Scope and Contents

The collection consists of less than a quarter of a linear foot of materials written or accumulated by USAF Major Earl Toops. The materials include an end of tour report for the 377th Security Police Squadron in support of Project Corona Harvest, the synopsis and catalog for Toops' philatelic exhibit titled Provisional Issues of South Vietnam and Their Use: 1963-1980, a catalog for Tran Trong Khai's philatelic exhibit titled Postage Stamps of the National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, and two articles re: propaganda labels and stamps issued by the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam between 1963 and 1976. The materials are dated 1973, ca. 2007, 2018-2019, or are otherwise undated.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Terre Haute, IN in 1949, Emory Earl Toops served as a USAF Security Police officer for twenty years between 1970 and 1990. He spent one year in Southeast Asia, serving with the 377th Security Police Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Air Base (4 November 1972 - 28 March 1973) and the 8th Security Police Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai Air Base (28 March 1973 - 2 November 1973). He was involved in the Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign (30 March 1972 - 28 January 1973) and the total draw down of USAF forces in Vietnam following the Paris Peace Accords. During his military service, Toops received numerous awards including the Bronze Star Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Air Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. He retired from the military in 1990 at the rank of Major. Following his military service, Toops worked as a National Park Ranger (1991-1992) and then as a teacher at Department of Defense dependent schools (1992-2013).