inflict on his own (without Captain’s Mast). Much scrutiny by him after this event.
Ray Campbell, TE2
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29 December 2019 at 19:41
I was 14 y/o living on the west side of PR when the terrorist attack happened in ’79. I read it in the local newspapers at the time. That was a very sad story indeed that touched me deeply and in a way changed my life for it carved the idea in my mind of perhaps some day joining the U.S. Navy after high school.
And so I did in 1983 after finishing school. I wanted to travel and wasn’t too inclined of going to college just yet even though I had not totally discarded the idea of pursuing an education in the future. So a few months later I was in the Navy trying to keep my nose clean.
As it turned out, after boot camp in San Diego and a split three year sea duty tour in Yokosuka, Japan, with the USS Midway and the USS Francis Hammond, I asked for USNSGA Sabana Seca in late August 1986 in order to be closer to my parents and to pursue my education while sustaining regular work with the Navy.
I arrived at NSGA in Sabana Seca sometime in January ’87 after attending AC/R C-school in San Diego (after leaving Yokosuka, Japan) and after a much-needed two month leave. So I reported to NSGA in Sabana Seca as an Engineman 3rd class PO and worked at North Track in the Engineroom, basically maintaining the AC/R units and emergency diesel Caterpillar generators that provided emergency power to the communications technicians up above. The guys in ‘The Building’, as we called it.
Yes, those were fun times, especially during hurricane Hugo in 1989 though.
Long story short, I spent a total of 4 yrs and about 8 months at that command (perhaps a record for the base..??) since I had re-enlisted on Guard 3 program (which is 3 yrs shore duty) and then at the end of the three years I extended a 4th year, and subsequently was allowed to stay at Sabana Seca for the remaining 8 months that I had left on my enlistment until my EAOS. So I left NSGA in August 26, 1991.
In early 1991, I had already requested orders to go elsewhere after NSGA (the Yosemite) but thought about it carefully before going for a third enlistment; and winded up having a change of heart. So by the time my next re-enlistment came up I had made my mind to cancel my orders and not re-enlist. Oh my chief got so upset about that… oh well! Sorry Chief! I instead chose to pursue a university degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of P.R. (UPPR) which I began a month or so before leaving NSGA. Got me straight A’s in all my courses that first period though which gave me a huge boost of confidence.
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering a few years later. During all of that time I was with the Navy Reserves at Ceiba (at Roosevelt Roads as a Reservist – joined them in Dec ’91).
I stayed with the Reserves until after completing 20+ years in service with one deployment in the Gulf in 2004-2005. As a civilian, I currently work as a professional engineer and also have my own personal business to fall back on when I retire.
My only regret though while at Sabana Seca during those long 4 yrs 8 months was to derail from my initial plan to pursue my education as soon as I got there on shore duty in early ’87 instead of waiting until later while wasting away partying and fooling around at Shannon’s Pub every night. I always knew I had it in me to go a long way, yet I did not make my mind on that matter and failed to think long-term until my tour at Sabana Seca was almost over in ’91. That’s when I really became self-conscious about the future and tried to get real. Had I done it sooner… perhaps I would’ve been ahead of the ballgame and taken more seriously while in the Reserves at Ceiba a few years later. For sure I would’ve been able to apply for a commission to become an officer with the U.S NAVY.
My advice to anyone reading this is to not waste your time away. Treat your career like an personal investment. Go for what you want as early as possible and work hard from the get go. Also, don’t listen to those that tell you that you’re not smart enough or dedicated enough. There will be plenty of those people popping up uninvited in your life. Ignore them and focus on you. Don’t get caught years later looking back wondering what if.
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26 March 2020 at 20:56
Was there USMC Co “G” 1965-1967 as an R brancher. Best time of my life, best job I ever had.
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30 March 2020 at 17:25
I was transferred from DD704 to TDY at Sabana Seca in 1956. I was an RM3 and served in the main communications center. It was the era of TTY message transmission and Single Sideband long distance voice communication. We experienced frequent signal interruptions due to high occurrences of sunspots. The Radiomen shared a barracks with Seabees. CT’s were housed in a separate secure area. We Radiomen never knew what the CT’s were doing as they were forbidden to talk to us. And, viceversa. A major event was socializing with locals who would roast a pig, for us, in a pit dug in the ground. After six months, I was reassigned to one man radio shack duty in a WWII Coastal Minesweeper in Charleston SC.
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8 May 2020 at 15:32
Steve…My duty at Sabana Seca (1954-1957) came from just the opposite route: from the LST 1069, the Orleans Parish – WWII vintage, at Charleston, SC. Much fun at both places!!!!!!
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7 May 2020 at 20:08
Stationed at Sabana Seca NSGA Apr. 1971 to December 1974. CTT3 RICK CHARLES known as CATFISH. Played softball and football. Worked at auto hobby shop and Chief’s Club. TS Clearance suspended after Mar y Sol Rock Festival Apr ’72 and worked at Comptrollers office for Mr. Luis Rondon. Great duty, great friends. Capt Keller CO. Chiefs Merrill, Hodge, Pond, Gunny LeBlanc,
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15 July 2020 at 19:00
I arrived at NSGA Sabana Seca in Dec 1980 just after the bus attack. I was there from 80-84. I knew one of the survivors CTR3 Allen Bush quite well. I love my time there and went back between 89-92. I was assigned to 51 Div as a CTT3 and worked in the basement. I played all the sports and my div usually won the Captains Cup throph. I played a many games against one of the other contributors on here CTR Fortson who I must admit was probably the best basketball player in the Navy then. My main sport was Tennis and I was ranked locally and played a number of local Puerto Rican events. My son, daughter and two grandsons currently live on the island. I was last there in 2016 and sadly it has lost some of it’s flavour. But the two tours were great. I retired CTRC WILLIAMS in 1999.
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1 August 2020 at 17:46
Sabana Seca was my first duty station. 1979-1981. I was the youngest enlisted person in the base in 1979. Fond memories and many relationships that were established there.
Of course I’ll always remember December 3, 1979 like everyone else that was there. May god keep John and Emil. It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than 40 years.
Puerto Rico is a beautiful island.
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12 August 2020 at 21:00
Was stationed at Sabana Seca from Dec 70- Feb 72 when I was med evaded back to the states because I broke my leg playing Soccer with the Base team. The Sabana Seca Sharks. Would love to hear from anyone I was stationed with.
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7 September 2020 at 17:53
I was stationed there right out of Corry in 1985 as a CTRSN. I worked the pit and HFDF in 52 division. Chief Becky Grimm was our Div. Chief. The best memories are playing softball for CTRCM B.J. Harmon and winning the Island wide tournament at Roosevelt Roads to represent the Caribbean in the U.S. tournament. Left in Dec 87 as a 2nd class. Great times.
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15 October 2020 at 03:14
my name is Merri Scott. i was stationed there from 1980 to 1982. it was my first duty station. i was a CTR. still in contact with friends i met there: Peggy Dinkins, Jennifer Jackson (Morrisette), Linda Mozee (Thornton), & Connie Porter. worked with Monique & Bush (survivors of the bus attack).
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27 October 2020 at 01:35
I don’t know how I stumbled across this, but here I am. I was the wife of a Corpsman (Douglas Hier) stationed at USNSGA from 1984-1987. Doc Glenn Watkins, other Corpsman…Carvalho, Butler, both Dockhams (husband and wife), and many others. We lived on base for a while, then moved into Levittown. Loved this duty station.
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29 October 2020 at 17:26
I was stationed there from October 1962 – May 1964 as a CTR/DF2. I like Cape Chiniak better than Sabana Seca
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30 October 2020 at 20:50
Stationed there 1963-66 as CTT at Bldg 40.Great duty station. Visited 40 years later while on a cruise out of San Juan. The base was clos edd but a guard let us drive around the base. Many memories.
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