I left the missile fields of SAC
and the mighty “Knob” (a.k.a. Whiteman AFB, MO) and
was stationed at Rhein Main AB from Aug 1975 to April 1979. The
base had just been realigned from under USAFE to AMC. In fact, I
seem to recall my initial orders might have been for the 322 SPS.
I can’t remember the designations of the flights I worked
but do remember they were LE and Security combined and we worked
3 swings, 3 mids, and off three days. As an A1C Security Troop,
I should have been stuck on a lonely flight line post, but it turned
out most of the LE troops couldn't pass the German driving test.
So, this Security Troop (who passed the test by 1 point) ended up
working a whole bunch of LE posts – to include patrol, gates
and eventually Desk Sergeant (because I could type). I was promoted
below the zone to Buck Sergeant one month prior to the establishment
of the beloved SrA grade and was then moved to Day Flight. I made
SSgt first time testing and moved back to Training where I finished
out my assignment. I left RM for Malmstrom where I remained until
the end of my enlistment. I later joined the Reserves where I spent
the next 20 years, most of which was as a full-time Air Reserve
Technician. After 27 years service, I retired in 2005 at the grade
of Chief. I’m now the Chief, Operations Division at the Air
Force Central Adjudication Facility (AFCAF), Bolling AFB, DC (moving
to Ft Meade in CY2011).
My fondest/and not so fondest memories were – and this is
in no particular order:
We wore cotton fatigues, utility caps, 1505s, white LE “wheel”
caps, and our SP shields hung from our shirt pocket button by a
piece of plastic. We wore MA1 jackets, carried night sticks, and
our primary weapons were .38s, M16s and the beloved 12 gauge shot
gun. We carried no flak vests, helmets, or gas masks to post, and
our primary method speed control enforcement was with “mirror
boxes” and stopwatches. The worst post was Waldorf pedestrian
gate on a Mid Shift and the second worst post was the Gateway Gardens
gate on a Mid Shift. The best posts (especially for a security troop)
was the East Ramp patrol (C9s and ability to support LE patrols;
if memory serves correct, call sign was unit 15), roving foot patrol
in the RM Terminal (with 42nd MP customs), and any LE patrol except
the one stuck with building checks on a mid shift. The best LE patrol
was the one that included the Langen housing area because there
was nothing better than a 72 Dodge pickup on “no speed limit”
Autobahn! Aircraft were C130 Blackbirds and C9s with transient C141s,
the beloved C5, and of course the daily AMC DC-stretch 8s dropping
off all the grunts for their European adventure (21st Replacement
Battalion I believe it was called – operating out of the Rhein
Main hotel). C5’s were priority B which required ropes, stanchions,
and the beloved portable gate shack. Part of the squadron deployed
via C130s to Dough Boy city in West Berlin to learn a thing called
Combat in the Cities. The squadron later became one of AMC’s
Air Base Defense training locations for Guard and Reserve units
– I believe in the 78-79 time frame.
I played baseball and fast pitch softball for the Rockets, and of
course there was nothing better than an autumn day when the football
Rockets were kick’n some Bitburg Baron butt. Two SP Rocket
football standouts that jump to mind were Coney Story and Tom Cox.
I also was the public announcer for the Rockets basketball team
(when we won the Continental Sports Conference Championship) and
a football official for the “Junior” Rockets. We had
some pretty darn good squadron slow-pitch softball and flag football
teams, but never really seemed to do all that well at basketball.
In a different kind of sport, there was nothing better than the
annual Fasching Party with the 19th Precinct from the Frankfurt
Flughafen. Of course, there was also Smokies Den – the private
SP bar that was down the hall from the LE desk. We did so much business,
the Galaxy Club threatened to shut us down. There was nothing better
than getting off a Mid Shift, heading into Smokies Den for beer
(and playing the pinball machine), and watch the back-office “lifers”
come in for their morning coffee!
Here are just a few of the folks I remember from Rhein Main - one
of, if not the best assignments in my 37 years of federal service:
Captains: Alan J Cross, Iron Mike Mason, and George Brown.
The best Flight Chief’s a troop could ever have... TSgt Ordon
O. “Doc” Tummons,
MSgts: J.L. Hoots, Jim Chuning, Jerry Spahr and Moose Miller.
SSgts: Donnie Phelps, Tom Cox, Coney Story, John Clodfelter and
Don VonHagel.
Sgts: Jackie Houston, Jimmy Goins, John “Frank” Givner
and Steve Goss.
SrAs: Keith Owen and Bob Dunlap.
And folks who’s rank I cannot recall... The Dowdys, John Homb,
Mike Hazen, John Markow and a guy loving referred to as Zeke the
Cork. There were also our CSUs at the time, most of their names
I can’t remember but can recall a Pasch, Earnst, and the boss
was named Snuffy (I think).
On a closing note, I was on the USAFE SF staff a few years ago and
helped work the process to close Rhein Main and return it to the
Flughafen. I was unable to attend the closing ceremonies but understand
it included some of the many men and women who had the honor and
privilege to serve at that outstanding installation. Long live the
Rockets!
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