6499th Combat Support Squadron & Group

[Bluehawk]

I'm making a strong effort to complete a Remembrance for USAF 1Lt Cyrus Swan Roberts IV, KIA in Laos while a PAX aboard an aircraft on 6 Mar 1962.

 

I have a fair amount of information about his life, he was buried at Arlington with several of his notable ancestors.

 

However, I simply cannot locate any information or the patches for the 6499th CSS or CSG which was, I believe, based then at Takhli RTAFB.

 

I would very much appreciate any information whatsoever about these units.

 

Here is what I have recorded thusfar:

 

http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/profile/81372

 

Thank you for the help if possible.

[Bluehawk]

A bump, gentlemen.

 

I've run across this type of unit from VN in the past, and for some reason there is precious little online to be known about them that I can find.

 

There was a 6499th Provisional unit set up as "the first on the ground" there, composed of Air Police/security personnel. I (often wrongly) assume that therefore those units coming afterward carrying the same numericals will or could somehow be associated with law enforcement or base security or, something?

 

But, the fact that these two units appear nowhere else (that I can find) suggests that maybe they were working in the field of secret or black operations?

 

The reason I am onto this so carefully is that 1Lt Cyrus Swan Roberts IV happened to have a few very notable military ancestors, which suggests to me that he was probably not aboard that crashed airplane in the capacity of steward in 1966, so to speak.

 

Anybody got any leads at all? :nerv0003:

[Donald Poss]

 

28 March 2022

Regarding:

6499th Provisional Force/SP [reopened TK].

[https://vspa.com/tk-rtafb-history.htm].

 

The Vietnam Security Police Association, Inc. (USAF) [VSPA.com] is an association of Vietnam War veterans who served in the USAF with Air Police (APS) and Security Police Squadrons (SPS) in Vietnam and Thailand.  VSPA has one deceased member who listed assignments in Thailand as having served with the 56th SPS, and Takhli Air Base, detached with the 6499th/SP. Little is known about that assignment, however, at https://vspa.com/tk-rtafb-history.htm you will find what is known about the closing and opening of Takhli, and USAF airmen duties as detached to the 6499th Provisional Force/SP when Takhli was reopened.  You are certainly correct about the secretiveness regarding the 6499th, and that is mentioned in the history link above.
  

VSPAP webpages are composed of over 10,000 photos and 2,000 personal stories. VSPA lists USAF squadrons’ lineage and history. Additionally, our squadrons detached Air/Security Police to USMC, Navy, Army, or USAF facilities to protect USAF assets.  Of the 20,000 Airmen who served with our squadrons in Vietnam and Thailand, VSPA.com members consist of 3,500 contacts, 2,500 members, and 1,050 Life Members.
 

I hope this helps, although it does confirm information previously linked on your website regarding USAF APS/SPS detachments with the 6499th.

 

Don Poss.
VSPA.com
Dir. Comm/Webmaster (VSPA.com)
1965-66, Da Nang AB, 366th SPS/K9, Sentry Dog Handler, Blackie 129X

[Randy]

Just seeing this. I have seen a 6499 Support Group patch from Takhli. There is a black and white scan in Vol. 6 of Jerome Polder's books. This unit existed early on, and it was common to set up 4 digit provisional units until replaced by a traditional numbered unit, in this case the 355th TFW and the co-numbered 355th CSG. Nothing secret about this one, just obscure. They would have had service and support units that took care of the base facilities and personnel, and yes the security police too. Not to be confused with the 6499th Special Activities Group at Hickam AFB, HI, a completely different unit. It was not normal a provisional number was used twice, as they were supposed to be "one and done".  Always possible the number was transferred after the 355th took over, but that was rare as well with a 4 digit. Adding to the confusion is that provisional units have no requirement to keep official histories.

 

Randy