A Chat with Pete Pittman

Pete with Willie Nelson (on the left)

 

Pete Pittman was on AFRTS in Korea, Germany and Alaska.  Did the mandatory PAO time and even worked for the film branch in Los Angeles.  Musician, actor... That's a start.  It's a great story.

 

A Chat With Pete Pittman

FEN Jim Harmon 1969

Stephen Weber brings us this memory.  It's 1969, the 24th anniversary of FEN and a Wonderful Weekend with Jim Harmon.  Jim was also the main anchor.  After that it's a clip of ...  we're not really sure.

FEN Yokota

FEN - Jim Harmon - 1969

Lionel Barrymore - Concert Hall 1948

Lionel Barrymore had a great love of classical music.  He wanted to do something for the troops.  Starting in WWII he hosted Concert Hall, a live classical music program.  On this visit Academy Award-winning music. The first selection is from, "The Song Of Bernadette." Lionel Barrymore (host), The Concert Hall Orchestra, Henry Svedrovski (conducting), Dorothy Warenskjold, Gilbert Russell

Concert Hall - Show Tunes

More Concert Hall

Grand Old Opry - 1949

You can't tell the story of AFRTS without the Grand Old Opry. The Opry comes from WSM Nashville and started in the 1920s.  It was the prototype for stations all over the country and their live country shows.  When WWII came WSM made it available for the troops.  In the 1980s it was still going strong.  Here's a 1949 visit.

Grand Old Opry - 1949

From The Bookshelf of the World - 1946

As part of the education mission AFRTS would repackage classic stories that were broadcast on US radio.  This is James Fenimore Coopers story "The Spy" as originally performed on Tales of Adventure November 21, 1946

From The Bookshelf of the World - 1946

AFN Berlin - Last morning show

Hard to believe it's been almost 20 years since AFN Berlin.  In 1994 it was the last day.

AFN Berlin - Gale Anderson - last morning show

AFN Berlin - Gayle Anderson - Last morning show 1994

Rockin' 1958

In the record libraries from the 1950s there wasn't much rock.  This 1958 pizza platter (16" disk) would have been sandwiched between hundreds of hours of broadway shows and big bands.  Stan Major told us AFN didn't play any Elvis when he was a tanker in Germany...

Tony Booth - 50 years of radio

Tony Booth has spent over 50 years in radio.  In 1969 mornings at AFKN.  I had a chance to talk with Tony...

Tony Booth - 2014

Tony on AFKN

Hear Tony stream live on Big Oldies 107.3 afternoons

AFKN - 1973

Recently Brian Hartzell found a cassette from his AFKN time in 1973.  Bits and pieces from the network.

Bobby Zix was a legend.  When I got to Ft Devens I worked with JJ Gould (where is he?)  He would go on about Kong.  Took three decades to hear the magic.  This tape was my first chance to actually hear him.  Thank you Brian!

AFKN - 1973

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

AFN - Bob Debasia - 1984

Bob Debasia has your 1984 wakeup call

AFN - Bob Debasia 1984

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