STORY BEHIND THE PLAQUE
Service Reflections of COL Robert DeCubellis, U.S. Air Force (1968-2006)

I had several friends who served in the Air Force, including Dick Berghorn and his K-9 Rommel at Pleiku AB. My uncle Ed served in the Air Corps in England in WW II, and my uncle Art served in the US Navy but didn’t get overseas before VJ Day.

As the Vietnam War began to spool up in the mid-’60s, I knew the draft would be hot on my tail as I was graduating college, so I decided to pick my own destiny versus being drafted. I also came from the baby boomer generation following WW II and knew the value of serving. When my grades slipped in 1966, I got tapped for a pre-induction physical in Minneapolis. It was right out of a scene from Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant,” that’s popular every Thanksgiving….). I actually witnessed the USMC take inductees that day to fill their shortfall in enlistees.

With that experience in mind, I rechecked all four branches following graduation. Each asked me if I wanted to fly! I really wasn’t interested in being a pilot, nor did I want to strap on a helicopter at the age of 22. I thought the USAF would make better use of my education as an enlisted man, and then I’d take my grad school acceptance to Indiana State using my GI bill. The best-laid plans of mice and men…

I enlisted in Dec 68 in Los Angeles, two weeks before my draft greeting from President Nixon hit the mailbox. I went to Lackland AFB for basic in Mar 1969, then direct duty assigned to Hamilton AFB in Marin County, CA, as a Security Policeman. I had good AQE scores, and USAF had “promised” me one of three guaranteed career fields that matched my liberal arts degree, but “the needs of the Service” came first…… so I immediately looked into cross-training, but they wanted more time, and I still had 3 1/2 yrs left! I decided then and there: do the four and walk away.

I spent about a year at Hamilton, working on aircraft and nuclear security, before moving into law enforcement before being tapped to go to Vietnam in 1970. Following the 3AZR Combat Prep Course at Camp Bullis, TX, I shipped to Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam. I spent a year there working airbase defense on Tiger Flight (Charlie Flight nights) for my entire tour.

I humped the ramp, pulled OPs/LPs and bunkers on the perimeter, rocket watch tower duty, off-base convoy duty, Security Response Team, or Quick Reaction Team member as a grenadier or M-60 machine gunner or rifleman. I pulled every base defense post except for the Delta 18 Water Tower and mortars, which required heavy weapons school training. Because I’d been a desk sergeant before shipping out, they tapped me to become a security controller in the Base Defense Operations Center (BDOC). My feet were trash from immersion foot, so the inside duty helped them heal and gave me a new opportunity. Before returning to CONUS, I worked my way up to Senior Controller on the night shift. I have several stories out there about my year at Bien Hoa, which I’ll figure out how to post should anyone care to read them.

I returned to Hamilton AFB and became a law enforcement flight supervisor until I separated in March 1973, 4 years to the day as per my contract. I swore that I would never wear a blue uniform again and decided social work was no longer in my future. I almost became an insurance agent in the SF Bay area. But blue uniforms grow on you! While testing for Bay Area police departments, I got a job with the Postal Service by accident. I also became a reserve police officer and then was hired as a security specialist in the Air Reserve Technician Program back at Hamilton again. It led to a direct commission and another 30 years in Air Force Blue.

In addition to four campaigns and a bunch of rocket and mortar attacks in Vietnam, my time in the Air Force Reserve was primarily in the recruiting, training, and equipping Security Police/Forces units to support worldwide mobility and contingency operations in the air mobility arena. HQ Fourth Air Force morphed over the years from strictly airlift (C-130s and C-5 and C-141 aircraft) to strategic air mobility wings with KC 10 and KC 135 tankers and tactical air mobility wings with various models of the C-130 Hercules. We also had Air Rescue, Special Ops, and AC 130 Gunships. All of these wings had Security Force Squadrons. We had several Air Force Reserve bases with full-time police departments generally located at large airports like Chicago-O’Hare, Minn-St Paul, and many others across the country. I eventually became Chief of Security Police/Forces at the numbered air force level with a wartime mission augmenting HQ Air Mobility Command Security Forces.

Our forces supported just about every contingency and humanitarian operation this country was involved in. I’ll forget a few for sure, but I can tick off the Grenada Rescue, the Panama/Noriega event, support for the Brits in the Falklands, Bosnia, Kosovo, Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and the Gulf Wars, Afghanistan, and a full range Anti-terrorism actions from the days of the Red Brigades on to the 911 attack, plus counter drug ops and hurricane relief. You don’t do these missions without airlift, and you don’t do airlift without agile combat support to include security. I worked my way through a variety of growth assignments in 36-plus years in the Air Force and active Reserve. I attained the rank of Master Sergeant before earning a direct Commission. I served as a training officer, readiness officer, quality instructor, executive officer, Chief of Security Police, Chief of Readiness, and eventually Regional Support Group Commander. I also did a short tour as an Inspector General. Those of us who served during the Vietnam War tried to make sure leadership’s mistakes would not be repeated on our watch if we could help it.

A year at Bien Hoa AB 1970-71 was probably it. While we didn’t get rocketed/mortared every day, there were enough of them to get your attention, including a major attack on November 17, 1970, that created many casualties and damage. As a base defender, you were also subject to snipers on the perimeter as well as possible infiltrators. I also spent a 3-day “R&R” at Chu Lai Army base south of DaNang, visiting an Army nurse friend in Mar 1971. Unfortunately, the airfield and Field Hospital took three rocket attacks in 24 hrs, and a firebase got overrun (MaryAnn) while I was there. Lucky for me, there were no Purple Hearts, but not because the NVA/VC didn’t try. Seeing dust-offs unloading casualties at the Field Hospital and visiting the wards with my nurse friend to talk with the injured was an eye-opener. Maybe that was a portent of things to come.

Many years later, I was TDY with my 2-star boss at Andrews AFB, MD, visiting one of our medical staging squadrons that had been mobilized to support operations in the Desert. Casualties returned to CONUS generally from Landstruhl GE were given more treatment at Walter Reed Hospital. Those deemed well enough to go home or to a local veterans hospital to recuperate were “staged” out of this temporary facility created out of a gymnasium at Andrews. Once again, while talking with our mobilized troops, I also got to speak with fighting men and have the chance to offer comfort from a veteran of a war that took place before most of them hadn’t even been born yet.

As a law enforcement patrolman, I also had several situations involving armed suspects; however, they elected to “submit to authority” rather than engage us.

My primary duty assignments were Hamilton AFB (twice while it was an active duty base), where I served for another two years before helping to close it for good as a reserve base in 1976; McClellan AFB in Sacramento, CA, which we also closed in 1998; March ARB in Riverside, CA; and my year at Bien Hoa AB Vietnam.

I have also done many TDYs to just about every major USAF installation in the US, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Germany in 36 years of service, plus Navy, Army, and Guard bases. I’ve been to Elmendorf in January, Georgia in August, weathered hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, blizzards in the northeast, mosquitos in the Dakotas, heat, snakes, and scorpions in the SW deserts, plus the fun city where the Pentagon resides….. 45 of 50 US states. I have no fear of cold or heat, but I genuinely don’t like bases with large mosquitos and rice bugs…

In addition to the men I served with in Vietnam, I have many friends and mentors who helped me along the way. I tried to pay that forward by being a leader that my people could say the same about. I have several things I stuck with:

“Everybody has an opportunity to excel. It might not be here.” (in which case, I’d try to find them their place to be successful if they were serious about being an asset instead of a hindrance).

“One of my jobs as commander is to be a resource advocate and a bullshit filter. I find the resources you need to get the job done while respecting taxpayers’ money. I filter BS in both directions, which sometimes means putting your career on the line with the boss and those he works for. That’s part of leadership.”

My job is to do my mission, take care of my people, and know that my boss needs to hear the truth even when it does not make him happy. (Remember resource advocate and BS filter?)…

I like to think I helped grow some good replacements to carry on the mission.

Qualifying for a direct commission (after a rocky start as a one striper put into a career field that I didn’t sign up for and that was considered to be the bottom of the USAF barrel by many in 1968 ranks first), followed by selection for some tough jobs over the years that finally lead to selection as a commander and promotion to Colonel. In my 30-plus years in the Air Force Reserve, I helped build the USAF total force program from 1974 until 2006. Our successes as a premier Total Force component stand on their own merits.

I have two personal awards that span from the lowest to the highest of those received. I earned an AF Achievement Medal, recommended by a member of our staff, for some quick thinking work I did that became crucial to supporting the reestablishment of critical communications in the San Francisco Bay area following the devastating Loma Prieta Earthquake that interrupted the World Series between the SF Giants and the Oakland A’s. The Legion of Merit I received upon my retirement was totally unexpected. It recognized my leadership as a Regional Support Group Commander with four GSUs and many worldwide missions from September 11 until I retired.

Then, there was the Bronze Star Medal that my commander in Vietnam nominated me for, but I never received it. The 7th Air Force approval officials downgraded it to a USAF Commendation Medal because I was only a first-term airman. Still, it was the thought that counted. The commander who submitted that award recommendation (also a Mustang officer) became one of my biggest mentors. I’m proud to call him my friend to this day as we both head toward the Centurion Club!

Col Edward E. Johnson (then Maj as 3rd SPS/6251st SPS/CC at Bien Hoa and finally PACAC Chief of Security Police) (always take care of your troops).

Col George Wayne Harris, former 14 AF/SP and AFRC Chief of Security Police (too many life lessons to count)

Col Francis Mike Mungavin, former AFRC Chief of Security Forces (never forget where you came from)

George W. Steele (RIP) (if it’s worth doing, find a way to do it and do it right!)

CMSgt Andrew J. Howell and Lt Col Elmo Don Gadd (RIP) ( 4661st SPS Hamilton AFB) –no-nonsense, loyalty, and professionalism

Maj Gen Sloan R. “Sandy” Gill (RIP) was a former commander of HQ Fourth Air Force and a leader with great insight and character.

Maj Gen James Wahleithner (RIP), former commander of HQ Fourth Air Force, has an unparalleled work ethic and concern for his people and the mission.

There are too many others to name here, all of whom gave me something of themselves that I’ve tried to pass on to others.

Sgt Larry D. Greco and Sgt Bruce A. Nelson (RIP) (Vietnam and Hamilton AFB)

SSgt (Capt ret) Dwain J. Haworth.”

SSgt Steve Gattis and Sgt Larry D. Fleming (Hamilton AFB)

Col Ed Johnson (Ret) Bien Hoa AB

I am still in touch with everyone. All but Steve and Larry served with me in Vietnam. Steve, Larry, and I remained in contact, and he was responsible for recruiting me into the Vietnam Security Police Association.

One night near Christmas, we were being rocketed at Bien Hoa. As I left the hooch for BDOC, my buddy, who was in the shower as I ran by, said, “Come in here because it’s safer “(with concrete walls). I said, “You’re naked— I’ll take my chances with the rockets,” and kept running for BDOC.

I also remember when I came to work as Desk Sergeant at Hamilton in 1971 to find the swing shift crew we were about to relieve looking glassy-eyed. I then discovered that they’d eaten a box of homemade brownies left by the wife of a correctional custody inmate. A closer examination of the remaining crumbs revealed they were actually “Alice B Toklas ” marijuana-spiked brownies.

The swing shift turned in their weapons, got an ass-chewing, and left with the empty box of missing evidence. The convict was given extra duties and was told his wife would be arrested if she brought any more “goodies” into the cop shop.

I retired in 2006, determined not to work again unless the job would be 1) fun and 2) paid me more than I was worth. I have found nothing like that since, so I remain “unemployed.” Upon retirement, I was offered overseas and some corporate work based on my extensive security background. Still, I am not into being away from home anymore unless it’s a vacation, and I hate commuting.

I’m a volunteer with the St. Martha Food Pantry as a box truck driver, forklift operator, and handyman.

Over the years, I’ve been involved in community service work, including being a Public Safety and Traffic Commissioner, a member of the city council’s Steering Committee, a member of the Veterans Committee, and the first President of the Murrieta Veterans Memorial Foundation Inc. I resigned from that position in Jun 2022 after 12 years.

During that time, we have raised funds for and designed and built world-class monuments honoring the service and sacrifice of the men and women who served in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. These include a Fallen Warriors Monument, a POW/MIA Table, and an Honor Garden surrounding a 40-foot black granite obelisk centerpiece in Town Square Park.

We also have educated nearly 35,000 5th graders during annual November Veterans Week field trips to the park and a Field of Honor Flag display with our Rotary.

I am now the 2nd Vice President of the Vietnam Security Police Association.

Vietnam Security Police Association Life Member 347) and 2nd Vice President.
Air Force Security Police/Forces Association (Charter member).
Air Force Association (Life).
Reserve Officer Association (Life).
Air Force Sergeants Association (Life).
VFW (Life).
American Legion
Former member of the International Chiefs of Police Association and California Peace Officers Association
Former diver, Warwick Underwater Recovery Team (Charter Member).
Former firefighter, Pawtuxet Vol Fire Company #1 Engine 6

I believe in service before self. Opportunities to excel are what you make of them.

Sometimes, I miss everything, and some days, I miss nothing from my service days. (Let a shrink figure that one out.)

In retrospect, it was almost all good, and some were better than others…

Always watch your six and that of your wingmen!

Take the training. Get as much as you can, but don’t become a professional student. Do something with it!!

Find good leadership and follow it. (You can also learn from those who shouldn’t be leading….)

Stay away from the dipsticks and take care of your body… it’s the only place you have to live, and the VA is a tough process to work through when your body wears out…

Find good mentors. If they haven’t found you, you need to work harder so they will!

Giving back brings more rewards than you’ll ever see. That mindset will generally not go unnoticed by those who really count in your life.

Everyone has an opportunity to excel. (find those opportunities!!)

A template to jar one’s memory, carve it all out, and put it in one place.