Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Air Force Security Forces take down a Low Life/Looking Back

Very light snow falling this morning, temps are around 30 degrees....looking ahead(which of course is not always good), the outlook for moderating temperatures looks promising...maybe, just maybe, we will hit 50 by the time of our Vietnam Reunion in Dayton come March 5th and 6th.


Shoulder still bothering me, but it is managable...will miss the Baseball meeting tonight, so I can officiate a JV Boys Basketball game at Lima Perry...one more on Friday at St. Marys and I'm done for the season. Hopefully the back/shoulder will be good enough by Saturday for the hands on portion of the Umpire Clinic at Dayton this Saturday.

Luke AFB Cop takes out a scumbag____

When I entered the Air Force in 1968, the Military Police of the Air Force was in the process of changing it's name from Air Police to Security Police. A number of years later, the "minds" of the Air Force leadership(an oxymoron if there ever was one), decided to change it yet again to Security Forces. Why? Who Knows?

Anyway, just so you'll know, whatever name they use these days, the Air Police, Security Police, or Security Forces, are basically the Air Force version of the Army MPs.

In my days of stateside duty, first at Dover AFB, Delaware, then at Griffiss AFB, New York, I worked the Security section of the Security Police...Law Enforcement was seperate, but housed within the same Squadron, with the same Squadron Commander and the 2 divisions were somewhat interchangable. Actually on my orders when leaving Vietnam, I was supposed to work Law Enforcement at "The Griff"...in all the wisdom and failed promises of the Air Force however, I never saw the spit and polish of the LE portion of the 416th SPS. In retrospect, it was lucky for both me and the squadron...I wasn't exactly a spit and polish kind of guy. And that is what the expected of Law Enforcement types...that was no,t and would never be, me. I didn't like haircuts, didn't like pressed and starched uniforms...and sure the Hell didn't like taking orders and didn't take them very well. In short I was a trouble maker...from the day I first arrived at Dover in October 1968, until I walked out the front gate at Griffiss on May 5, 1972, it didn't work well in Security, it would never work in Law Enforcement. Looking back it was amazing that I made Buck Sargent in 18 months, and even more amazing that I kept my stripes for the 4 years.
I made my share of enemies from my superiors over the years...TSgts Jack Adkins at Dover, and Joe Gomez at The Griff come first to mind...but they were not the only ones. Indeed I also got along with others like Staff Sgt Carroll Marcelle(Griffiss), and Staff Sarge Melvin Sloan, along with TSgt Phil Lange, both at Nha Trang....they could handle the wild hair I had planted somewhere inside, others hated my free spirit and disrespect for forced authority. But I'm getting carried off in different direction than I wanted to go.... so back to the Luke Shooting in Arizona.

It seems a couple of car thief types decided to charge their stolen vehicle through the Main Gate at Luke late Monday night in Arizona....at least one paid the ultimate price:


The only time I worked Law Enforcement in the Air Force was at Nha Trang in 1969...and yes I worked the Main Gate on occasion, a boring shift, but you had to be alert, especially in a war zone. It appears this Sky Cop, scared for his life, kept his head together and did what he needed to do....Congratulations to him from a fellow former Air Force Cop...Salute!

That is about it, the short list for today...between seasonal changes, meetings, reunions, and life in general, the next couple of months will be busy....but I'll keep at this blog as it heads towards its 3rd anniversary.

back later>>>>

Photos-(1)A Security Police Shield...all of mine were plain, not fancy blue things, including the one framed on my wall these days.(2)Me, in a Mug Shot from San Antonio back in the late summer of 1968...I never again wore the "White Hat" of Law Enforcement...(3)only a Blue "Piss Pot" with the LE guys of the 14th SPS at Nha Trang in 1969(4) The Main Gate as it looks today at Luke AFB, Arizona (5) Marc Payen, Sgt Ky(of the South Vietnam version of the MPs), and Harry Bevan at the Nha Trang Main Gate in October 1969














11 comments:

Shrinky said...

Some wonderful photo's up here, Pat - goodness, how tender and young you once were (smile). Sorry your shoulder and back troubles are playing you up, hope it settles soon enough for you to umpire your game.
We have severe weather warnings out in the UK, this darn winter shows no sign of abating at all (sigh), I am just building myself up into a blow along the beach - a dog-owner's lot is not always a happy one!

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Anonymous said...

Good site and good theme bro., keep it going, yeah things have changed for sure, I was SECURITY police and while in Korea (82-83) worked LE (main gate etc...), also was at Griffiss 80-82 and FE. Warren AFB. 1984, will be retiring from THE JOB in NJ. in 2 years and let me tell ya it aint what it used to be either,
Thanks to all who serve past and present. R. Smigs.

PRH said...

Thanks Smigs...thanks for visiting and Welcome Home!

Anonymous said...

nice post. thanks.

Law and Order Teacher said...

Pat,
I was in LE. On Okinawa I worked in LE along with an 89 day TDA in security. I hated it. I admire you were able to keep it together. I was so bored guarding planes I learned to play a harmonica. On my SEA sojourn it was a very different kind of duty. I went to Lowry AFB, Colorado and LE there was spit and polish. I was OK with it, but it was a drag at times. As a desk sergeant the duty was really much harder running a whole shift. You gotta love the USAF. See you in a week.

FHB said...

Hadn't heard of that incident. Yea, they did good. On Ft' Hood the gate is guarded by special security folks, like the folks at Airport security, only with Glocks. The patrols are done by MPs and others.

And yea, it's always fun to read the old stories and see the old pictures.

R. Smigs said...

My mom passed on March the 4th and my Dad went down shortly after and was buried today with a US.Navy sevice fairwell , he served on the USN. Destroyer- USS. Chevalair during the Korean war, I served with the USAF. and completed a one year tour in Korea,(cold war) god works in mysterious ways, thanks Dad, Thanks USN., Father Mike and the KPD. Bye Dad, RIP.

Anonymous said...

My Mom Passed away on March,04 and my Dad went down right after and passed away on April the 25th, he was a US. Navy veteran of the Korean war (USS. Cavalier), I was USAF.,SAC. and also served in Korea (cold war), god works in mysterious ways, never give up faith for god and country, Thanks to the USN. for the fairwell service, my friends, the KPD. and all who served, Bye Dad, RIP. 04/29/2010. R. Smigs.

Anonymous said...

Great website Pat. I would also like to build a website like this. From a brother VSPA Life Member # 157.

PRH said...

Hey LM#157! Not sure if you have a Google Account, but that is all you need. Get a google account and sign on to Blogger, and go from there...it free, and if I can do it, it must be pretty easy! E-Mail me at:

pat.houseworth@gmail.com

if you need further help.

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