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Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: March 6, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
Rick,
Jim, your comments are heartfelt. We might be surprised at how many units went through similar internal matters. It was so long ago that it only adds to the colorful history of our proud outfit. Remember what made AFVN, perhaps, the best known unit in Vietnam: the movie Good Morning Vietnam, which wasn't all that flattering. As I said to close my Hon Tre story, despite it all, we did our jobs: mission accomplished. Thanks Jim!
Rick Fredericksen
From: Rick Fredricksen
Dated: March 7, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
Thanks for the sweet note Nancy. I also see your name pop up from time to time, here and there. My gig with the magazine has been personally rewarding. Watch for another contribution the issue after next. Respectfully,
Rick Fredericksen
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: March 8, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
Ann, you speak from experience. I will just add that the military, and especially AFVN, changed my life forever. All for the good. So many broadcasting careers resulted from service in South Vietnam. Although it is not imminent, I look forward to reading Marc Yablonka's book about AFVN. 50 years ago this month is when I arrived in Saigon, checked into the Plaza Hotel and started my career at AFVN. I am soooo grateful.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Ann Kelsey
Dated: March 7, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
I just have to say that what AFVN and everyone who worked in it provided was a big morale booster and reminder of home. Those of us who worked in morale and recreation, Special Services, Red Cross, USO, were there to provide that same “touch of home in a combat zone”, but we couldn’t ever be everywhere and AFVN broadcasting threw a pretty wide net. I can still hear in my mind AFVN playing in motor pools, trans companies, the PX, the mess hall at Cam Ranh Army, lifting everybody’s spirits. I’m sure that was true all over Vietnam.. So, despite all the internal conflicts, and we all had them, thanks for doing a great job.
Ann
From: Nancy Smoyers
Dated: March 6, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
Rick,
I really enjoyed reading this account. You all have talked about it on here from time to time, and this gives a more complete picture of the whole "escapade." And because I have very little memory, I'm quite sure but not positive that I recently read another article by you in Vietnam magazine. It's always good to see your by-line on a story.
Nancy
From: Jim Allingham
Dated: March 6, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
Rick,
Once again, you have captured a glimpse of our Vietnam tour that most of us either pushed to the deep, dark recesses of our memory banks, or took to the grave with us. I applaud your writing and story-telling skills.
You have captured another part of the Vietnam experience that I have forwarded to my kids and grandkids to reinforce some of the things that I've tried to explain to them in recent years, but failed to do in the manner that your blog has addressed.
As one of the anti-censorship guys who was banished from Saigon and as one who did not drink, or smoke, I was one of the "boring" guys who often wondered how safe we were on "The Rock" when many of the guys pulling night bunker duty were getting high and most of our senior NCO's and officers were getting drunk at day's end.
I've never talked about that with my kids, or wife. But, your blog has opened a new dialog; perhaps one that I should have started decades ago.
Thanks, Rick.
Another great job!
SP5 Jim Allingham
AFVN Group Conversations
Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
March 2019
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: March 3, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
Revealed! Escapades at Vietnam Radio-TV Outpost
"Somebody is going to get killed." Clouds form over Hon Tre Island
From: Tom Herlacher
Dated: March 12, 2019
Subject: Another "Good Morning Vietnam"
I am a sailor who was based in country with a close air support OV-10 squadron (VAL-4 in Binh Thuy). I very much enjoyed and appreciated the programming provided by AFVN and AFRTS. It was almost like being hack home sometimes. Thanks for the memories.
Tom Herlacher AZ-2 1970-72a