Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Aug 6, 2009 17:23:44 GMT 9
The year was 1972 and I was an Airman 2 striper and had just been awarded my 5-skill level. As most of us know that meant you were now qualified to work jobs by yourself.
I had just been switched from dayshift to graveyard shift the week before.
I was put on a C-141 to remove and replace the thrust-reverser control valve assembly on the #3 engine. The aircraft had an important mission to fly in the morning so there was no time to waste. I was a bit surprised when they gave me the task.
As I worked along doing what need to be done a Staff Sgt. Walked up and asked, "How are you doing, be finished soon?"
I replied, "I'll be awhile, only started about an hour ago."
He continued with small talk about how I missed the big earthquake a few years earlier and explained how the flightline rolled and the aircraft bounced, etc, etc.......
I responded occasionally with, "WOW" and, "That must have been scary."
I figured and assumed he was the crew-chief or assistant crew-chief wondering when I might be done.
He then said, "You know this is a restricted area, don't you?"
I replied, "Yep, been working out here awhile now."
He drilled me again, "You got a line-badge, don't you?
I snapped back, "Yes I do." As I kept working on the jet engine.
He then demanded, "Well then airman, let me see it!"
I was up on a B4 Maintenance stand and squatted down into the lighted area of the flood lights and unclipped my security line-badge and held it up so he could see it. He gave it a long look and then looked at me saying, "That is surely your picture on it."
By this time I'm thinking to myself, "This guy is a real pain in the butt, doesn't he have something better to do than bother me!"
He then asks, "Have you seen anyone else out here walking around?"
I reply, "Sarge, it’s about 0300 hours in the damn morning, most everybody else is asleep!"
He comes back with, "Not everybody."
Trying to work and get the job done on time and safely so I'll look good and demonstrated that as an Airman I was dependable, reliable, and had that can-do-attitude, to accomplish any task assigned without supervision.
This Staff Sgt. was getting in my way and would not go on about his business.
He started in again and I interrupted him, "I was nice, polite, and respectful and explained that the aircraft had an important mission to fly and its take-off time was only about 5 hours away.
He stood there as I had my face and head stuck up under the engine cowlings that were propped open for maintenance access. I could see him out of the corner of my eye. As I was thinking, "What the hell is this guy’s problem, go away will you!"
He got my full attention when he snapped back saying, "LOOK AIRMAN, I'm Staff Sgt, (Don't recall his name) from the Security Police and we are doing a security test!"
I quickly squatted back down and looked him in the eyes.
I was young and just 19, so I guess he saw that Oh crap look in my eyes and on my face and felt sorry for me working so hard trying to complete this job task.
He then said, "Airman Price you are it for this week’s security awareness test!"
I said, "Sorry, I figured you for the crew-chief."
He quickly surprised me by saying, "Well Airman Price this is your lucking night - you about ready to check my security badge?"
About all I could get past my lips and out of my mouth was a very timid, "OK."
He was now totally in control if indeed he was security police.
I climbed down the B4 maintenance stand's ladder and faced him. He said, “Take my security badge and check it closely as we are being watched.” As I did he asked, “Airman, what do you see?”
I inspected his badge closely and said, “Different face on the badge, it’s not yours, and the rank on the badge does not match the stripes on your uniform.”
He then said, “This is how we will play it out – I’m going to sit down on the ramp and put my hands behind my head, you will start waving your flashlight for help and make it look good, understand?”
I answered, “Yes sir, and thank-you sir!”
I had my flashlight in hand and within arm’s reach was my ball pin hammer lying on the edge of the B4 maintenance stand. I started waving my flashlight with one hand while I was holding a hammer in the other hand.
Within a minute a set of headlights came on from the dark shadows a few hundred yards away and headed toward us then the red flashing emergency lights came on. The vehicle pulled up and out jumped two armed security police individuals one with an M-16 assault weapon.
The NCO spoke up asking, “Airman, you signaled, what’s the problem?” I replied, “Defective security badge.” The NCO then looked at the guy sitting on the ramp and said, “Well?”
His reply was, “He passed OK”, as he started to get up off the cement ramp.
The NCO looked at the hammer in my hand and asked, “You armed yourself with a hammer?”
I didn’t know what to say and just blurted out, “Seemed the reasonable thing to do.”
The NCO said, “That’s a first” and chuckled as he walked back to his police vehicle and turned off the emergency lights. He returned with a clip board and form that he filled out by asking me some questions including, name, rank, duty section, and squadron.
As the three security police force individuals climbed into their vehicle the guy who first approached me gave me a big smile.
Our jet engine dispatch van then pulled up and my shift supervisor asks, “Did you pass?” I still wasn’t sure what was going on so I said, “I guess.” I then added, “I still have plenty to do to finish this job, can I get back at it?” He responded, “Yes, do you need any help?” I replied, “No thanks I got it covered.”
I finished my thrust reverser control valve change in plenty of time and my truck came back by and dropped off four of my co-workers who all engine run qualified. They ran the engine and operated the thrust reverser system as one of them and I went up on the maintenance stand and checked for leaks. None were found and the work was signed off in the aircraft maintenance forms. We spent the rest of the shift driving around the flightline incase we were needed as aircraft were starting engines for scheduled missions.
At 0730 hours we pulled up to our shop. We jumped out of the van and dayshift boarded the van while our shift supervisors exchanged aircraft maintenance information and mission departure times.
Once in the shop the Chief had us line up as we sometimes did for uniform and haircut inspection, or important information. As the six of us stood there the shop Chief started talking instead of inspecting. He started out by informing us that he just got a call from our squadron commander. The commander received a report from the security police squadron commander that an Airman from our squadron had detected and subdued a restricted area penetrator after arming himself with a hammer at 0300 hours this morning. The commander also has directed that Airman Price for his security awareness be granted a 3-day pass and be submitted for the Airman of the Month Award.
The Shop Chief then said, “Airman Price, what do you think about this?”
Again I was lost for words. Everything was happening so fast. Being young and at the bottom of the pecking order I just said, “Thanks to everyone involve, but I don’t need a 3-day pass.”
Everyone looked at me, and the Shop chief said, “What,,, you don’t want a 3 day pass!”
I felt I did not deserve it, so I replied, “I live in the barracks and my home is 3,000 miles away in Pennsylvania, so I’d rather just work.”
The Shop Chief asked the shift supervisor if he had anything to add and he said that he did not, so the shift was dismissed. I was asked to step into the Chief’s office. The Chief sat down and said, “Airman Price, the commander has instructed you be given a 3-day pass and that is an order, not your choice. You will also be sent before the Airman of the Month Board next month and if you are selected as the winner you get another 3-day pass next month, understand Airman Price?”
“Yes Sir Chief” was my answer.
The following month I was selected as the Airman of the Month.
PS: I always look for that security police office at the club. I wanted to by his drinks but our paths never crossed. He might have been a reservists. I just don't know.
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