Did I really slide that pic by everybody?

Those are some pretty cool old school photos.

There are stilla few kicking around at the USAF Honor Guard in DC.

IIRC they were chromed with goofy looking fake ivories. I highly doubt they still function. Never got to play with them, I carried a M14, M1, or a 1903 during my time there.

My favorite part was when we could all convert over to the aircrew style leather patch. Then, we had to put stripes back on. With the patch.

granted these were WAY before my time, but for what most of the AF does on a daily basis, we shouldn't have gone away from the OG107 uniform, ball caps, and unit patches

I really miss my unit patches and my ball cap from the BDUs

Spent 6 years at Offutt back in the early 80's & a  roommate was SAC Elite guard while I was a base SP. SAC guard never stood guard on Offutt's main gates, but once in a while would go to the SAC gate when DV's were inbound thus causing heartburn with the base SP's, as a rule the HQ and base SP's did not get along very well as one group had rather inflated egos. SAC Guard only guarded the hill/building 500 & the few external support buildings along with a couple officer quarters.

They had standard blued S&W M15's with a fake ivory/inlet wood grip like in the picture, but the grips were so slick they had to replace them with standard issue grips when qualifying. The cross draw holsters were based on looks, how sharp a few Generals felt they looked and the cross draw holster had that eye appeal. The base gate guard section went to pearl handle revolver grips and they to were deemed dangerous to qualify with.

HQ SAC guards would also use elemers glue and masking tape to get the creases that sharp & then take a 3m waterproof spray and spray the inside of the uniform so no sweat stains would show & the sweat would drip down into your boots.

SAC guard were not "hand picked" but you did interview for a slot. Sometimes you would have 2 or 3 open slots and 1 guy put in for it, guess what, if that guy looked sharp in blues he got a slot. It was a popular job for a brown nose troop, but most of the good hard working sharp troops were base SP's.

Guard 7 CINSAC's personal driver got busted drinking and driving when I was stationed at Offutt.

When the 1st couple microwaves were placed in building 500 (SAC HQ) a MSgt put a baked tater in it wrapped up in foil, the explosion blew off the microwaves door & the "elite guard" ran with a bombing. We got on scene and discovered what really happened, the elite guard really had egg on the face after that.

What aircraft are you referring to as "kneecap" Offutt had Looking Glass (nothing special) NECAP the E4B 747 again nothing special and then you had CINSAC's personal tanker, now that bird was kept in Mod A and crewed by Senior NCO's and senior officers. I've seen CMSgt's waxing and polishing that aircraft.

Take a close look at this pistol (picture taken off the SAC elite guard web page linked to above)



It's the same pistol with the same grips posted in the OP, but that picture is 84 or 85.

We got 3 of those armored cars (Cadillac-Gage Peacekeepers)  in 1984 or 1985, one went to SAC guard and the other 2 went to base SP's for flight line duty. My duty section (SP Armory) was the 1st duty section on Offutt to transition to BDU's and I was the 1st person to wear BDU's to the NCO Academy. Heck, I've still got my shorty parka exactly like the one in the picture, issued from the same supply section, just wished I could still fit into it

When I was in SAC, late 80's, any LE troop could put any grips he wanted, on his issue revolver, as long as he could qualify with them.

Those guns were worn out junk.   Even CATM called them POS.   Guys who could shoot "excellent" in a course with a decent handgun, would often score lower with their service gun.   There was so much slop in them, they would spray burnt powder and lead onto your hands and face.

The armory would give select people (officers, aircrew) the best ones they had, for earning the marksmanship ribbon.

The M9 was a huge improvement.

We had a group of LE troops that were an "elite" unit, but the only difference was a dressed up uniform.   They were not allowed to wear mukluks, even if it was 20 below zero.   It didn't last long because the guys quickly got tired of working nothing but the entrance gates.

Brings to mind the S&W model 10's that my Guard troop had in the late 80's. I was an Aeroscout in an armored Cav. Regt.. The revolvers were worn out pieces of shit. One of the guys in my troop was a state trooper and would bring a model 10 Hbar to qual. The whole troop, guns and scouts, pilots, crew chiefs and observers would qualify with it.  

Good God those Peacekeepers were a death drap.  Came up behind one at a stoplight when I was stationed at F.E. Warren WY.  Heard a "BANG" and all three SF guys bailed out like it was a Chinese fire drill.  The wiring under the dash had shorted out and caught on fire.  We had to push that POS to the side of the road and continue on about our business.

They were not designed or made for the kind of abuse they got. The things were nothing more than Dodge ram with armor...the motors were 319's and then they upgraded em as they kept having major problems...to much weight and not enough suspension or power...

Now they ahve been rebuilt and SWAT teams across America use em....

Yeah, and if it don't move, paint it! The best uniform was the woodland BDUs with the MAC patch on the right chest, Made so much sense they screamed to high heaven and ixnayed that in about 6 months!

Yup, the E4B, funny story about it making AF1 look like crap on a visit. I was talking about the 50/60s troops being handpicked. Heard a lot of the same stories you told about the 80s and beyond. Funny stuff.

So there really is a space shuttle door gate gunner...

Man does that bring back memories. Loved the mukluks, but they sucked ass for ankle support. At F.E. Warren AFB only SSgts and above got the shorty parkas. When we went to BDUs in 1986/87 they did away with the shorty parkas because they didn't meat the "4 basic tenents" with BDUs. I put SSgt on in 1987 and didn't get a shorty, boy was I steamed.

LOL. I got a professional performer letter in April of 1989 for a PK fire in the WSA at Warren. We were sitting there and it was a nice warm day, unusual for April, so we had all the hatches open and parked on the north side of the Peackeeper assembly building. I was in the driver's seat when our gunner in the hatch reached down and flicked on the dome light for some stupid reason, bordeom most likely. There was a loud, "BZZZZZZT!" and sparks shot out of the light, then along the wire to the dash. A loud "POP" was heard then a small trickle of smoke wisped up from the center of the back of the dash. We all laughed.

A second or two later a sheet of flame came out of the back of the dash and the inside foam cushioning on the "Cadloy" armor began to burn and melt. We unassed in a hurry. The gunner went out the top and grabbed his M60, my second dove out the pax seat and my M203 gunner rolled out the back hatch.

We regrouped at the back of the PK and I counted heads. I looked at the M203 gunner and asked where his "can" of grenades were (at that time you'd check out a sealed ammo can of grenades for the M203). He got a sick look on his face and pointed at the PK, now billowing with toxic black smoke from all hatches with little licks of orange flame peaking through. I yelled at my guys to jump in the drainage ditch across the road and told my second to notify WSC and ran to the driver's side hatch as I'd last seen the can sitting behind my seat.

I took a deep breath and stuck my upper body into the hatch right along the bottom sill and felt around inside the back behind my seat. The heat was incredible. I found the handle of the can, it felt like it took forever, it wasn't too hot and I grabbed it out. I came running back to the guys, they screamed at me to get away from them. I was smoking from the waist up and they thought the can was going to blow. I threw it across the road into the other drainage ditch and jumped down with my guys. They beat on me with their berets to put out my smoking top and I tried to get it off of me to avoid being beaten to death.

My beret smelled like a burned dog and my neck was singed free of hair, but we all had a good laugh.

Oh, I HATE PEACEKEEPERS!

Remember the first tires were filled with foam and would ooze in the summer heat? Then they went to split rims. A mechanic at Warren was killed in the late 80s when one exploded on him, he didn't put it in the "gorilla cage". I was at Lima-1 when a Zebra team rolled their PK at the bottom of the hill and their 4 man survival kit, a 400 pound steel box, rolled around inside. I can still hear that kid screaming over the radio for help. We got there and it looked like the inside of a people blender. No one died, but they were all F'ed up!

One of my Cadre at Lackland for the SP Academy was involved in a PK roll over at Minot.  One of his fireteam was killed from stuff slinging around the inside of it.  I got to my first yard in '95 and all we had were HMMVs and Land Rovers.  I was at Lakenheath.  

Probably the CINCSAC's aircraft. My parents, both Looking Glass aircrew, have mentioned the same thing about it being immaculate, especially in the mornings when the sun caught hold of it.

+1

Hey guys, current Elite Guardsman here- I can get a TON of information on the history of the Elite Guard and the revolvers we used in the days of SAC if you want. I know for sure that those revolvers are used as training weapons with our K9 section and only get to fire blanks nowadays. I know that they are .38's- the EG wanted to get away from the 1911 for SAC use... don't ask why...

Now we use typical military issue weapons- M9's and M4's. The uniform is ABU's with a black brassard, nothing like the dress uniforms of the past. I will pull out some of the history books tonight and give y'all the run down

Somebody had a demil M13 sans cylinder on gunbroker  a few months ago. They wanted 100 for it, IIRC>

I forgot about the Elmers glue trick. I do remember the guys soaking OD's with straight, uncut stay flo starch. That was insane. Another off the wall assignment was the rotation at SHAPE HQ in Brussels? Had a buddy who was prior USAF Honor Guard go on tho that TDY, sounds like it was pretty cool.

Awesome, awaiting your info!

I was at Minot when a fire team rolled a PK & a ammo can hit a guy in the head turning him into a carrot. Wonder if your instructor was one of those guys.

When did they fly glass??

Chances are if they flew in the early/mid 80's I knew em....

I've got a old 1199A with areas 7, 16, 18, 19 & 20 open...can I come and visit

Pick ANY of the first four and go with that.



ETA: I'D join the USAF if I could wear the WWI Army Air Service or WWII dark brown uniforms.  The immediate post War khaki with blue cover and blue stripes is excellent as well.

NECAP destroyed the runway it was so heavy so every few years they went TDY to Lincoln NE for runway repair...We took one of the new PK's and it had the foam tires...was only around 50 miles...but they-overheated and leaked so bad the PK was deadlined...

#1 or 2 would be just fine with me.



 

Ha, forgot about the straight starch, did it many a time, had to be careful or you would get white flakes.  Once when Gen Davis was CINSAC and he came out to his plane in Mod A he took my M16, relieved me of duty & sent me home for looking sharp and being professional.

I'd use a can of scotch guard on the mukluks, otherwise when they got wet your feet froze.

For my money #2

86 through 1991. 2nd ACCS at Offutt until they moved aircraft to PACAF at Hickam. I got a few hours on the glass in 86 in the womb, and thusly maintain that I  can claim sacumscised status.

That's an impressive GO.

I remember my dad going TDY to Lincoln about 2007 timeframe to do exactly that. Some things don't change.

I seem to recall gate sentries at Langley AFB carrying Ruger Security Sixs. This would have been between '85 to '88.

I left Offutt in 89, I'll wager ya a chicken dinner I've talked to em  as they entered the ramp, or the bird & checked em off on the SAC form 5 (think that's the form for entry to glass)

Ask em if they remember the playboy article about a stewardess who flew on glass...

Forgot to ask....Officer or Enlisted...

We had a Officer carrying codes refuse to pull out his line badge, the EC asked him where his badge was..don't know what he said, but he refused to show his line badge as he was carrying the codes. (we would un zip coats and check just needed to see the badge & with both hands full it was a pain)

Well this officer refused & when the EC refused to allow entry to glass he dropped both bogs of codes & drew his 38 cal revolver.

Problem was the posting bus was there, he was looking down about 15 M16's all locked and loaded. It's bad juju to pull a .38 on all kinds of SP's in front of Looking Glass when trying to get on.

Never saw the officer again.

Yup, we'd douse the old cotton ODs with liquid starch, let them dry. Then mix a spray bottle with half starch/half water, iron them on the highest setting while spraying them and you could lean the pants in the corner.

This is an outstanding thread! Thank's OP for sharing and everyone else that contributed.

My dad was WWII Army Air Corp, B-29's, Saipan.

They carried mixed sidearms, some Victory models, both 2" & 4" and 1911's. Some with CO's permission carried personal weapons. Did any of you have experience of know of actual shootings using the 130 MC issue ammo? Wondering about real world ballistics and effectiveness.

My hat's off to all SAC, especially the "Cold War Warriors," You kept us safe during uncertain and turbulent times! I put you right up there with the Navy submariners that contributed so much to the cold war effort!

Now if you guys could and would talk about your UFO experiences! LOL.

All these pics has gotten me wanting to Watch Jimmy Stewart in "Strategic Air Command," one of my favorite movies, with incredible aerial photography!

Again, thanks to all for your service!

I miss the third from the left. At RAF Chisksands we'd have a silver whistle with clip on the right pocket flap, our silver function badge with shield on the left, a white ascot, bloused boots with white laces and leather gun belt, and beret. Sharp looking uniform.

Yup, when we got new ones we'd take them into the garage and spray them 3 times with Scotchgaurd. Talk about getting a high.

Ha, ha, ha, a "Sundowner" eh?

I have two stories about "UFOs" in the missle field, but that is for another thread. Oh, and haunted LCFs too.

Great, Why don't you start the thread! I don't want to "hijack," this thread either!

Didn't realize there were so many AF SP/SF's on here.....

The joke when I was at Kadena was one more patch and I'd earn my sash.  I had on my blouse:

-stripes
-badge (patch)
-squadron patch
-CE patch
-Prime Beef patch
-EMT patch

Yup, I was a "four square" Function Badge, Shield, Squadron patch, MAJCOM. My shirt was full!