Bob Kingsley 1975

 

Bob Kingsley visits SCN in the Panama Canal Zone 1972 (photo: Gerry Fry)

Somehow it still amazes me.  Bob Kingsley was a really good rock jock.  He was one of us.  He'd done a tour at our Iceland station.  Bob later went on to be the voice of country music on American Country Countdown.    In 1975, it was time to rock.

Charles Goyette remembers that picture " I was also more than a little surprised to see myself on the page in a photo with Bob Kingsley at SCN.  That was in summer of ’72.  Also in the shot are LtC. Dan Maguire (our CO and a very fine man), Tom Colvin, John Fisher, Bob Rupp, Paul Warhanik, and Phil Lane.  I’m surprised the talented Lee McGowan wasn’t in that shot.

We were good hosts to Kingsley during his visit to Panama.  And some time later Bob was an equally good host when Lee, Gerry Fry, and I visited him in L.A.  As I recall, Robert Fuller, the actor in TV westerns like Wagon Train, was Bob’s brother-in-law.  Among other things, Bob took us on the lot for a shooting of the series Emergency that Fuller was starring in. 

Great seeing that picture again!"

Bob Kingsley 1975

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Roger Carroll 1981

 

RC thanks for the memories and some great radio!!

Roger Carroll - 1981

A while back I had a chat with Roger.

Roger Carroll call

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John Halbert Book

 John Halbert has a new book:

Amazon has just released my biography which includes being deputy chief of the radio & television branch, in there Office of Information at HQ Strategic Air Command, co-manager of the joint AFRTS/Canadian Broadcasting arrangement at Harmon AFB in Stephenville, Newfoundland (VOHF radio & CFSN-TV), US Air Forces Europe manager of radio & television at HQ USAFE, Ramstein AB, Germany; Assistant Director of Public Affairs in the Pentagon involving being on the DoD AFRTS policy board and later as EUCOM executive manager of AFRTS for Europe.

Synopsis and chapter previews are available at no cost for review

An American Gypsy: Around the World in 32,620 Days: Halbert, John Thomas: 9798449027726: Books: Amazon.com

Sound Off 1943

 

Bill Goodwin

I guess there could be quite a project in who was the first network DJ with AFRS.  Bill Goodwin was one of the first with "Sound Off".  "Sound Off" was a request show, with dedications for the troops.

Mr Goodwin was most notable as the announcer/foil for George Burns on his television show in the 50s.  We lost Mr. Goodwin in 1958.

AFRS Sound Off - 1943

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Chris Noel 1971

 

Some rock, some ballads and a voice from home.  Chris Noel.  You have a Date With Chris.

Date With Chris - 1971

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Charlie Tuna 1983

 

Charlie had almost 50 years in Los Angeles radio.  That's hard for me to even conceive.  Talent..

Charlie was with us from 1971-96.  His day jobs were some of the greatest LA top 40s ever.

Charlie Tuna - 1983

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AFTN Thailand May 10, 1970

 

Today is the anniversary of a very sad day.

On April 10th 1970 an unarmed photo recon plane was returning from a mission in Vietnam.  It missed the runway, crashed and destroyed the building for AFTN Udorn.

We lost nine airmen that day. 

IN MEMORIAM

TSgt Jack A. Hawley  (37),  Wakeman, OH

SSgt James T. Howard  (27),  Denver, CO

A1C Andrew C. McCartney (20),  Lakewood, OH

SSgt Alfred N. Potter  (27),  Forest Grove, OR

Sgt John Charles Rose ( 25),  Bloomfield, NJ

TSgt Frank D. Ryan, Jr. (41),  Mercer Island, WA

SSgt Edward Wm. Strain (24),  Myrtle Beach, SC

TSgt Roy Walker  (40),  Albuquerque, NM

A1C Thomas L. Waterman  (25),  Roanoke, VA

Golden Days Of Radio 1970

 

The Golden Days of Radio ran almost as long as AFRTS itself. It was the last program recorded for the network under the 'old system'. Mr Bresse was a storehouse of information about radio in the 1940s and 50s. It was always fun to hear. 

The Golden Days of Radio - 1970

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Bob Kingsley 1973

 

For those of us "a certain age" Bob Kingsley WAS the American Country Countdown.  That's why listening to his AFRTS rock show is so fascinating.  It's a style that really bridges the gap.  Take a listen:

Bob Kingsley Show - 1973

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Roger Carroll 1981

 

Young Roger at WMFD

There's always time for a Happy Hour.  When I was working civilian, one time I had a PD wondering how I could do so many "universals".  To him that meant being able to do a break without necessarily doing a station promo or talking about the record.  I learned it from the Roger and the AFRTS-LA talent.  Many thanks.

Roger Carroll - 1981

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Jim Pewter 1968

 

Time for Brother Jim.  A couple of years before this show, Jim was up in the division area in Korea on AFKN.  The "songs you forgot to remember" has never been more appropriate.  

Jim Pewter - 1968

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Chris Noel 1970

 

Chris's book "Vietnam and Me".  It's highly recommended.

Get it from Amazon

But right now, it's 1970 and time for a Date With Chris

Date With Chris - 1970

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s

Charlie Tuna 1982

 

Charlie with Stan Freberg.

When you ask about AFRTS radio, Charlie Tuna is one of the names remembered most. Charlie was with us from 1972-96 and was doing the most consistent show I've ever heard. Legendary for a reason

Charlie Tuna - 1982

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FEN Automation and Tokyo Calling 1965

 

Awhile back Monte Jones had some informaton about the automation system at FEN in the late 60s.  I thought something capable of segueing the ETs and putting the news on the air was very high tech for the times.  Norm Medland was there before Monte and he had some information:

Henry Yaskell was way ahead of his time from the automation system to tropo scatter to distribute the net up the line to Misawa and other places; Kuma Station and Wakkanai in the far north of Japan. In addition to the voice network to our outlying stations, we also had a teletype network and a fulltime employee to type and send printed newscasts to all the stations. Yes, they could have had all news prerecorded on tape and I believe Henry wanted that but it pushed immediacy back by at least an hour and the programmers would not allow it.


Automation basic brain may have been a Harris-made unit, but not sure. Henry had at least four turntables connected along with a bank of ampex tape recorders and several cart machines. It used a room about 20x20 and had one fulltime GI and a Japanese engineer plus probably a GI engineer. Time hacks were automated and the unit could switch between functions and the news booth and production studios. A lot of local production done on tape like “Tokyo Calling.”

It took a lot of tending and no one but Henry thought it saved any manpower. Still, it was ingenious and way ahead of most broadcast stations. I worked at a station in Sacramento after I retired that was automated with a Harris-90 with just a bank of tape playback units and two production studios. Very simple by comparison.

FEN even had on loan from Sony an early portable tape unit that rode around on a cart much like a current day audio visual cart with a few shelves. Not very portable and weighed a couple of hundred pounds. This never worked properly and wasn’t used in the field that I know about. Our audio equipment was the best you could buy, and programming concentration was totally audio. I think we had a least six Nagra tape recorders. We were just a radio station, (no TV at all), and the network feed, but we were very good. Great talent in house. Unfortunately many of them are now deceased. I am certain we would have made money in any market in the United States.

I was just a buck sergeant and staff sergeant as I left, but had worked radio in Denver, San Diego, and small Iowa stations before arriving there. I wasn’t bad, but others there made me look like an amateur.

From January 1965, here's Burr Hoyle:

FEN Tokyo Calling 01-10-65

FEN FM automation c 1983 (Photo: Jon Yim)

Jerry Bishop 1977

 There were very few places where we aired the network shows on FM.  Parts of AFN in Germany and Spain and Torrejon Spain. That;s what makes Vicente's recordings of the station all the more welcome.

It's a Monday and almost Christmas 1977 and time for the Bishop.

Jerry Bishop - 1977

Whistler 1962

Halloween's coming up and time for a mystery with the Whistler. By the 60s, of course these were repeats.  With some breaks, the Whistler was on in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.  The shows hold up surprisingly well.

Whistler - Letter to Melanie

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Charlie Tuna 1985

 Charlie Tuna is Los Angeles radio KHJ, 1967-72; KROQ, 1972-73; KKDJ, 1973-75; KIIS, 1975-77; KHJ, 1977; KTNQ, 1978-80; KHTZ, 1980-85; KBZT, 1985-86; KRLA, 1986-90; KODJ/KCBS, 1990-93; KMPC/KABC, 1993-94; KIKF, 1994-98; KLAC, 1998-2000; KBIG, 2000-07; KRTH, 2008-13. He then did weekends and fill-in at K-EARTH.

We lost Charlie in 2016.

Incredible.  From 1971 til the 1990s we were lucky enough to have the Charlie Tuna Show

Charlie Tuna 1985

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visit http://www.charlietuna.com

Rebel Randall 1952

 

Ladies on the radio, from GI Jill, Chris Noel, Mary Turner, LaRita Shelby, Laurie Allen.  Voices from home.  During the Korean War that voice was Rebel Randall.

Huge audience, doing a civilian show in the states where families could call their troop overseas.  Eventually picked up by AFRTS to do a show.  "Jukebox USA".  It only ran for a couple of years.  Rumor at the time was she was talking too sexy for the brass...

Rebel Randall - 1952

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Roger Carroll 1977

 

RC, that's he! Roger Carroll was with us for a long long time and it's always wonderful.  Here's Roger for the US Air Force.

Roger Carroll - 1977

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Merry Christmas 1947

 

Three G. I.'s in Germany, away from home at Christmas time for the first time, try to share the holiday spirit. Edmund Penny, Frank Gerstle, Howard Culver, Irvin Lee, James W. Talbot (producer), Jerry Farber, Richard Crenna, Rye Billsbury, Steve Allen (writer).

I know that MacGregor produced similar material to this (under a contract for AFRS)

AFRS Christmas 1947

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Adventures in Good Music 1972

 

Karl Haas was perfect for AFRTS.  He made classical music accessible for young troops that had never heard such a thing and gave a gift.  He did the same thing on Detroit radio for decades.  His show was syndicated all over the country and is probably still being aired somewhere.

Adventures in Good Music - 1972

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Army Hour - 1967 Computers!

 

The Army had computers in 1967, just not very sure what they were.  This from a 1967 "Army Hour" broadcast.  The Army Hour had PAO shops from around the world filing reports on what their commands were doing.  These usually ended up broadcast on Sunday mornings in the states. Sgt Raymond Banks reports:

Army Hour - Computers 1967

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Johnny Bond 1961

 To the strains of Les Paul's "Cimarron" and a bushel basket full of gramophone records.  It's old school country from 1961.

Happy listening!

Johnny Bond - 1961

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Chris Noel 1970

 

Chris Noel did so much for so many Vietnam era troops.  "A Date With Chris" brought the girl next door to far flung outposts all over the world.

A Date With Chris - 1970

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Charlie Tuna 1988

It's been five years since we lost Charlie.  I remember that day. 

Charlie was with us a quarter century, right up to the end.  I think we all stole something from him.  Thanks Charlie!

 

Charlie Tuna - 1988

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Rocketing Rhythms 1961

 

Jack Brown is back with Rocketing Rhythms. our 1961 show with tunes for the kids.  Today Jack has the top hits and visit with Kay Starr...

Rocketing Rhythms - 1961

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Halloween's Coming.... Mystery Playhouse 1944

 The Mystery Playhouse was one of the first series on AFRS.  The networks were sending over more good material than could be readily used.  A lot of it was used in anthology programs, sort of the best of radio back home.  "SGT X" (Howard Duff) was the host of the Mystery Playhouse..

Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward in Graham Greene's novel, "Brighton Rock." was originally aired on the CBS show "This Is My Best", in 1944

Mystery Playhouse #37 "Brighton Rock"  

Halloween Memories

Johnnie Darrin 1978

 

Johnnie Darrin's resume included: KIIS; KRLA, 1968-71; KDAY, 1971; KROQ, 1972-73; KNAC, 1975; KGOE, 1975; KNX, 1976; KGIL, 1976-83; KJOI, 1978; KBLA, 1989-92; KGIL, 1993; KFWB, 1998-2008.  

Johnnie Darin 1978

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Jim Pewter 1968

 

Today Jim has memories of Johnny Ace, one of the most haunting talents ever.

Jim Pewter - 1968

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Redd Harper 1948

 

Redd was a part of a concert band that became more and more successful until they were invited to join an Oklahoma City radio station in 1924. From there, his career took off and his music was in greater demand. In 1931 he joined a larger radio station in Des Moines, found more success, and then decided to head to Hollywood, California. However, he arrived at the end of the Western Jazz era and the beginning of the Great Depression, thus finding it hard to find work and was not as successful as he had been. He struggled to find work in the city. When World War II started, he joined the Coast Guard for three years.  After the war, Redd was doing shows for AFRS.

After the war he found success again in Hollywood as he began working with other big name artists of the time from both radio and movies. During this time he also found success in the movie industry and starred in several films, including The Strawberry Roan.

Redd Harper Hollywood Roundup 1948