I served four years in the United States Air Force and am hoping to contact any of the men that served with me in the Air Police. My service time started in Kansas City, MO on December 29, 1964 when I swore in at the Induction Center. There was four who enlisted together. Ellis Hahn (now my Brother-In- Law), Tom Howard (my life long friend) and Joe Arnold (whom I've had no contact with since 1965). We arrived at Lackland AFB on December 30th to start our basic training.

My first real contact with a TI (Training Instructor) was a SSGT. He was about six inches shorter than me but I found out after about 15 minutes he could yell louder than me any day. We were standing in formation for the first time, at attention, all new airmen who didn't know a thing about the military. The other TI a TSGT. was chewing out this kid for what ever, I turned to see what was going on and just like a flash the SSGT. was in my ear asking what I thought I doing and not giving me a chance to answer. Well, needless to say that can start a fellow to wondering what he had let himself in for by enlisting. That turned in to the most learning six weeks of my entire service time. I guess it had to be hard, in order to prepare you for what you might have to face and/or do later.

Following basic training, I went to Air Police school at Lackland for six weeks and after a short leave home I was shipped out, to France, for what was to be the next 36 months of my life. I was stationed at Chambley Air Force Base near Metz, France from 1965 to 1967. My tour of duty there was cut short by one year when the French demanded the pull out of all United States military units. I was assigned to the color guard that brought the flag down for the last time on Chambley.

I have fond memories of my time in France, of cold winter nights walking circles around RB66's. Although I didn't like it much at the time, now it causes me to reflect on the "men" that I served with. I only wish that I could remember more of their names. Men like Gene Massey, the boy from Mississippi, Melvin Blount from California and Eugene Headley, I don't remember where he was from. While in France I did a TDY to Sembach AB, Germany to guard the missile sites. Even though I had made many new friends, the best part of this assignment was that I got to spend some time with Tom Howard, my old high school buddy.

Blount and Headley and I went through basic training and Air Police school together. We were assigned to France, and then re-assigned after the base closing to RAF Woodbridge, near Ipswich, England from 1967 to 1968, there we guarded F-4's and F-100's. In England there were men like Gary Seavy, Mike Shanklin and Gary Mueller and Rex the wonder dog. Mueller was Rex's handler, anyone could work and play with the dog, that was up until Mueller gave the command to "watch him boy" then no one had better move but Mueller.

In April 1968 my 36 month tour of duty in Europe was over and I came home for 30 days before reporting in at McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kansas, only two hundred miles from my hometown. At McConnell I was assigned to the Base Police unit. This was pretty new to me because in Europe my assignment was security. I received my discharge at McConnell, at about that time the Air Police was changing over and becoming the Security Police.

If you recognize any if these names or you remember me, please drop me an e-mail. If you were stationed at any of these bases, at anytime, even if you were not in the Air Police (Security Police), I would like to hear from you. Please sign the guest book. Someone you knew might be looking for you, see your entry and contact you.

Reflections: I have never regretted the four years I served my country. It was hard at times but it was a time of growth for me and the men I served with. Some might have called us boys when we first started, but that only lasted up to the first time we slung an M-16 rifle on our shoulder and took our assigned post.

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1965 to 1967 Chambley Air Force Base near Metz, France

1967 to 1968 RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge near Ipswich, England

1968 - McConnell Air Force Base - Wichita, Kansas

If you either served or know anyone who served at these bases,
please contact us through the e-mail address at the bottom of our homepage.

Please come again and check on the updates as they happen.

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Chambley AB, France

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E-Mail © 1997 doubleeagle00@yahoo.com

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