| Harold L. Hartford - Active Member |  | Address: Plant City, Florida
Email:
Dog(s) :SPORT - 3K04 , TIKI - 7A19 , -
Branch: USAF
Unit(s): 635th SPS (U-Tapao) Thailand
War(s): Vietnam
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 From 1972 to 1973, I served as Canine Handler with my canine partner, TIKI, while at the U-Tapao USAF Base in Thailand. The only major incident during our time there was when a heavily damaged B-52 from Guam crashed north of the base while attempting to land, with only the co-pilot surviving. Biography:
Military Working Dog Handler • Federal Lawman • Reluctant Chew Toy
If you’ve ever tied a square knot before breakfast and radioed in from a Police Explorer post before lunch, chances are you were destined for public service—or a wild ride. For H.L. Hartford, it was both.
Originally headed to the U.S. Marines out of Clearwater, Florida, he took a cinematic detour when family wisdom, brotherly banter, and a freshly heartbroken best friend persuaded him into the buddy system for the U.S. Air Force. Spoiler alert: he survived basic training with straight posture and a stray promotion to Squad Leader—proof that standing tall can be hazardous to your downtime.
Security Police School turned H.L. into a RED ROPE, wrangling 64 airmen like cats in combat boots. But fate (and fur) took over when he laid eyes on a Canine Demo and signed up for patrol dog school. He graduated with a bite-happy partner named Hitler (yes, really), who taught him that introductions matter... especially when your dog's name raises eyebrows.
Permanent Change of Station-PCS to Korea with the wise and old sentry canine Yipp, to midnight patrols in Kansan, with Yipp at his side. His canine once alerted, on a rock, Army Sgt. Attempting to get some fuel oil for his family from the supply area at 2:30 AM. He was soon transferred “PCS” to Thailand with the new canine, Tikki (after Sport misidentified him as a snack during their first week of training together). H.L. handled international security and base patrol with canine finesse—even after three hospital trips left him limping, but undeterred. As canine bites cannot be stitched up, and the same goes for snake bites, which can be left behind after a fence repair, such as devil rope. A returning B-52 crashed one night after low bombing runs over North Vietnam. The aircraft was out of Guam and had heavy battle damage to the aircraft and crew, crashing on the north end of the airfield.
When he wasn’t dodging dog bites, he led investigations and container examinations with the Contraband Enforcement Team, as Container Examination OIC, which included one massive bust of 10,000 pounds of cocaine hidden within cedar wood. His decades-long career with the U.S. Customs Service included roles as Detector Dog Handler, Vessel Commander, Criminal Investigator, and Customs Inspector—with seven movie appearances to boot, including City Confidential and Speed Kills with John Travolta. (Hollywood called, but he refused to share his bologna bribes.)
Stateside, he served as a City Police Officer, Park Ranger, and VA Hospital Police Officer, before wrapping up a 35-year career in federal law enforcement. Kennel Master in Guam was his grand finale—where he mastered the art of medicating dogs with attitude and a mouthful of teeth. Pro tip: if bologna fails, retreat slowly.
H.L. retired in June 2007 from Federal Law Enforcement, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but not from service. Whether mentoring the next generation or swapping canine tales with fellow veterans, he still lives by the creed:
Aim High and preferably with snacks.
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