Places to go - 1963

This is a 1963 station listing from the Broadcast Guide.  They list the networks separately:

Alaska Network (AN)

American Forces Korea Network (AFKN)

American Forces Network Europe (AFN)

Caribbean Forces Network (CFN) Canal Zone

Far East Network (FEN)

AFRS Adak - The Great Dogsled Race

Everywhere we did community programming, carnivals, fairs, blooddrives.  This was a February day in 1971.  AFRS Adak TV and radio covering "The Great Dogsled Race".  After that it's Michael Brown playing favorites.

Adak

890 KHz

250w

AFRS Adak 1971

Words And Music - Ann Richards 1942

The "Words and Music" program was usually a pretty girl reading poetry.  Sounds like a winning formula.

Here's Australian actress Ann Richards

Words and Music - Ann Richards 1942

Winter 1991 Schedule

Hear the shows of 1991

click here

Blue Danube Network - AFRS Austria 1954

After WWII, BDN,  Blue Danube Network was in Austria.  In 1955 American Forces left the country.  From 1954 BDNs Bill Murray tells us about Austria.

BDN Bill Murray - Austria

Pride of Unit - Great White Ship 1948

Selena Royal

After WWII AFRS had to battle to be relevant.  At this time they took the "Information and Education" part of the mission a lot more seriously, producing hundreds of hours of programs about unit histories, great battles and military heroes.  On this program, a tribute to the hospital ships.

Pride of Unit - Great White Ship.

The AFKN Dropbox

AFRTS NBS Keflevik 1998 - Tom Jones

 

The radio show was hosted by  Thomas E Jones.  he was the station manager of AFRTS Keflavik Iceland The show was on air during Fridays  from 11.00 to 13.00  The show was divided first hour  oldies and the second hour country.

It's  September 18, 1998 in Iceland.  Our friend Larus Oskar had dropped by

AFRTS Keflevik 09/18/98

Melody Roundup 1944

Melody Roundup brought top Western talent.  This time with Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers.

 

Hard to tell what the source material was 78s, radio transcriptions, movie soundtracks. 

 

Melody Roundup - Sons of the Pioneers 1944

 

 

GI Jive - 1946

Martha Wilkinson was one of the first big stars of AFRS.  During WWII there was a show called "GI Jive", one of the DJ shows.  Pretty non-descript until Martha became GI Jill and the voice of home.

GI Jive 1946

Enchanted Keyboard - 1951

By the early 1950s radio had changed.  Prior to that the networks were doing great comedy, mystery variety shows and AFRTS could clip the commercials and send them out.  But now they were tasked with creating a lot of programs.  Many information and education programs were produced along with entertainment offerings.

"Enchanted Keyboard" was typical.  Classical piano with Don Thompson announcing.  Some wonderful talent was available to come in and play the piano.

On this broadcast, Edward Rebner

Enchanted Keyboard - 1951

Connectivity

We're back on the air.  About a week ago Comcast pushed out an update that killed my Motorola SGB6580.  I managed to get it back to defaults and running again.  I own my modem, rather than paying the 7 bucks every month.

Yesterday it was the same thing and I couldn't get it back online.

I spent four years working for Comcast, getting modems activated and online.  I do know this stuff.

Just wanted to let you know that Comcast and Motorola have a long history of not playing well on certain Motorola models.

At least I'm not alone...

On with the show...

Good Morning Vietnam - the real story

Paul Bottoms  let me know about this:

"Adrian Cronauer, Tony Booth who was at AFKN in Korea and I gave a presentation in February 2011 for two days at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond."

Here's the first part:

FEN - 1964 the start of the Vietnam War

Here's live coverage from FEN August 5th and 6th 1964 of the Gulf of Tonkin, pretty much the beginning of the Vietnam War.

 

 

FEN News on Tonkin 1964

AFN Weekend World - 1970

From Munich, Bill Swisher brings us the "Weekend World" 29 Nov 1970

AFN Weekend World - November 1970 hour one

AFN Weekend World - November 1970 hour two

AFN Weekend World - November 1970 hour three

AFN Weekend World - November 1970 hour four

This Is The Story - Red Ball Express 1946

During the 1940s there were a lot of programs on the stateside networks that were educational, in a good way.  The best of these were repackaged by AFRTS.

This is the Story - "Red Ball Express" with Louis Calhern narrating.  Label notes it was originally broadcast on "Warriors of Peace", June 9, 1946.



This Is The Story - Red Ball Express 1946

AFN Bremerhaven 1993 - Bill Boyd

Time for good morning, 1993 style.  Here's Bill Boyd at the "PowerStation"

AFN Bill Boyd 1993

The AFRTS Story - 1962

In 1962 the network sent out their 20th anniversary broadcast.  Marvin Miller does a wonderful job.  Only thing that puzzles me is the muddy transfers of shows from the 1940s.   Good listening, time to reenlist!

The AFRTS Story 1962

Introduction to AFN Europe

Post 1000

1,000 posts.  A bare minimum of 500 hours to listen to everything again.  Thank you for your part in our history.  Thank you for visiting.  Thank you for visiting our sponsors.  Be sure to tip the waitstaff!

AFRTS Anniversaries

AFN - Dave Malone - 1978 CMA Awards

We're up to the last part of the 1978 Network wide broadcast to celebrate the CMA awards.  From Frankfurt, here's Dave Malone.

AFN Frankfurt - Dave Malone 1978 CMA Awards

Thanks Hans Knot for making these available!

AFN Berlin - Rik De Lisle 1978 CMA Awards

AFN's tribute to the 1978 CMA awards continues from Berlin with Rik De Lisle.

AFN Berlin - Rik De Lisle 1978 CMA Awards

Small World - George Church - 1965

Some light music, interviews and companionship.  It's Small World with George Church.

Small World - 1965

Adventures in Good Music - 1970

Detroit's Karl Haas was excited about his job.  For many years he put excitement into music from long gone composers.

AFRTS brought it worldwide.  Here's a 1970 visit.

Adventures In Good Music - 1970

AFKN Reunion

Brian Hartzell

10/21/13

To: Thom Whetston

From:	Brian Hartzell
Sent:	Mon 10/21/13 10:27 PM
To:	Thom Whetston (afrts@live.com)

I've been chatting with a couple of ex-AFKN vets who would like me to reopen the question of organizing an AFKN Reunion sometime in 2014 (probably September or October).  

Could you send out an email or Facebook message asking former AFKN staffers to make some suggestions as to what city (or part of the country) they would prefer such a reunion to be held? It is thought that we would have more success if we hosted the reunion in a city that is centrally located, although I don't necessarily believe that is true.  We are open to suggestions.

I, for instance, live in Ohio.  I know you live in Minnesota.  Dave McAlary lives in northern Virginia. Gary Theiman lives in southern California.  Etc., etc.  Some of our associates also live in Texas (seems popular to many as a retirement favorite).

Any thoughts...care to be a part of this conspiracy?

Brian E. Hartzell
Hartzell Consulting
"Fundraising & Public Relations Counsel to Nonprofits since 1979"

FEN - Teens on Parade - 1960

The kids were dancing on the weekend in Tokyo.  From 1960 Dave Robinson and Ray Goodwin hosting a live show fun for the dependents.  Danny and the Red Coasters is our in studio band.  

FEN - Teens on Parade - 1960

AFN 1978 Country Music Awards - Jim Johnson

 

Our tribute to the 1978 Country Music awards continues (Thanks Hans Knot).  This time we go to AFN Bremerhaven and Jim Johnson

 

AFN - CMA- Jim Johnson

Just Music - 1967

Peaceful music for the dinner hour?  Music to keep the Colonels off our back?  We ran a lot of it.  During WWII we had a program called "At Ease", 15 minutes of uninterrupted orchestral music.  In 1967 it was the same thing, called "Just Music". 

Just Music - 1967

More Just Music

Sound Off - Bill Goodwin 1942

Here's the other side of a disk from a couple of months ago.  Before we had a network the government was sending radio shows to the field.  Announcer Bill Goodwin shows us a precursor to American Top 40:

 

Sound Off - 1942

 

 

AFN - Dick Beacham - Country Awards Show

Hans sent this one in.  In 1978 AFN Europe celebrated the Country Music Awards with a series of shows from all over the network.  Here's Dick Beacham with the first part

AFN - Dick Beacham 1978