Đà Nẵng Growl Pad! by: Don Poss

6252 Combat Air Police Squadron, 366th SPS
The year 1965, under Col. Phillips, construction began for a decent dog kennels to house fifty-plus sentry dogs, of the 6252 Combat Air Police Squadron, 366th SPS. Full-bird Col. Phillips had acquired an office-building for the Đà Nẵng Growl Pad's Command and Security Control offices. Some very irate marine officers sniffed around the compound scratching their chins and heads while eyeing the newly painted structure, which seemingly resembled one missing from their facility. "Someone absconded with an entire screened-structure? Those thieving ARVN bastards ... and after all that you brave marines have done for their country! ... That building? ... No, no ... we've had that building forever . . .surely you don't think that one fine day a whole building just appeared? Wet paint? You know, if it moves, salute it, if it doesn't, paint it--gotta keep the troops busy."

It's true that paint covers a lot of sin, and the marines--always on the short-end of the Navy's stick-- suffered an acute shortage of steaks, prime-ribs, and kegs of beer, which Col. Phillips happened to have and willingly shared with our brave comrade perimeter-marines at an infamous morale-enhancing event.

A week later---according to the marines---"What! Them thieving ARVN bastards must'a stole your eight-foot square forty-foot long ship's Metal container full'a liquid morale-enhancement from the Growl Pad. "Ah ... You mean, that container ... ?"

Another day at Đà Nẵng Air Base, South Vietnam.