I had the benefit
of performing duties with some of the best Air policemen in
the Air Force. In my case I had several duties while assigned
there, NCOIC Training/Firing Range, NCOIC Armory and NCOIC
Air Police Investigations. Major Bender was the Operations
Officer (with whom I later served at Travis Air Force base,
where he retired as Lt. Col.) At a few minutes before January
1, 1968 we Air Police knew something was up because Air America
(this was CIA) Aircraft were locked up and the ARVN, Vietnamese
Army forces, were no longer at their post around the perimeter
of the base.
At this minute
we knew it was only us left to protect the base; there were
slightly over 900 of us. During the first 15 minutes of the
Tet Offensive we lost our Chapel in a rocket attack, a lot
of duds were also fired at us; some just bounced down the
runway.
A group of us--an
officer, an NCO and SAT teams, on Jeeps--responded to the
area where the VC had broken through the perimeter fence.
The break had occurred right next to the bunker where Air
Police were inside. NVA/VC had thrown a long Bangalor pipe
bomb on the fence, clearing their way. Our intent was to save
our buddies from the besieged O51 Bunker and of course kill
the enemy. We tried very hard to reach them. Over 100 VC lost
their lives and four of the five Air Policemen in the bunker
also lost theirs (the VC threw hand grenades in the bunker).
When we reached
the bunker a lot of us had tears in their eyes. The VC tried
to enter the base at several other locations, including an
area by the city of Saigon called Cholon. We were able to
hold them off without further casualties on our side. To illuminate
the area, we had to fire our hand flares directly forward
so we could light up the bottom half of the buildings.
APS
members were on duty at least 48 hours--some were on longer.
Many hours later, the US Army was able to get to us to help
secure Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Later, we had to wear gas masks
while burying the dead Viet Cong, and used a front-end loader
to put them in a common grave. There wasn't much left of the
men we lost in the bunker; we recovered as much as we could.
I am very proud
of the Air Policemen who were assigned to Tan Son Nhut during
the Tet Offensive. I consider them to be the finest fighting
Airmen in the U.S. Air Force; they can stand tall among any
of the other military services. I don't know of one member
who complained; everyone knew what was supposed to be done
and did it. When I left Tan Son Nhut, I felt I was leaving
my family.
We had other attempts
at penetration by the Viet Cong long after the Tet Offensive,
but were always able to keep the base secure. The significant
point we had learned was that the security of Tan Son Nhut
was up to the Air Police--and we did just that. The one thing
we hated was that even though we were receiving enemy fire,
we were not authorized to return fire without the prior approval
of COMZ Headquarters--which sometimes never came. We knew
what to do and we did it.
The Air police
also had the task of curtailing the selling of drugs and marijuana
on the base. The Vietnamese were selling it right on the base,
in exchange for black market items from the BX. There were
times when the QC (Vietnamese military police) were the ring
leaders. I was told more than once to "back off" by them on
the drug issue, but we didn't; we did our job to protect our
men and women in the service.
There is one group
that seldom receives any praise, but I saw them work up close
and personal. They patched me up from the bullet wound I received.
The Air Force Medical Corps is another organization that can
stand tall. They had a very difficult job to do.
In closing I want
to thank the members of the APS at Tan Son
Nhut for their outstanding performance. A large number of
us received the Bronze Star with V device for performing our
duties, although I really believe everyone assigned there
deserved one. I thank you again.
G.M.George, MSgt(Ret)
