My name is Robert Knetsch. I spent two tours at Korat RTAFB, Thailand in the 388th MMS. My first tour was from August 1967 to August 1968. My second tour was from January 1969 to January 1970. In between these two tours, I spent about 4 months at Eglin AFB as a Security Policeman before volunteering to go back to SEA( I was cross trained). Did any other 461’s that went back to the states get crossed train into Security Police? I guess there was a low demand for 461's in the states in 1968. It was definitely not the case for SEA. I finished up my four years in the service at Hill AFB, Utah.

 

I currently live in the central Texas area.

 

I worked at the Munitions Storage Area (MSA or bomb dump) on both tours. I worked on the bomb build up crew, drove a tractor and trailer hauling bombs and other munitions from the bomb dump to the munitions holding area on base, and operated the H11 crane downloading incoming shipment of bombs and loading the trailers for transfer to the holding area on base.

I am looking for anyone who worked at the bomb dump during either of those two time periods who might remember me and would be interested in chatting about those old times. You can contact me at knetsch512@gmail.com.

Anyone who worked out at the bomb dump during the first 6 months of 1968 would be familiar with the accidental explosions that occurred in the months of March and May of that year. I do have some pictures of the second accidental explosion. I have misplaced or lost all the pictures of the first accidental explosion.

Most of what I remember of my tours in Korat was right after getting off work, me and my buddies would get a bottle of Seagrams7 on our ration card, catch the bus to town, eat dinner down town, and then start some serious partying. After a while, you get tired of doing all that, so you stay in your hooch and play pinochle or just try to get some rest from all that partying. Other activities would include developing your own film and prints, spending time polishing some gem stones, going to the movies at the Nitnoi Theater, or just spending some time at the Sawa Dee Club either gambling or listening to the band. I remember that we worked around 12 hours a day most of the time, 6 days a week. I am just glad we had hooch girls to do all that cleaning and housekeeping, because if we didn't, we would have been living in some very dirty buildings wearing some very dirty clothes.