From:  Bob Casey

   Dated:  February 6, 2015

Subject:  Remember Detachment 5, AFVN Hue TET 1968

To my fellow AFVNers,

On a previous remembrance to the site, I related a story of while on leave as I prepared to go to Vietnam, the Tet Offensive took place.  I still remember Walter Cronkite's seriousness as he reported the Offensive for 5 days, including the fall of Hue.  I was to be stationed there and for all intensive [sic.] purposes, it was now gone.  I hadn't yet told my family that I had orders for Nam, but my mother read the trouble in my mind. and the wall was breached.  Today, as then, I whisper the prayer; "There, but for the grace of God, go I."  A heartfelt salute to the living and a sacred prayer for the deceased victims of that fateful day.

Bob Casey

AFVN Group Conversations

    From:  Bob Morecook

   Dated:  February 5, 2015

Subject:  Remember Detachment 5, AFVN Hue TET 1968

On this day in history 47 years ago AFVN Detachment 5 at Hue South Vietnam was overrun after a fierce fire fight.  Three AFVN’ers were killed, others taken as prisoners, to spend the rest of the Vietnam war as captives.  Today, only one of those men, SFC Harry Ettmuller (USA, Ret) remains alive to recall those days.  Today is also a day to honor all those men and the memory of their sacrifice.

Harry Ettmuller talks about AFVN Det 5 on Youtube:  Click here.

    From:  Adrian Cronauer
   Dated:  February 6, 2015
Subject:  Remember Detachment 5, AFVN Hue TET 1968

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.
Adrian Cronauer

    From:  Rick Fredericksen
   Dated:  February 6, 2015
Subject:  Remember Detachment 5, AFVN Hue TET 1968

Thanks Bob. I'm still writing my book on broadcasters, and the attack on AFVN Hue is the opening scene. I'm diverted by other writing projects now, but the incident, and the anniversary, mean a lot to me.
Rick Fredericksen

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Remembering AFVN Detachment 5, Hue

February 2015

    From:  Ken Gilder
   Dated:  May 3, 2015
Subject:  Remember Detachment 5, AFVN Hue TET 1968

I knew John Anderson when he was an E-6. He was the station NCOIC at AFKN Radio Gypsy when I was a PFC, 1965.

Ken