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Photo: Original Minnesotans Laurie with Jim Pewter in Crete, courtesy Laurie Allen
Here's a double batch of memories, Laurie Allen with the best in classic rock.
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Friday, March 29, 2024
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 70 years now.
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Chris Noel 1967
Chris Noel is having a lot of pictures scanned. This one is previously unseen, recording the show. Here's a 1967 Date With Chris. Visit Vetsville, click here
Monday, March 25, 2024
Don Dornberg AFVN Pleiku 1968
Don Dornberg was born 21 February 1944, the son of Mr. and Mrs. David C. Dornberg of suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul. A 1962 graduate of Mahtomedi High School, he enlisted in the Army and was sent as a SP5 to Vietnam in 1967-68. At AFVN's Detachment 3 at Pleiku, Don filled a radio deejay slot with occasional fill-in jobs on the TV news desk.
Back in civilian life, Don worked in Minnesota for a time before leaving for the warmer climes of the South. 1978, Don transferred to Atlanta's WGST, an all-news station which was soon to broadcast on 50,000 daytime watts. As Assistant News Director, Don stayed with the station 19 years until a format change in 1997 prompted him to move to WSB. During his two-decade Atlanta radio career, Don's team won two Excellence in Journalism awards -- one for Deadline Reporting and one for Sports Reporting.
At about the turn of the century, Don signed on as a correspondent with Metro Source News, a private news service company which provides text and audio nationwide to some 800 affiliates. As of this writing in 2012, Don is currently general manager of the organization and lives happily in an Atlanta suburb.
Biography from www.macoi.net
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Charlie Tuna 1992
What a great way to tart themornin. Here, have some Breakfast Serial. Stay Tuna'd...
Monday, March 11, 2024
Joe Allison 1969
Joe Allison, songwriter, promoter and DJ. Joe was one of the first to de-hillbilly Country music DJs. It's a fun listen. Joe Allison, The Country Corner, 1969
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Wolfman Jack 1982
KRE, Berkeley was the station in American Graffiti. A low powered struggling AM, still using historical studio gear.
Roger Carroll 1969
It's another visit with RC on a Friday get together. It swings and Frank Sinatra has more of "A Man And His Music".
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
We've Got Your Music- jingles
"We've got your Music" was the 1985 jingle package but very short. Normally we'd get half an hour (or more) of cuts. This time about 10 minutes and most of that production music. Here are the jingle parts.
Bill Stewart 1968
Time for a musical Bill affair (Listen to the jingle). Bill was still with us in the late 70s with a neat brew of swing. Bill was the one on "Quarter Century of Swing" for AFRTS. We lost Bill in 1993 to heart failure. Bill graced KMPC, 1951-59; KGIL, 1965-66; KRHM, 1966 and 1969; KGIL, 1973-75.
Monday, March 4, 2024
Jim Pewter 1970
Jim was a rocker before the radio. In the 60s to AFKN then Los Angeles radio.
But, let's start with a question "Do you wanna dance?"
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Chris Noel 1970
Chris Noel brought home to a lot of soldiers. Her Date With Chris shows were worldwide hits and she toured and toured with several stops in Vietnam. Thanks Chris!
Chris still keeps the faith with her veterans shelter click here. See what you can do to help out...
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Joe Ferguson 1983
Joe Ferguson from Portland OR KUPL radio was part of the 1983 experiment when AFRTS had jocks from around the country record shows. Bob Moke and Danny Kramer from Salt Lake City were some of the others. The deal was supposed to be 13 weeks. Whoever was after Joe turned out to not be available and Joe got another 13 weeks.
A couple of years ago he asked me if I'd be interested in all of the shows on transcription disks. He wanted the opportunity for us to hear them again. I'm very thankful.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Face The Nation 1967
In 1967, much of the longform news programming came on transcription disk.
On todays "Face the Nation" Senator William Fulbright updates us on Vietnam
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Wolfman Jack 1980
He sure had the magic. Only one we'd get complaints about. Wolfman could connect to the troops in the field. Complaints would come from Colonels, compliments would come from Corporals. We got him a better time slot.
Roger Carroll 1972
Been almost 5 years since we lost RC.I'll always value the time I helped him with his online station.
He sent us all of the shows that he saved. Here's another.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Gary Owens 1969
This is a much better transfer of something that was presented a while back. I was sent a bunch of disks that weren't stored in sleeves and were in pretty rough shape.
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Roland Bynum 1981
Roland Bynum has touched a lot of people. A teacher, a broadcaster and a great person.
Monday, February 12, 2024
Jim Pewter and Laurie Allen -Valentines 1993
Jim and Laurie on tour
In 1993 Jim and Laurie Allen did a Valentine Day special "Hooked on a Feeling". Jim says him and Laurie did about five of these specials. They started working on them after they returned from Europe in 1992. The music was their choice and the they had a great time producing, writing and recording the shows. Here's Part one:
Friday, February 9, 2024
Chris Noel 1970
Chris Noel... still making memories. She's still giving her all with her veterans shelter. You should help out Click here
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Joe Ferguson 1968
In 1983 AFRTS tried an experiment with local jocks from all over the country doing shows. Joe Ferguson was doing great things in Portland OR and gave it a go... Joe shared these shows with us. Thank you my friend.
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
AFKN Clem Shamus "Ballad of the Plain Steel Pot" 1967
Clem Shamus from the 1966 AFKN yearbook
When I was at AFKN in the 2d Division in 1977, someone came up with a 45rpm copy of Ballad of the Plain Steel Pot by Clem Shamus. It was popular I was curious and Clem is fan of the blog, I asked him about it:
Hi Thom, I wrote Ballad of the Plain Steel Pot while at AFKN in 1966. I took a leave and flew to San Antonio, TX to record it for Brazos Records. "Green Beret" was hot (became #1 for the year), but Brazos got tied up with Xmas music for kids and didn't get it out until the spring of 67. I was of course back in Korea (NCOIC of radio in Seoul) and had no control of any kind so I don't know what, if any promotion, distribution or anything about it. They sent me 500 copies and they were sold and the money donated to an orphanage. It was impossible to get around to promote it over there and I of course was busy with the day job.
Update: Clem's wife shared the following with the AFVN group:
"Clem passed away yesterday 5/27/12. He was totally at peace with the very difficult decision he made. It was peaceful and surrounded by the ones that loved him most. Myself, 3 of 5 children and his brother
and sister-in-law."
Monday, February 5, 2024
AFVN Det 5, Hue overrub 2/2/68
Today is the anniversary of Det 5 Hue was overrun.
I encourage you to take a moment to remember this brave men who served there.
American Forces Vietnam Network - AFVN
Prisoners of War
Six men assigned to AFVN were taken prisoner during the Vietnam war, five spending about five years in captivity before being released. The sixth, Steven Stroub, was executed shortly after capture. The AFVN'ers were captured when the detachment at Hue was overrun -- following a fierce fire fight during the Tet holiday -- on Feb 5, 1968.
Two other men also died that day at AFVN. SGT Thomas Franklin Young, USMC was Killed in Action in that fight. Also killed that day was Courtney Niles, a civilian with NBC International, who died defending the station. One AFVN'er escaped.
Details follow --
John Thomas Anderson - POW
John Bagwell - Escaped
James V. Di Bernardo - POW
John A. Deering - POW
Harry Lawrence Ettmueller - POW
Donat J. Gouin - POW
Courtney Niles, Civilian Contractor - Killed in Action
Steven J. Stroub - Captured and Executed
Thomas Franklin Young - Killed in Action
More information at Robert's website
I encourage you to take a moment to remember this brave men who served there.
American Forces Vietnam Network - AFVN
Prisoners of War
Six men assigned to AFVN were taken prisoner during the Vietnam war, five spending about five years in captivity before being released. The sixth, Steven Stroub, was executed shortly after capture. The AFVN'ers were captured when the detachment at Hue was overrun -- following a fierce fire fight during the Tet holiday -- on Feb 5, 1968.
Two other men also died that day at AFVN. SGT Thomas Franklin Young, USMC was Killed in Action in that fight. Also killed that day was Courtney Niles, a civilian with NBC International, who died defending the station. One AFVN'er escaped.
Details follow --
John Thomas Anderson - POW
John Bagwell - Escaped
James V. Di Bernardo - POW
John A. Deering - POW
Harry Lawrence Ettmueller - POW
Donat J. Gouin - POW
Courtney Niles, Civilian Contractor - Killed in Action
Steven J. Stroub - Captured and Executed
Thomas Franklin Young - Killed in Action
More information at Robert's website
Friday, February 2, 2024
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Mary Helen Barro kept the Latino beat alive. She started with the network in the late 70s and was there a long time. Bailar!
Thursday, February 1, 2024
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