Thursday, June 29, 2023
Air Rescue Vietnam 1968
Vance Graham 1973
"Vance Graham", was a radio announcer, on-the-scene news reporter and later disc-jockey. He was born in Denver, Colorado. In 1927 he received a scholarship from the United Daughters of the Confederacy to attend the University of Virginia where he studied journalism. After graduation he traveled to Los Angeles. Soon after his arrival, he worked as a cook in a downtown hotel.
Blessed with a deep, clear and resonant voice, he soon found work at radio station KMPC in Hollywood as an announcer, newscaster, interviewer and disc jockey.
During World War II, he worked as "Assistant News Editor" for KMPC and because he was bi-lingual, speaking both English and Spanish, he recorded Latin American music shows for the Armed Forces Radio Network. He did live reports for the station in both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In the 1950s and 60s, there was a huge surge in the popularity of Latin music with the "cha cha cha" and "bolero", so he had a radio show called "Bolero Time" heard every Sunday on KMPC. A recorded version of Bolero Time was also heard on AFRTS. He was married from 1954 to 1958 to Estrellita Santos who acted as co-host for his radio program during that time.
In the 70s he had 2 more Latin American shows on KMPC, KFI and KTYM. Graham hosted the shows called "Latino" and "Viva" as a character he named "Victor".
We lost Vance Graham in 1984, his ashes were spread over the Pacific.
(a more complete version of the above is at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49068615 )
But now, from 1973, here's Victor:
Roland Bynum 1974
Gene Price 1974
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Gary Owens 1969
Charlie Tuna 1982
Chris Noel Interview 1968
In 1968 Chris Noel was visiting the troops. She stopped at Johnston Atoll and it was a big moment to get an interview.
Herman Griffith 1968
Monday, June 26, 2023
Kris Erik Stevens 1983
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Mary Turner 1983
Harry Newman 1980
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Welcome newcomers
If you're new here, here's what its all about.
About 40 years ago I was a troop at the AFRTS stations in Korea and Panama. Great times.
About 20 years ago I went to Google on a whim and couldn't find much about our network and did the first generation of this blog. It grew, people cared. The URL changed a few times.
Over the years we received may great stories that didn't have sound and needed a more permanent home. They're being moved to:
https://afrtsradio.blogspot.com/
Four years ago Roger Carroll contacted me all excited. "I have a website!!!" He had purchased a URL and I helped get a streaming station online. After we lost Roger (an amazing friend) I made some small changes, but RC was the inspiration.
If you'd like to help, your contributions help keep stuff running and new material coming in. I'm very grateful to anyone who's shared a story, picture, recording or a few bucks.
Please click the "Donate" button near the top.
Happy listening and remembering!!!
Jubilee 1942
Thursday, June 22, 2023
AFN Turn your radio down...

Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Jim Pewter 1981
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
AFN Nightside - Craig Miller and Abba 1974
Monday, June 19, 2023
Tom Campbell 1971
Chuck Cecil 1961
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Friday, June 16, 2023
Wolfman Jack 1985
Thursday, June 15, 2023
Joe Ferguson 1983
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Roland Bynum 1973
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
AFVN Quang Tri 1970
Here's some silent film of AFVN Quang Tri
Gene Price 1974
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Pete Smith 1976
Monday, June 12, 2023
Gary Owens 1967
Charlie Tuna 1982
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Herman Griffith 1967
Kris Erik Stevens 1981
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Mary Turner 1992
Harry Newman 1986
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Jim Pewter 1980
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Learn someting new every day
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Tom Campbell 1975
AFRN Alaska - Michael Brown 1971
I was in the Navy and was a CTM-2 when I arrived on Adak, June 1970. I left 1 year, 22 hours and 15 minutes later (plane landing to plane takeoff).
My main job had nothing to do with radio, but since I had an interest in being a DJ, I managed to get a weekend shift in the late night hours on Sunday, for 1.5 hours. I eventually got moved to Sat afternoons for 2 hours and then expanded to 3 hrs. I have tapes of pretty much all of my shows, which I've recently transferred to WAV files on the computer.
While there, the staff of the station did a radio series called Ptarmigan Tim.
During the hey-day of Doctor Who on PBS, I did pledge drives answering phone banks and a few times did on camera pledge drives.
Otherwise, I got into electronics as well as computers; self taught Unix system adminstration long before Microcrap came along. So, I am one of those computer geeks and my house has the computers to show for it.
AFRS Adak - Michael Brown May 29, 1971 Last show