TDY To Don Mung

By Lt Col John Probst 

Two Drug Detector Dog teams were sent on a 30 day short-notice TDY from Clark to Don Muang in 1975, SSgt Obediah (Ben) Lewis and myself. I don't recall the dog Ben took since he was a trainer at the time. I took "Shep" 80M3.   Ben being the senior SSgt was probably sent to keep the junior SSgt (Probst) out of trouble.  SSgt Lewis rotated out after the first 30 days and was replaced by A1C Rick Graves and his dog "Boozer". Rick stayed on for approx three months and I left one day short of 180.

There were 2 or 3 dogs already at the very small Don Muang kennels. SSgt Joe Mengerhausen (uncertain of spelling -- besides I don't know how they ever got that name on a uniform name tag) and SSgt Groce (again uncertain of spelling) were the two handlers assigned. I cannot recall the names of their dogs. "Rebel" 8M12 was one of the other two permanent  party dogs at Don Muang.

Bangkok was the central clearing point for all mail and PCS moves leaving Thailand. So our entire mission was searching all the mail coming out of all Thailand (including bases like Korat, Ubon, Udorn, Takli, Utapo, and the USJUSMAG) and clearing the weekly DC-8 Chartered Airliners (Known as the Freedom Birds). These aircraft transported most military personnel arriving and departing Thailand.

"Shep" was a lively dog not above taking a quick snap at someone if he was in a bad mood, even his handler. This happened once too often and suddenly "Shep" was going back to Clark. "Rebel" 8M12, one of the perm party dogs was then assigned to me.

Note:  Colonel Probst a former Lackland Dog School Instructor, completed a tour as Squadron Commander of the Lackland Dog School. He was promoted after a tour in Iraq.

Handler Bill Groce and Drug Detector Dog Dino

 Circa 1970-71  Photo Courtesy of Ron Glenn

 

Marijuana Smugglers Detected

By A1C Paul McMullen

Published in Air Force Times (Circa 1970)

Don Muang RTAFB- A special marijuana detection team consisting of two airmen and a patrol dog named Tuck now check all flights leaving Thailand through the Military Airlift Command Terminal in Bangkok, which handles all MAC contract flights in and out of the country.  Tuck is also used to check mail passing through the Aerial Mail Terminal at Don Muang, which processes mail for all Thailand, APO's.

The only Air Force dog of his type in Vietnam or Thailand, Tuck and his two trainers are Sgt. Philip Gaites and Sgt. William Barragar of the 631st Combat Support Group's Security Police Squadron- begin operation in earnest during October.  Working one day and training the next, Tuck keeps his keen nose in shape for sniffing marijuana at his two prime work areas.

On the command "Mary Jane" Tuck thoroughly sniffs all the bags in a pile of state side luggage weighing several hundred piles in from five to ten minutes.

A small cloth pouch filled with marijuana is used as a training aid. Tuck can locate "grass" wrapped in plastic, inside sealed bottles, and even packed in a box of mothballs. Tuck was donated was to the Air Force two years ago by a family in Hodgensville, KY. Tuck first served at Korat RTAFB with Sgt. Gaites. The four year old German Shepherd was originally trained as a sentry dog, he was one of the first chosen to be retrained as a patrol dog. It was during this retraining that his talent for tracking and detection was discovered.

Sergeant Gaites and another sergeant set up a special program to develop his talent. Tuck demonstrated the concept of training a dog to find marijuana was valid. Tuck was transferred to Don Muang following his basic training in marijuana detection.

Don Muang RTAFB    Dogs of Don Muang    Handlers of Don Muang