Photos (Historic)

Special thanks to John W. Cook for the following three photographs. He served as an AP in the early 1960s in Germany and DC.

1961 - APs in Germany During Cold War

At Grünstadt in Germany - Air Policemen A2C Mariner and A1C JW Cook (38 APS) at the main gate of "C" Flight, 38 TMW, Summer of 1961. (APS - Air Police Squadron, TMW - Tactical Missile Wing)
(photo courtesy of John Cook ( Cookieman1@cox.net ))

John states they carried the M1911 .45 Pistol, and had M-2 Carbines and Browning Automatic Rifles at each guard post.

1963 - APs Stateside

A1C (E-4) John W. Cook with Armed Forces Police, Washington, DC, Spring 1963 (notice the caption mistakenly says "Spring 1953", however the vehicle is a 1957 Chevy Classic. It is also a "Navy" vehicle.)
(photo courtesy of John Cook)

John states they carried USAF Combat Masterpiece S&W .38s while assigned to the AFP in DC.


A1C (E-4) John W. Cook with Armed Forces Police, Washington, DC, Fall 1963 (notice that he was driving an "Army" 1963 Plymouth Fury)
(photo courtesy of John Cook)

1968 - Combat SPs Serving at Phan Rang AB, Vietnam

821st A Flight Heavy Weapons Phan Rang AB 1968
L/R: Lavan, Sly, Clark, Barkley, Lacy, Watson, Hill, Walter
Photo courtesy: Jim Sly
(used with permission of Gary Jones, 822nd CSPS, Safeside Association Webmaster)

1975 - SPs Die in Final Battle of Vietnam Era

Killed En Transit - USAF SPs of the 56th SPS
(USAF photo by Boyd Belcher)

When the Cambodian Khmer Rouge seized the U.S.S. Mayagüez, the first combat forces sent to the area to stage were Air Force SPs. The Air Force moved 125 Security Police to U Tapao as a contingency security force. One of the transporting CH-53s crashed, killing 23 airmen (18 SPs and 5 crewmen). Coverage of this incident can be found on the web. Here are some links of interest:

• Vietnam SP Association


• Air Force Magazine


• Wikipedia Coverage

1990-91 - SPs Serving During Desert Storm

SPs from Gunter AFS, AL, Deployed During Desert Storm
62nd SPS, Mirage AB, Sharaj, United Arab Emirates
Front Row, Left to Right: Rajesh B. Patel, Eric F. Phillips, Ernest C. "Dog" Murray, Jeff Stokely, Ken "Truitt Can Do It" Truitt, Randy Cunningham
Back Row, Left to Right: Michael A. "Mike" Doty, Terry L. Pridemore, David B. "Dave" DeRamus, Robert "Boos" Bussalacchi, Richard J. "Rich" Wryobeck, Charles "Dave" Catholdi, Donald L. "Don" Carter
Not Pictured: A1C Jeffrey Anderson
(USAF photo via Charles "Dave" Catholdi)

2004-05 - SFs Serving in Iraq

822nd SFS, Talil AB, Iraq
Photo courtesy: MSgt Ed James - 820th SFGroup
(used with permission of Gary Jones, 822nd CSPS, Safeside Association Webmaster)