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AFVN Group Conversations
From: Ken Gilder
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Someone once told me that the first two shows telecast by AFVN, were "Combat," and "Batman." Have never had it confirmed. Does anyone know anything about this?
Ken G
From: Brian Wickham
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
I bought a small TV at the Cholon Exchange and hosted a TV party night in my room at the Walling BEQ. We watched “Combat” which we dubbed “Like It Is” and saw most of the last season of "Star Trek.” The only other thing I remember being on was “The Golddiggers” with Dean Martin.
Brian Wickham
From: Frank Rogers
Dated: May 28, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History
Still haven’t read it all, but there is AFVN near end, and has Joe Ciokon in the Lebanon section. I disagree with statement AFVN was first AFRTS net to have on the hour newscasts 24 hours a day.
FrankR
From: Jim Anderson
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
I remember "Bewitched", early '66.
From: Ken Kalish
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
I don’t know if it was one of the first, but there was one black and white TV on the Navy compound our PBR unit and the VN Navy shared. It was in a corner of an open air covered pavilion used for everything from weapons cleaning to communal dining and chicken plucking. Everything stopped every day when Combat! was aired on AFVN. Just about everyone in Vinh Long squeezed onto the base and found a spot from which to watch the show. Two VN sailors tried to translate. Our Division Commander said we were providing AIT for the local VC, but he never tried to keep the locals out.
Ken
AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
May and September 2020
From: Ed Sharpe
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
I think that would be good!
From: Ed Sharpe
Dated: May 28, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
If you have not seen it see SMECC offering on AFRS / AFRTS history
https://www.smecc.org/afrs_afrts.htm
click all the links at t he top of this page and explore all on the page itself also.
Enjoy!
Ed# Archivist for SMECC
From: Robert Wilford
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Rick, 1969 Hon Tre. Movie night! Once a year each detachment received a Hollywood produced, play in the theater,actual movie! This was a big deal. The movie and 16 mm projection would arrive by helicopter and picked up the next day. The guys were delirious with joy and anticipation. Mick Mankey scrounged a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood and some white paint, and erected a “big” screen outside his hootch. Much inventorying of snacks and beverages occurred that afternoon: Jiffy pop? Check. Hormel chili check. Beer on ice? Working on it.Anything baked back home, check. Seats were “saved” by lunchtime, mostly sandbags with a pillow on top. Getting late in the day, we get word the chopper will drop the package near 7 p.m. A sergeant volunteers to take custody. Anybody qualified to thread and operate a 16 mm projector? Everybody! Sgt. Mankey will do the honors (shortest guy -time left on DEROS-in the unit. And, Mankey promises to wait until I am off guard duty and at my seat before he rolls the film. Once a year! Title? No one knows, no one cares. True to his word, Mankey starts the film at the sight of Sgt. Wilford (me) arriving from guard duty. The orchestra starts the overture to: “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
Shocked faces exchanged looks of disbelief. Back at the image on the screen, back to each other. No one notices Wilford draw his .45 and aim it, but all were sure what would happen next: 2 shots, center mass. Back to kindergarten, Dick Van Dyke. And back to the nightly card game for the audience. Or to watch "Combat” somewhere.
From: Ed Sharpe
Dated: September 2, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Sorry, got distracted from this, Jim.... I am about on 20 different projects at once all the time it seems.
Yes, a link to our main entry to this section would be GREAT.
ENTRY TO SMECC Museum's Armed Forces Broadcasting
Yes, happy to provide some history...
I will have more to add to it soon too.
Ed Sharpe, Archivist for SMECC
From: Ken Gilder
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
I remember being told once, that, on a 16mm film frame, just 75-80% of it made it to the screen. I can verify this, as there were many times we would break out one of the "restricted" programs, and have our own private showing in the film library. Never saw it on TV, but we did snicker and chuckle when watching the program at 100% of the frame, and seeing the boom mike drop in to the top of the frame. It happened in "Bonanza" a lot.
Ken G.
From: Ann Kelsey
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
At Cam Ranh Army in 69-70 Special Services hauled 16 mm projectors around to various unit areas showing movies on an irregular basis depending on when a film canister showed up. I can’t remember a single one of the films, so they must have been undistinguished.
I do remember a clandestine showing of MASH in 1970 with a few of us hiding out in the Special Services office to see it. I have no idea how we managed to snag a copy. It definitely was not on the approved viewing list.
I remember seeing Combat on AFVN TV but not Batman.
Ann
From: Jim White
Dated: May 28, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Ed,
I almost want to say "Where have you been all my life?" With your permission, I want to add a link to your site from mine (AFVNVETS.NET). May even insert some index items on my site which go to specific portions or yours. OK?
Jim W
From: Jim Anderson
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Episodes of "Combat" were shown on a outdoor movie screen at Tent City B (later called MACV Annex) , Feb. '66.
Jim A.
From: Frank Rogers
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
My first experience with COMBAT was in 63 the Philippines en route from Korea to Ft McPherson. Wife’s young brothers wanted 5 pesos to see “bik moro” on neighbor’s TV. I didn’t understand it was Vic Morrow.
FrankR
From: Bob Morecook
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Hi Rick That's cool! He told me that story too! Harry was a good guy.
Bob
From: Bob Peetz
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Don’t know if it was the first or second show, but when they took Batman off the air the local Vietnamese population almost rioted in protest.
Winds,
Bob
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
67–68 our biggest show was Combat. The kids use to come up to fence and say...”Where Rick Jason?” We would explain that he was in California/movies..... side note....we didn’t have satellites remember, so they used to Kinescope the World Series in Hawaii and fly the film to us....that was a big audience. Also we would run the radio version of the series....live ..... stolen or courtesy of Voice of America (if I recall) real world time which would air an afternoon game in Vietnam from 2 to about 5-am in the morning. We created sleepy troops all over Vietnam and happy kids on guard duty all night long! As I remember it.....
Dickie
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
In 1967, Harry Ettmueller set up a 16mm projector outside AFVN in Hue and projected Combat on an exterior wall for Vietnamese who lived in the area. The kids loved it. Their other favorite was Batman.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Ed Sharpe
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
OK great!!!! It would have to transfer the user over to our site when they click it... We do not allow our site to be embedded in frames. Or anything like that. Maybe I will get motivated to load up some more photos too....
From: Jim White
Dated: May 29, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Ed,
Didn't specify where I would put it because I hadn't thought about it yet. One good place might be on https://www.afvnvets.net/afvn-history.html Perhaps as a fairly large blue link button on the right of the 1. AFVN Timeline and Histories saying something like:
Click Here for the Roots of
AFVN During WW Two and Other
Valuable Historical Information
Let me know if you have a better idea.
Jim W
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: May 30, 2020
Subject: AFRTS History - Early Times, WW2, Korea, etc
Funny story Bob. I don't think I'd arrived at Hon Tre yet. I guess you earned the "expert" medal for pistol marksmanship. This story should be on our website, unless it already is, as there are few things that get past Jim W.