Posts
Here's what's going on in Vietnam and the Limelighters!!! Shout out to the PA team.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Monday, December 17, 2018
Roger Carroll 1980
Over on the streaming station, www.rogercarrollbestsoundsintown.com we're taking a little break with the "12 Days Of Christmas". Here's some 1980 memories of Roger with the Happy Hour.
Friday, December 14, 2018
Christmas In Belgium 1988
Most wonderful time of the year! December 22, 1988 here's what was happening on AFN SHAPE. Gary Thompson takes a look at news. Be sure to get those packages out! It's the "Rise and Shine!" show.
Gene Price 1980
Christmas will be here soon. A nice gift for holiday giving is Gene's book, "Lukas Maiden Voyage". It's a story of hope. It was written by a friend. Click here
Here's Gene and Leonard with your country favorites.
Charlie Tuna 1989
Charlie at KHJ
The most consistant personality in radio was Charlie Tuna. He did the same meticulous program in 1970 that he did in 1995. Normally that would be a bad thing, not with Charlie Tuna.
He was heard around the world daily on the Armed Forces Radio Network for a 25 year – 6000 show run from 1971 to 1996, as well as on numerous nationally syndicated radio shows, since the early 70’s. He’s now heard in syndication around the world.
Charlie has his own really great website over at charlietuna.com If you haven't been there yet you should!
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
AFN Berlin - Dennis Sloan and Henry Michaels 1970
AFN Berlin 1945-79
Here is the AFN Berlin Noon Trivia Show
with air personalities Specialists Dennis Sloan and Henry Michaels from Friday,
30 October 1970
Thursday, November 15, 2018
AFVN Blooper Reel -fixed
This has been circulating for a long time. If you haven't heard it you've missed something great.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Golden Days Of Radio 1972
Frank Bresee did the Golden Days Of Radio from 1967-96. GDOR was actually the last program recorded for the network under the old system. After AFRTS he did basically the same program for yesterdayusa.com and kept the memories coming.
Golden Days of Radio
More Golden Days Of Radio
Sunday, November 4, 2018
This Is The Story - We Take Our Stand - Korea 1951
In 1951, the big question about Korea was "Why are we here"?". AFRTS stepped up to the plate and produced a lot of documentary product. In this docudrama, we learn the story of communist aggression. William Woodson, who did tons of voiceover work over the years (Remember the imposing narrator on the 1960s TV show "The Invaders"?) was the announcer, making every word the most important thing that ever happened. AFKN/AFN-K has been delivering the truth for over 60 years now.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Friday, September 28, 2018
Bob Kingsley 1979
If you've been around here for a while, you've heard Bob Kingsley. He did a rock show for the network in the mid-70s. After that it was worldwide fame with American Country Countdown.
Bob was one of us, he did a tour at the Iceland station. Rumor has it that he carved his name into the board. There have been a lot of requests for this. Bob Kingsley 1979
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
AFKN Tony Booth 1969
Tony Booth went on to big things after spending 1969 rocking Seoul. then Dallas, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Richmond and Charlotesville.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
AFN SHAPE - Tata Fields 1991
I really wanted to go there. I had been trying for an ITT from Panama. Missed it by this much...
Here's SP Tata Fields (??) in the morning...
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Roger Carroll - 1980
Here's another show from the great collection that Roger sent in to the archive. It's 1980 and time for "The Best Sounds in Town".
We're streaming live at http://rogercarrollbestsoundsintown.com
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Joe Allison 1965
Joe Allison was a singer, songwriter, producer and record executive. He lived the music and and made it better. AFRTS brought him worldwide.
Chuck Cecil - 1978
Chuck Cecil celebrated the bigband years starting in the 1950s on Los Angeles radio. By 1973 he was syndicated all over the United States and was doing the Big Band Countdown for AFRTS.
Lets take a look at the greatest hits of June 1942.
The aircheck is from AFN Frankfurt. After the show, Paul Mako has a look at news. The Shah of Iran had been kicked out of the country, what's next?
Monday, September 10, 2018
AFN Old Gold Retold 1973
Friday, August 31, 2018
Chris Noel - 1967
Thanks again to Chris Noel for making her shows available to us.
Here's todays visit from Summer 1967
Thursday, August 30, 2018
AFKN TDC 1967 - Rick Moore
From my old stomping groups, albeit 10 years earlier. Here's Rick Moore, from Camp Casey
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Joe Ferguson 1983
Time for more of the "Joe Show" from 1983 and KUPL Portland (OR). Ah the memories...
John Doremus 1967
Must be the dinner hour. John Doremus would create a mood. There were few who could really do this. John was also the one that came up with the idea for music on your airplane rides. Amazing talent.
Gene Price 1975
Journalist Mac Yablonka worked with Gene Price (and Harry Newman) at KLAC. He did a story on Gene for Stars and Stripes. Fun memories
While you're reading the story, here's a 1975 visit with Gene
Monday, August 20, 2018
Charlie Tuna - 1973
It's young Charlie Tuna with a wakeup call.. Visit Charlie's website:! http://www.charlietuna.com/ Good things are coming!
Country Corner 1971
Joe Allison did it all. Songwriter, Producer, Jock and more. It was 1971 and a Monday. Joe's in the Country Corner.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Jim Pewter 1967
AFKN vet Jim Pewter checks in periodically and it's always great. We went to different schools together! Jim had a lot to do with some of the greatest music.Jim Pewter - 1967
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Don Tracy 1983
East coast Don Tracy, way back when...
Let's get the party started with some Don Tracy fun!
Monday, August 6, 2018
1945 Vox Pop visits AFRS
1945. The war is ending and CBS gives us a tour of AFRS "The World's Largest Radio Network" on the Vox Pop show. Fabulous history.
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
WVTP Seoul 1946
AFRS was in Korea, helping with the occupation after WWII. A few year ago I wrote up what I could find of the story of WVTP Click here
Recently I heard from one of the guys there in the early days, Lee Jost:
Thom, these recollections are offered as a supplement to the entry of February 16, 2016 re: AFRS Korea before AFKN. Thanks for showing the formal announcement of WVTP’s inaugural broadcast on October 22, 1945 with staffs’ names and ranks. Two years later, in September, 1947 I was transferred from the 7th ID to WVTP and remained until March, 1948.
From December 1946 to the transfer, my unit was the 7th ID 32nd IR located at Chuncheon. Duties included supply-train guard to and from Seoul; and, when at our outpost, foot patrols on mountainous trails of up to 36 miles along the 38th parallel to remote villages checking on incursions by Russian troops or northern Korean police and interviewing Koreans fleeing the north to escape Communist oppression. I enjoyed outpost duty but dreamed then of a radio career. On a layover in Seoul, while serving as train guard, I auditioned at WVTP.
The Feb.16, 2016 entry is correct. WVTP’s studio, library, newsroom, control room and a staff billet were on 2nd floor of the XXIV Corp building. Additionally: some military staff was billeted a few doors away; rehearsal rooms for entertainers and orchestras (local and touring) were on the third floor; and the building’s fine theatre with balcony, proscenium arch, backstage and movie facilities were on the main floor. (The hot tub backstage was excellent.)
Staff was comprised of army personnel (full time) and civilians (part time) some of whom were vets or affiliated with support organizations such as The Red Cross.
The list below is cumulative. Of those named, only a few were at WVTP at any one time. Army staff worked every day at assigned programs, control room shifts, and related duties such as: writing scripts for original programs; selecting music for daily programs; editing the daily news; and researching for special events. For a time we met each morning for 45 minutes commenting on one another’s scripts. A Sidebar: Operating hours were 5:58 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. except New Year’s Eve 1947-48 was extended to 2:00 a.m. to continue dance music for celebrations throughout our listening area.
I worked the late shift that 12.31.47. There was a knock on the door at midnight and when I opened, a guy put a drink in my hand, wished me a “happy New Year” and asked for more of the good music as he hurried back to…wherever.
[Code: A-Army; C-civilian; and V-veteran]
Officer in Charge: Lt. Little
Station Mgr.: Dick Kirk [C] [V?]
SSgt Jack Decker [writer]
? Bob Sacco [A]
? Jim Umland [A]
? Bob Horstman [A]
SSgt LeRoy Jost (Lee)
MSgt Frank Maguire arr. 2/48.
Claire Neustadt [C]
Jeanne Robinson [C]
Tom Kennedy [C]
Meredith Wagner [C]
Robert Nimmo [C] [V], a polished professional [on-air name Trebor Ommin]; while active-Army, with AFRS Berlin, Germany; and as civilian, an advisor to Korea station JODK (?).
Program sources and content.
Using traditional formats, we developed content for our assigned programs by simply selecting music and commentary appropriate for the season/holiday for the daily e.g. Musical Milkman and Wax Museum, editing tele typed news, researching background of program guests and writing original script for special events and Sunday night’s, The Week In Review. Our head writer for that program was Jack Decker.
AFRS’ recorded programs like The Bob Burns Show, Hollywood Bowl, Hymns from Home, American Album were staples as were AFRS specials e.g. a Christmas Show. We also broadcasted AFRS shortwave newscasts received from San Francisco Sunday evenings. A SIDEBAR: On a Sunday in November 1947, Radio Moscow interrupted AFRS, San Francisco with the closing moments of its Orders of the Day. Then a voice in English announced, “This is Radio Moscow…..” We quickly countered with, “We interrupt this program…”; read tele typed news; and, with headphones, listened to Moscow as it honored a Russian artillery unit for its campaign against the Germans at Stalingrad. [A precursor to Russian hacking?]
Claire Neustadt (Red Cross) did a fine daily show Bulletin Board with I & E info plus dates of scheduled events of military and civilian organizations. It evolved to include interviews with dignitaries, missionaries, and prominent others covering a wide range of topics. One guest, Jim Browitt, was mgr. of Korean station HLKA.
A Sidebar: On Christmas Eve ‘47, I closed the station, attended midnight mass at the Seoul Cathedral, joined staff at Dick Kirk’s home until 2:30 a.m. Dick had intercepted my package from home and it was under their tree for me to open and share Mom’s stollen. We heard roaming Korean carolers sing Silent Night in Korean…I joined them with the German lyrics…then on to Jim Browitt’s home in his new Studebaker until 5:30… breakfast at messhall…pick up the day’s news roll and back to the station.
On 13 February, 1948 Claire interviewed Major Walter Goldstein. The Major’s, military history began in the 1930s. He was currently stationed in Korea. His book of verses, written at various places during WWII and the intro in Korea. Shreds from an Old Sun Helmet had been recently published (1947). My signed copy, now yellowed with age, after his salutation, still clearly says,”….with fond memories of the Korean Occupation and WVTP…Sincerely.
Claire accepted a spot at WVTR, Tokyo and her replacement renamed the show, Date for Tonight.
We produced several remotes. Bob Sacco and Jack Decker did the play-by-play and color for two 7th Division football games. The 7th ID v.MG game on October 11, 1947 ended 48-0.
I was assigned to announce and provide commentary for the first radio broadcast of the Korea Symphony Orchestra from the stage of the XXIV Corps Theater (October 22, 1947).
The conductor was Mr. Lim Won Sik. The pianist was Mr. Yun Kison. The program included: Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony; Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in E flat minor; and Capriccio Espanol. Both men were invited to study at the Juilliard. The theatre was packed.
Shortly before air-time…a power outage. The theatre went dark and the station off-air. (Some believed Russians were harassing again by throwing a switch at a northern hydro-electric plant.) Using a theater mic, I ad-libbed in the dark about the program to keep the audience focused until auxiliary generators were started. The broadcast began and concluded without further incident. A huge success.
Hopefully, these recollections will serve as another thread in WVTP’s tapestry. Any more threads out there?
Lee Jost: Korea December, 1946-March,1948
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Chris Noel 1967
It's a Monday in 1967 and Chris Noel is starting a brand new week. She's beginning to really hit a nice groove, she's already made her first trip to Vietnam. Chris still helps the troops, with her shelter in Florida. Please send a few bucks. http://vetsville.org/
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Wolfman Jack 1980
So can you help but remember the station you first heard these on? I would have just arrived in Panama, and the Wolf howled supreme around the world...
Saturday, June 30, 2018
What Are We Fighting For 1943
In 1943, there were a handful of stations/networks but the whole AFRS thing hadn't come together yet. CBS helped produce "What are We Fighting For". The War Department made sure it was heard worldwide. Edward R Murrow was the journalists journalist and a fascinating story in his own right.
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