About six weeks after we had arrived at SEA FLOAT in May 1970, our OIC had to take the Medium SEAL Support Craft (MSSC) to Naval Support Activity (NSA) Binh Thuy to change an engine.  I was selected to go along and off we went.  While at Binh Thuy we decided to take our lunch over on Binh Thuy AFB.  The NCO Club had a great luncheon menu and on certain days they even had live entertainment.  This was one of the select days, so four enlisted and two officers piled into the battered Navy 3/4-ton International crew cab pickup and drove over to the base.

 

We arrived for lunch about 1115.  Today's live entertainment was provided by a Filippino band with a female vocalist.  We ordered our lunches, a round of cold beers, and sat back to enjoy the show.  The entertainers that performed for us were very talented and it was a very enjoyable lunch.  The clock hands were closing in on 1300 and we decided we'd better get back, so we paid our tabs and went out to get the truck.

 

To get to the truck we had to pass through a check point manned by an AF Air Policeman.  We'd been passed through without incident on the way in, but during our time in the Club the watch had changed.  An Airman (E-3) AP was on guard and he was splendid to behold!  Arrayed in starched camouflage utilities, a snappy squadron ascot, his policeman's beret, spitshined boots, and M16 rifle, I am certain he struck terror into the VC -- or at least reduced them to hysterical fits of laughter.  On the other hand, we were dressed in a motley collection of mismatched green utilities without hats.  Apparently, running about an AFB without hats was a cardinal sin in this policeman's book.

 

The AP, could see that we were NOT Air Force personnel but wasn't quite certain what service we were in:  "Ah, do they allow you to go around on your base without your covers (hats)?"

 

GMG3 Kusch: "Yes.  As a matter of fact, they do [a true statement]."

 

AP: "I will need to see some ID please."

 

We all lined-up and extracted our ID cards.  The line-up was E-4, E-5, O-2, O-3, E-5, and E-6.  Our AP didn't know it at the time, but he was seriously outranked.

 

E-4 Dick Kusch gave the E-3 AP his ID card.  Oh, oh.

 

E-5 Bob Stoner gave the E-3 AP his ID card.  Oh, oh, oh.

 

The AP declined the rest of the ID cards having figured out his attitude required an immediate readjustment before he was shotdown in flames.

 

AP: "Thank you," as he gave Dick and I our ID cards.  "You may pass.  However, please remember to bring your covers when you visit us again."

 

All: "Certainly.  Thank you."  We piled in the Navy pickup and made our way back to NSA Binh Thuy.  Once we got out of hearing, we broke out in gales of laughter. 

 

Driver:  "I would have liked to have seen that kid's face when you officers handed him your cards."

 

O-2 officer:  "I think the poor kid would have had a heart attack.  It's a good thing he stopped when he did." 

 

We all laughed again.