From:  Rick Fredericksen

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

These are such noble and honorable beginnings, similar to the mission of AFVN: communication, connection and information. And to think it started at the home of DINFOS, where many of us learned our trade. Perhaps this background on the groups postwar chapter is a historical document for the archives.

Job well done!

    From:  Joe Ciokon

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

You've done us all proud Bob.  The work continues.

Joe C.

    From:  Bob Morecook

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

Hi Rick et al,
You asked for a few sentences on how the AFVN email group got started --
We began when I got a phone call or email I forget which from the late JO1 Jack Leigh, who was trying to find JO2 Terry Oliver somewhere in Nevada.  Using search engines, I did eventually find Terry -- and the three of us started all wanting to find the late SGM Emmanuel Harper, the last news NCO, a truly great guy, and an inspiration to all of us in "the last newsroom".
Thus Jack gets the credit for being the first "reacher-outer" that led to this group.
From there it case cascaded into a search for the last newsroom, then the last station, which then quickly became an obsession to find all former AFVN'ers.
Part of my own effort was motivated by my own high regard for the good people I was able to serve with in Vietnam, and partly motivated by own respect for NCO's in general [from the viewpoint of a child raised by Army sergeants, spouses and their friends, on Army posts, but mostly at Fort Harrison IN where I lived as an Army brat for 8 years.]
Needless to say, the finding of all the good people was not done by me alone, but by all of us, sometimes in an organized, sometimes in a haphazard method!  I will take credit for discovering the "Yahoo Groups" method of linking us by email, for moderating [or attempting to keep moderate :-) the email group, for creating a first set of AFVN webpages, and for organizing the first three reunions [two at Fort Ben and one at Las Vegas].
Thank goodness for Ken Kalish, Jim White and many others who stepped forward to create new webpages and to organize the most recent reunions. I had reached the point where I no longer had the energy to do it all!
Because my memory is fallible, I stand ready to be corrected on any misstatements or omissions here.
Best wishes,
Bob

    From:  Ann Kelsey

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

I second that.  Listening to AFVN meant so much to all of us.  

Thanks, guys and gals,

​Ann

    From:  Steve Pennington

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

As a non-AFVN guy who really enjoyed listening to AFVN while in Vietnam, I really appreciate being invited to join this group. AFVN radio and TV were so important to us. Thanks to Dr. Bob for all of the marches he has posted and thanks to Joe Ciokon and all of my Masonic Brothers for their information.

Cheers.

Steve Pennington,

Phu Cat, Danang

    From:  Bill Altman

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

On behalf of all of us in this on-line community a special hats off to you Bob.  Please keep up the great work.  I would also like to thank Jim White for the massive amount of work he has done to create and enlarge our community's Face book [AFVNVets.net] page.  A lot of friends have been found here.  What a great pleasure to be part of this group.

Bill Altman 
1965

    From:  Bob Casey

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

Bob,

Thanks so much for your incite, your dedication and most of all, your patience in piloting this great project. It is appreciated a great deal more than you will ever know. All the very best to you and all alumni of AFVN. Fondest Regards,

Bob Casey

    From:  Adrian Cronauer

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

....and Thursday, February 5th is the anniversary of AFVN in Hue being over run.

    From:  Bob Nelson

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

Congratulations Bob....Another of the good things you've done for folks during your life.

Thanks,

Bob N


    From:  Rick Fredericksen

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

Happy Birthday!

A sentence or two on how it started would be great.

Rick


    From:  Bob Morecook

     Date:  January 26, 2015

Subject:  AFVN Group - 16th Anniversary

Hi Gang 
This is the 16th Anniversary of the AFVN Group on Yahoo. It has led to a lot of folks finding lost friends, and a whole host of wonderful reunions. 
Enjoy for years more! 
Best wishes

Bob Morecook


16th Anniversary of the Establishment of AFVN@Yahoogroups.com

January 2015

AFVN Group Conversations