"Phan Rang"
My "second" tour in country is northeast of Siagon on the China Sea.
Click here to view map of Vietnam
MacDill AFB sent a vehicle maintenance type to Scofield Barracks, Hawaii to train with the newly forming 822nd Combat Security Police Squadron, they sent him home ambulatory and I was "selected" to replace him. This came as a complete surprise to me as I had already completed a 6 month tour of duty at Bien Hoa with the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, where I was in charge of quick maintenance and gas pumps at the motor pool compound, followed by a 12 month tour at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand in support of the B-52 mission over Vietnam, where I was NCOIC of the tire shop, battery shop and quick maintenance. Upon arriving at Schofield Barracks I met MSgt Donald Walls, a fellow airman I had served with 1959-1961 when we were assigned to 1141st Special Activities Squadron Fontainebleau, France. The next morning we were up early & proceeded directly to the exercise field. The rest of the squadron, having completed about 12 weeks of training could run 5 miles and do 10 plus pull-ups on the bar before breakfast. I managed to do about 5 pull-ups and ran about a quarter mile, but they let me eat breakfast anyway. Upon arriving at Phan Rang I was met by SSgt Robert (Bob) O. Yawn who was the Motor Pool NCOIC I would be replacing and my next door neighbor back when we were stationed at MacDill AFB, 1962-67. One of Bob's men brought a cattle car to load the baggage on to transport to the compound which I found out was at the end of the road of the old 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles area. I was ranking noncom, which made me Motor Pool NCOIC for the 822nd Combat Security Police. While there I was promoted to TSgt. SSgt "Windy" Holburg was second in command; we had several mechanics and motor pool types to round off the crew, one of the motor pool guys was A/1C Mosley and one of the mechanics we called "Baby Huey". The motor pool area was across the road from the main compound. Colonel Fox, the camp commander would come over every morning to check on us and get me to check the oil and water in his jeep, after several weeks he moved us into the main compound for safety's sake. I borrowed a road grader from Army SFC Dye who was with the Army Engineers down the road from us to level the area where we were to build our new hootch. We assembled a Quonset hut type building for a maintenance shop and with the help of some of the other Rangers we built our new hootch. We built NCO quarters at the end closest to the shop for SSgt Holburg and myself, the middle of the hootch was open bay for the other guys and the front was the Dispatch Office where one of the motor pool guys was on duty 24 and 7. One of my first duties was to take inventory and sign for vehicles assigned to the 822nd. We had Combat Security Police assigned to several bases all over South Vietnam; I had to go on a "round robin" to these bases to have the person responsible for the vehicles sign a hand receipt. Prior to taking off I was told to sit on my flack jacket in case there were sappers at the end of the runway shooting at the belly of the aircraft. These small two engine aircraft had jato-assist and we were up out of range quickly. During my 6 month tour we received our first V-100 Cadillac-Gage Commando Cars. We were told they would scale a 36-inch concrete wall and were amphibious. During one training exercise we proceeded to get one of them stuck in a bomb crater at the field exercise area. Our camp site was as the end of the huge 101st Airborne area and a rock throw from the perimeter fence where we had a field exercise area set up. I used to go there with the EOD guy to watch and learn as he used C-4 plastic explosive to detonate unexploded ordnance. One day we found two 88 MM unexploded mortar rounds laying crisscross one another (it has been over 30 years and I cannot recall the EOD guy's name) he cut a inch of C-4 off, took 10 inches of fuse and crimped a blasting cap onto it, stuck it into the C-4 & carefully laid it on top of the mortar rounds & lit the fuse. We immediately jumped on our Army Mule and were safely out of reach and had to wait several minutes before the one-inch per minute fuse set the mortar rounds off. About 600 yards below us was a South Korean 105 MM Howitzer encampment. They fired their shells over our heads at enemy positions almost daily. No doubt all of us suffered some type of hearing loss. Once in awhile we could hear the whistle of a projectile overhead fired from the 20 inch guns of the battleship USS New Jersey. We had two out houses, if I recall correctly they were both 4 holers. Cut off 55 gallon drums were inserted below the holes to catch the feces. Once a week Vietnamese civilians would drag these containers out, pour JP4 into them and burn the contents. The Security Police guys were building a latrine and shower facility, which was completed prior to my returning stateside. If I recall correctly MSgt Skidmore was in charge, he borrowed a caterpillar to dig the hole for the septic tank and drain field. We had a volley ball court next to our hootch and just prior to my rotation stateside they set up a screen to view movies. Every morning First Sergeant Porter would line us up for roll call and take us on a mile run. Drive On! With Darvon! 
"OPERATION SAFESIDE" History of the Combat Security Police During the initial involvement of the USAF Security Police units in the Vietnam insurgency, internal security of remote and vulnerable air bases continued to be carried out under the long existing concept of providing internal protection against the covert threat of sabotage. Well planned attacks by organized guerilla raiding parties on three of the major air bases in Vietnam forced the USAF to redirect its attention from internal security to providing a well trained and well armed, highly motivated combat security police force capable of repelling raids by experienced enemy sapper units. A security survey was conducted by the USAF Inspector General in the Republic of Vietnam in 1965 and presented to the Chief of Staff, USAF with the recommendation that a test unit of highly trained Combat Security Police be formed to initiate a new concept, known as "Active Defense." The development of tactics to support an active defense program would require knowledge of infantry tactics not common to normal security police operations. With Chief of Staff concurrence, recruiting for the special program began in the CONUS in early 1966. After careful consideration, the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia was selected as the training course for the original cadre of the test unit. Personnel selected through personal interview were sent to Fort Benning and began the first class Ranger School to include USAF personnel on 4 May 1966. Designated by the code name "OPERATION SAFESIDE", the 1041st USAF Security Police Squadron (Test) was formed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and prospective trainees began arriving at Schofield from throughout the CONUS and PACAF. On 13 January 1967 the 1041st USAF SPS (T) arrived at Phu Cat Air Base, an essentially bare base operation in the Central Highlands of Vietnam whose runway was still under construction. During this period 13 Jan to 4 Jul 1967, the 1041st secured its Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR) of 9.3 square miles of jungle and rice paddies with active defense tactics developed during its training phase at Schofield Barracks. These tactics included daylight recon patrols, forward observation posts during the day and listening posts at night, operation of tactical motor patrols with gun jeeps, sweep and clear operations, relocation of areas of population, and the use of the primary tactic in active defense operations: The ambush patrol. The 1041st prepared for its departure from Vietnam by training a specially organized flight of volunteers from the 37th Security Police Squadron at Phu Cat Air Base in the application of active defense tactics. Most of the special application combat equipment and vehicles were left in Vietnam for use by 7th Air Force Security Police units. The special flight trained by the 1041st amassed impressive results in applying the tactics taught them. This resulted in the acceptance of active defense tactics by many units throughout 7th Air Force. On 4 July 1967 the 1041st was airlifted from Phu Cat to its temporary bed down site at Fairchild AFB, Washington. On 21 January 1968 the 1041st was placed under the operational management of the Tactical Air Command (TAC). 
The Combat Security Police program received official approval from the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force on 1 July 1968. Prior to that date, due to a urgent request from Headquarters 7th Air Force for more Combat Security Units in the Vietnam theatre, the unit was redesignated the 82nd Combat Security Police Wing and on 8 March 1968 was sent TDY to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii to establish a training site for two CSP units on an immediate basis. The 821st Combat Security Police Squadron was formed and received an accelerated training course and then deployed to Vietnam. A second unit, the 822nd Combat Police Squadron was also formed, trained and deployed from the Schofield site. Upon completion of the training of the 822nd CSPS, the 82nd Combat Security Police Wing and the USAF Combat Security Police School were transferred to the permanent location at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 821st CSPS was deployed to Phan Rang AB, RVN on 13 April 1968 and relieved a Battalion of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and took over their Base Camp. In August 1968 the 821st was relieved by the 822nd CSPS. In February 1969 the 822nd was relieved by the 823rd CSPS. In August 1969 the 821st returned to Phan Rang and relieved the 823rd. 
Drive on Rangers! 
Beret Patch 1041st SPS (T) All Safeside personnel were assigned to the 821st CSPS while in country and were authorized to wear the 1041st SPS (T) beret & patch. 
821st CSPS - 822nd CSPS - 823rd CSPS NOTE: The 821st - 822nd and 823rd later designed their own patches.
 The new breed of Safesiders 822nd, 823rd & 824th SFS patch (current) Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, Georgia More than 150 822nd Security Forces Squadron personnel returned to Moody September 4, 2003 after being deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom for more than five months.
Please visit Safeside Association's new forum page click here
Please visit Safeside Association's new Memorabilia BX page click here
Contact Safeside's Secretary Sherrie Conkright
to join, information, etc.
Contact Safeside's Treasurer Roger Nelson
to join, information, etc.
Anyone knowing whereabouts of the below listed individuals please send e-mail to address below. SSgt Keith Stinson MacDill AFB, Florida 1962-66 - Bien Hoa AB 1965 Attention: Thanks to the military locator services TSgt Stinson has responded to a letter forwarded to him from me. SSgt Robert O. Yawn MacDill AFB, Florida 1962-66 - Phan Rang AB 1968 SMSgt George W. Skidmore - Phan Rang AB 1968-71 Attention: Thanks to the military locator services SMSgt Skidmore has responded to a letter forwarded to him from me.
MILITARY LOCATOR If the person you're searching for is currently active within the military, the following locator services will provide you with their unit number and installation. If the person is retired, they will forward a letter for you. AIR FORCE ~ Active Duty Air Force Locator Service AF Military Personnel Center Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 78150 AIR FORCE ~ Retired Retired Personnel Command AF Military Personnel Center Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 78150 Please visit my first Vietnam tour of duty page Bien Hoa AB 
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