Rebecca Matlock - Ghana (1964-67)

Ghana (1964-67)

After leaving Moscow, the Matlocks spent thee years in Ghana.

We had let it be known that we'd like to go to a place where Soviet relationship was important. We went to Ghana where Kwame Nkrumah was in charge. The Soviets were making a very, very strong effort there.

After about a year and a half Nkrumah was toppled. I should say that our house was very close to the airport. One day we - our servants - heard that the Russians were coming. They started running, running away and told us that we should evacuate the area. So I woke up the kids and put them all in the car and we went driving over to the other part of town. The whole city was just full of people - terrified people running away from the airport. They'd all heard the Russians were coming.

Well what it was that the Russians had been told they had to leave. They were going to be evacuated so they were coming to the airport to be flown out of the country. But the whole town ran away because someone overheard a conversation at the airport and they heard that the area must be cleared because the Russians were coming. They were terrified!