From:  Michael Goucher

   Dated:  April 20, 2017

Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

Rick--

 I don't know how my name is included with all those classy guys & gals but I am very grateful for the mention.  I spent so much time in the films business folks can't believe I started out in radio back in 1958!  I was one of those wannabes who would go get coffee for the on-air guys; and one morning during a huge snowstorm no one but me and the owner showed up at the station. He said, "Tell people to stay off the road, and everything's closed - schools, factories, government offices. Oh, and you can play records too, but keep the information going even though you'll be repeating it all morning."  That was my first shift - 8:45 AM (we were late getting the transmitter fired up) until 1:00 PM.  Dominyk Hysko was his name, the station was WPAW in Pawtucket, RI. That was when I learned you don't need booze or drugs, just a generous manager, a microphone and a radio station!

​

AFVN Group Conversations

    From:  Rick Fredericksen

   Dated:  April 20, 2017

Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

Great beginning to a profession Michael!  I'll bet many of us started our broadcasting careers with a stroke of luck.  For me, it was simple.  Orders to DINFOS out of Marine boot camp.  Now THAT was blind luck . Would be interesting to hear others share their first break into broadcasting.  Cheers. 
Rick 


    From:  Ken Kalish
   Dated:  April 20, 2017
Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

I was 12, Rick, when I started distributing game sheets for WRCO in Richland Center, Wi.  I worked my way through the first two years of college working for WAKX, WIGL, KAOH, and KOZY.  I moonlighted as TV news for KDAL in Duluth for three years while on recruiting duty.  As Randy will confirm, I built an AFRTS outlet in Newfoundland, and I installed a SITE system on a USNS while up there.  I also spent time at AFRTS as a radio producer and was briefly assigned to NAVINFO in DC before being sent to Argentina to take care of a pirate interfering with SAC and NAVFAC signals.  Quite a trip.


    From:  Rick Fredericksen

   Dated:  April 20, 2017

Subject:  60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

​Key broadcasters and other media individuals (150+), in order of their appearance: 
Paul Rhoades, Russ Van Dyke, Bob Sevey, Derek Williams, Rick Lewis, Michele McNabb, Vinh Ve, Shelly Blunt, Ron Turner, James DiBernardo, John Deering, Tom Young, Don Gouin, Harry Ettmueller, Courtney Niles, John Anderson, Steve Stroub, John Bagwell, Jack Laurence, Robert Schakne, Murray Fromson, Don Webster, Duong Va Ri, Walter Cronkite, Michael Herr, Al Gore, Walter Mondale, Steve Kroft, Mai Phuong, John Chancellor, Clarence Page, Gene Siskel, Earl Woods, David Kieffer, Mike Maxwell, Bob Andreson, Lee Hansen, Steve Sevits, Jerry Masini, Craig Prosser, Harry Simons, Paul Bottoms, Casey Kasem, Wolfman Jack, Chickenman, Adrian Cronauer, Robin Williams, Pat Sajak, Merv Griffen, Richard Bednar, Gary W. Gears, John Steinbeck, Thomas Steinbeck, Hugh Morgan, Carl Hudgins, Robert Stricklin, William Wilson, Randall Moody, Toney Brooks, Ray Nash, Bob Lawrence, Bobbie Keith, Paul Baldridge, Janie and George Lewis, Al Dawson, Jim Russell, Tony Sargent, Kenley Jones, Gary Bel, Richard Threlkeld, Gary Shepard, Joe Moore, Michael Goucher, Nick Paladino, James Adams, Huntley-Brinkley, James Campbell, Ray Profeta, Peter Berlin, Bruce Beebe, Tom Sinkovitz, Norman Schwarzkopf, Ron Hesketh, Hanoi Hannah, Ed Wood, Eric Sevareid, Paul Harvey, Parker Lane, Bob MacArthur, Greg Cooke, Ron Bartlett, Jim Allingham, Rep. John Moss, Lynn Packer, Jack Anderson, John Broger, William R. Frye, S.L.A. Marshall, Robert Sanders, C.W. Lane, Richard Fitzpatrick, Lee W. Hauser, Mike Jackson, Dennis Woytek, Aunt Sara, Wayne Cannon, Jim Sandt, Robert Morecook, Keyes Beech, Brian Ellis, David Henderson, Richard Warner, Eric Cavalerio, Joel Bernstein, Dan Rather, Larry Doyle, Graham Greene, Tran Duc Suu, Linda Mason, Pham Dinh Long, Le Van Anh, Beth Bressan, Mai Phuong, Rob Dillard, Edward. R. Murrow, Neal Davis, Bill Latch, Luis Beltran, Narong Srivoraphak and Uthai, Andy Williams, Gabby Tabunar, Ed Bradley, John Hamlin, Don Hewitt, Haing Ngor, Dith Pran, Charles Kuralt, Sydney Schanberg, Hidenobu Okamoto, Bob Simon, Nate Thayer, Dave McKaige, Art Key, Wanna Chukul, Connie Chung. 
Rick Fredericksen

AFVN News 69-70


    From:  Forrest Brandt

   Dated:  April 20, 2017

Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

Why not?

Forrest.


    From:  Ken Kalish

   Dated:  April 20, 2017

Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

All I did was do my show, then go home to work TV for a while, then taught broadcast news and production at U of MN for a while.  No big contributions there.  Oh, I also taught broadcast buying to Navy recruiting.

Ken Kalish

​

    From:  Ken Kalish

   Dated:  April 20, 2017

Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

Nope. The list is about 1,449 sort [short?] of documenting my contributions.

Ken Kalish

    From:  Rick Fredericksen
   Dated:  April 20, 2017
Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

Indeed, Rick. None of mine begin as traditional fairy tales (once upon a time) or as sea stories (this ain't no sh*t).  I stopped telling of the giant catfish we had to shoot because I was never believed - until one appeared on the River Monsters TV program. Mekong catfish do grow to eight feet and do not die easily.


Broadcasters: Untold Chaos

This conversation eventually moved over towards 

How I Got My Start in Broadcasting

April 2017

    From:  Rick Fredericksen
   Dated:  April 20, 2017
Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

Ken, I believe you do have Vietnam stories to tell, outside of AFVN.


    From:  Rick Fredericksen
   Dated:  April 20, 2017
Subject:   60+ AFVN Vets in New Book

You started young Ken. I also think you have lots of llama experiences that few people know about but would like to hear.  Not your typical house pet or farm animal.  Here's my story on those Mekong cat fish.

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